SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 - SES-8 - Let's Get Restarted In Here Party Thread

[deltaV]

Less than an hour to go before launch!

[PlanetStorm]

Yes, it's their first comsat launch.. there's also some expectation that this will give SpaceX cashflow to do human spaceflight on their own dime.

Yes, I think there is a genuine feeling that the success of this launch is an early but essential step on Elon's road to Mars. That makes it so much more than *just* a comsat launch.

[Mader Levap]

And it's JUST a comsat launch...

It is not "just a comsat launch". Let's be blunt: no one cares about this or that comsat. Different thing is in play there: successful foray in purely commercial market would mean SpaceX could theoretically live without goverment orders.

[corrodedNut]

Let's not get the space policy section restarted in here.

[topsphere]

Will the fact that this launch has been scrubbed twice already and suffered a few anomalies reduce the likelihood of spacex being contracted for future comsat launches even a tiny bit?

And I've been visiting this website for ages, thought I'd get involved to try and learn a lot more. Top notch website!

[Heinrich]

Elon tweets: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/407987488645718016

Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk
About an hour away from launch. I'd like to thank @SES_Satellites for taking a chance on @SpaceX. We've given it our all.

Are there more people with this association??:

If you change your mind, I'm the first in line
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie
If you put me to the test, if you let me try

Take a chance on me
(That's all I ask of you honey)
Take a chance on me

[savuporo]

Will the fact that this launch has been scrubbed twice already and suffered a few anomalies reduce the likelihood of spacex being contracted for future comsat launches even a tiny bit?

No, standard fare in the industry. BTW, 2009-037A is still up there so im not sure why people are painting this as the first paying payload on commercial market.
Sure, its a GEO bird and the price is much higher and yes this one is a communication statellite, not earth observations so the market to be tapped is potentially bigger.

[cro-magnon gramps]

FREE BIRD

If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
For I must be travelling on, now,
cause theres too many places Ive got to see.
But, if I stayed here with you, girl,
Things just couldnt be the same.
cause Im as free as a bird now,
And this bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I cant change.

Who will remember this launch in a years time, when all the others have come and gone... it's not the Bird on the top, it's the vehicle....

[mr. mark]

Ok we have video on the SpaceX side...

[QuantumG]

Will the fact that this launch has been scrubbed twice already and suffered a few anomalies reduce the likelihood of spacex being contracted for future comsat launches even a tiny bit?

And I've been visiting this website for ages, thought I'd get involved to try and learn a lot more. Top notch website!

Welcome to the forum! If you want a more in-depth answer, ask on the discussion thread. Some comsat customers are interested in SpaceX now, others will wait until they are more operational before risking their birds.

[Chris Bergin]

Yes, it's their first comsat launch.. there's also some expectation that this will give SpaceX cashflow to do human spaceflight on their own dime.

So what dethroned the previous peak at STS-135? That kinda makes me sad.

Nothing to be sad about. The higher numbers reflect the capacity of the servers to support the load as much as they do the public interest.

Yep. And that previous record was when the site fell over at that mark. I think we had a 10 minute blackout while everything was rebooting. Last reboot requirement was during the CRS mission where Dragon had a problem after sep. We've changed to different servers again since.

So this is all a good test, and so far so good. Still have the option to remove guests, which I'll do in the event of anything *touch wood it doesn't* dramatic occurs during this launch. That's when you get overloaded by Joe Public coming in to gwark.

[Orbiter]

Still, that's impressive as could be for a satellite launch.

[Robotbeat]

What I wouldn't give to hear this on the pre-webcast webcast feed:

[Lars_J]

That would be cool!

[oiorionsbelt]

Since SpaceX did a recycle on this launch, seems only fair to recycle the video I did for the Cassiope launch.

Let's get ready to rumble (in here)!

As everyones over here, quick question. Why does the exhaust of the GG look so different in the tests of the M1D compared to when it's on GH? Check the video at 40 secs for test and 3:00 for GH

[corrodedNut]

It's a beautiful evening for a launch...Go SpaceX!

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Completely clear skies as the Sun sets! Maybe this time people at the Cape and Bahamas can see the American kerosene jellyfish that has always been linked to Soyuz launches! (and here in this side of the world the Sun is ready to rise above the horizon  )

[dlapine]

Is it just me, or are we seeing an abbreviated version of the full launch count? I don't mean that they are doing anything different, just that they only cut in at the T-13 mark.

I like it- let's get this bird in the air.

[Robotbeat]

oiorion: because the gas generator exhaust was on fire for grasshopper. The flow of the air around the vehicle was different. Also, I believe Grasshopper used a pre-production version of Merlin 1D.

[Rocket Science]

"Quick Start" is go.....