California Secrets - SpaceX F9 v1.1 Cassiope Launch Party Thread

[JBF]

It's just so strange to me that SpaceX was super tight lipped on Falcon 1 (I don't think we ever really got many pictures of the inside of the hanger at all, or the roll-out process, just pics of it Falcon 1 sitting on the pad and videos on launch day).  Then they go to Falcon 9 1.0 and it's mad dashes to get the proto Falcon 9 vertical before the end of the year, nearly monthly blog entries, etc...   Now with Falcon 9 1.1 we are back to something closer to the Falcon 1 coverage again.. very tight lipped.

Remember who the client is, that is a big part of the scale of publicity.  For the COTS program it's NASA and they want a lot of publicity.

[Antares]

(2nd is the same right?)

That wouldn't make rocket equation sense.  The relative impulse would be out of whack.

[Comga]

I'm just taking a guess that a lot of people are going to be surprised about the profile of this rocket (snip)

This (and the responses to it) belongs in another thread, not the one on viewing, etc. in California. 

[JBF]

I'm just taking a guess that a lot of people are going to be surprised about the profile of this rocket (snip)

This (and the responses to it) belongs in another thread, not the one on viewing, etc. in California.

This is the party thread, anything goes. 

[corrodedNut]

With the first stage length extension (2nd is the same right?) the rocket will have quite the look of a pencil.

Judging by recent photos, both stages have been stretched, but the interstage has gotten shorter.
It's gonna be skinny, and with the hammer-head fairing, it'll look...(drum roll please)...like a...

"marshmallow-on-a-stick".

But unlike other rockets that resemble campfire prepared foods, this one will launch.....s'more.

I know, I'm terrible.

[mr. mark]

Judging by recent photos, both stages have been stretched, but the interstage has gotten shorter.
It's gonna be skinny, and with the hammer-head fairing, it'll look...(drum roll please)...like a...

Ares 1 

[Comga]

I'm just taking a guess that a lot of people are going to be surprised about the profile of this rocket (snip)

This (and the responses to it) belongs in another thread, not the one on viewing, etc. in California.

This is the party thread, anything goes. 

Sure, but this has been discussed to death in the other thread. Huge discussion about historical records on"fineness" and what's the best for mass fraction or drag or control authority and the specious similarity in appearance to Ares 1 and how people hate or miss Ares 1 and on and on and on.

It IS a party thread. Despite my own tendencies I urge you to party like "regular" people, whoever they might be.

Edit: Try this thread.
Chris says that most of the "Falcon 9 v1.1 is too skinny" posts have been moved there.

[Robotbeat]

Judging by recent photos, both stages have been stretched, but the interstage has gotten shorter.
It's gonna be skinny, and with the hammer-head fairing, it'll look...(drum roll please)...like a...

Ares 1 

That was the joke. You ruined it.

[kirghizstan]

any word if there will be video of the hot fire? 

[Robotbeat]

any word if there will be video of the hot fire?

I sincerely doubt it. SpaceX is tired of people thinking a hot fire is an aborted launch (and yes, a lot of people thought so in the past).

[Comga]

any word if there will be video of the hot fire?

I sincerely doubt it. SpaceX is tired of people thinking a hot fire is an aborted launch (and yes, a lot of people thought so in the past).

One can attribute to Mark Twain the observation that "You can make something fool proof, but you can't make it damn-fool proof."

Do you think that SpaceX alters their plans based on damn-fools?

[Robotbeat]

any word if there will be video of the hot fire?

I sincerely doubt it. SpaceX is tired of people thinking a hot fire is an aborted launch (and yes, a lot of people thought so in the past).

One can attribute to Mark Twain the observation that "You can make something fool proof, but you can't make it damn-fool proof."

Do you think that SpaceX alters their plans based on damn-fools?

Yes, if the goal of showing video is to gain good PR, and people constantly think it's an abort (which is bad PR), then there's no use showing the video. Especially in real-time.

[QuantumG]

thanks for confirming the hot fire date for those of us not on L2.  now bend as chris breaks out the Cat o' nine tails to administer justice

Don't worry, the great thing about SpaceX schedules is there's so many to choose from!

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Hey the candle is now rolling out to the pad! 

Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk
First of next gen Falcon 9 rockets rolls out to the launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base pic.twitter.com/hNl6zKodvr

[beancounter]

thanks for confirming the hot fire date for those of us not on L2.  now bend as chris breaks out the Cat o' nine tails to administer justice

Don't worry, the great thing about SpaceX schedules is there's so many to choose from!

Excellent.  Comment worthy of a 'party' thread.   

[kevin-rf]

any word if there will be video of the hot fire?

I sincerely doubt it. SpaceX is tired of people thinking a hot fire is an aborted launch (and yes, a lot of people thought so in the past).

One can attribute to Mark Twain the observation that "You can make something fool proof, but you can't make it damn-fool proof."

Do you think that SpaceX alters their plans based on damn-fools?

In that case, the Darn Fools Will think the rocket is on fire when they see it fly... It's Darwin, Evolution of the most foolish. It's a fools race.

[AndyX]

Getting closer and closer.

Got my mission requirements with me. NSF on bookmark and my subscription to the excellent L2, which has been so far ahead of the game as usual.

[Nickolai]

any word if there will be video of the hot fire?

I sincerely doubt it. SpaceX is tired of people thinking a hot fire is an aborted launch (and yes, a lot of people thought so in the past).

I didn't realize people thought that. Although I have heard a lot of the same comment on Grasshopper videos: "why isn't it going to space?"

[Rabidpanda]

any word if there will be video of the hot fire?

I sincerely doubt it. SpaceX is tired of people thinking a hot fire is an aborted launch (and yes, a lot of people thought so in the past).

I didn't realize people thought that. Although I have heard a lot of the same comment on Grasshopper videos: "why isn't it going to space?"

Yeah a lot of people on YouTube seem confused about what Grasshopper is. One commenter even tried to convince me that it was made for suborbital tourism.

[kevin-rf]

Well it does have a Cowboy riding it!!!