LIVE: SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 - CRS-3 Dragon - ATTEMPT 2 UPDATES

[AJA]

Thanks for watching with us. I've been Chris and I'm going to stick my fingers in ice water.

I think it'd be interesting to plot the number of visitors to the site, and correlate it to the velocity profile of a launch. (Both for SpaceX). My guess is the shape will be a good fit, although there may be a lag, and that the site timeline'll have to be compressed.

[Lurker Steve]

De-orbit burn over the MH-370 search area almost definitely implies splashdown in the Pacific.

Those red boxes on the map indicate the landing zones, not when the burn occurs.

[Sohl]

Belated congratulations, SpaceX and NASA!    :

[Targeteer]

Exchange between CAPCOM and the ISS noted an on-board message during Beta gimbal assembly (BGA) movement.  The ground believes "the bearings bunched up" during rotation and they are currently backing up the motion to clear the issue. No indication this is a serious issue just interesting to hear ball bearings bunching up

CAPCOM update--BGA back drive appears to have worked.  The drive current has dropped and the assembly is moving freely.  This a known issue and will be tracked overnight.  The on-board caution will be suppressed to prevent waking up the crew if it re-occurs.

[John44]

SpaceX-3/Dragon Post-Launch News Conference
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8844

SpaceX-3/Dragon Launch Replay
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8843

[AJA]

Elon says production constraint was a single item – "injection casting"? – and they think they've licked it at this point, "unlocking" production.

Injector casting. Merlin pintles, I assume (since he was talking about all Falcon flights, and not only Dragon... so not Draco injectors).

[AndyX]

Thanks for the help with the presser guys!

William Graham's excellent article updated post launch:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/04/spacex-crs-3-dragon-new-milestones/

I'll recharge and write an article on F-9R fun tomorrow. Then we'll have a live thread and article for RNDZ and berthing  on Sunday.

Thanks for watching with us. I've been Chris and I'm going to stick my fingers in ice water.

Thanks for the great coverage here and on L2 for this launch again Chris. So much more fun to watch something I love, with friends from around the world. I would be lost without this site!

[MTom]

Elon says production constraint was a single item – "injection casting"? – and they think they've licked it at this point, "unlocking" production.

Injector casting. Merlin pintles, I assume (since he was talking about all Falcon flights, and not only Dragon... so not Draco injectors).

Injection casting is a casting method for non-ferrous metal (f.e. Aluminium)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_casting (link edited)

[Ometh45]

Thanks for the great coverage everyone, was my first experience of it on this site.  Great Job SpaceX / NASA and NSF 

[Sohl]

Chris, I add my thanks too.  Since I missed the launch itself, it was great to catch up here at NSF.com! 

[Lars_J]

Yeah, it certainly got sprayed with lots of dirty water.  (but kept on truckin')

https://twitter.com/scriptunasphoto/status/457279156997210112

Walter Scriptunas II ‏@scriptunasphoto
An up close view of the SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 sporting landing legs for the first time ever. #SpaceX3 #NASASocial pic.twitter.com/V8CMihvBmL

[Ronpur50]

"Any Easter surprises?" Nobody knows

Robert!!

Anyway, great job today.  I was able to sneak into the office to catch it, but rainclouds prevented my watching from outside.  Maybe next time.

[Lars_J]

Another good image:
https://twitter.com/MatthewBTravis/status/457285039554719745

Matthew Travis ‏@MatthewBTravis
From the launch pad, #SpaceX #Falcon 9 blasts off with #Dragon #CRS to resupply #ISS! @SpaceX #SpaceX3 pic.twitter.com/4vX3UCPH1Q

[Elmar Moelzer]

Great coverage here! Thanks to everyone who reported!

[starsilk]

there's still hope for a landed stage:

Lars Blackmore ‏@larsblackmore  6m
SpaceX launch was successful, standing by to find out about landing the first stage

[Lee Jay]

I had to miss this due to being in-transit so, a GREAT BIG THANKS to NSF and all the contributors for the coverage!!!

And a hearty congrats to SpaceX and the ISS program too.

[rickl]

Congratulations once more, SpaceX!


I watched it while at work.  I was logged in here for a bit during the countdown, but had to switch browsers in order to view the SpaceX feed.  So I wasn't reading this thread during the launch.  I knew that the video might lag behind real time, and I didn't want any "spoilers".   


The SpaceX feed had an extreme closeup view of the launch, so I didn't notice the "dirty water" column at first.  It looked worse when I watched the NASA TV replay, which was from a distance.


I don't know what it is, but I'm always more nervous watching SpaceX launches than any others.  That sort of brings back memories of watching launches in the "golden age" of the 60s and 70s.

[Lars_J]

A lot of nice HQ images have now been posted to the KSC image gallery: http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=225

Here are a few good ones:

[Lars_J]

A neat image of the launch, captured from the top of the VAB:

[chawleysnow]

Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk  31s
Data upload from tracking plane shows landing in Atlantic was good! Several boats enroute through heavy seas.