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#20
by
Flying Beaver
on 01 Dec, 2016 15:43
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What about FCC authorizations for first-stage recovery operation? It is not issued for this flight.
You are correct, I confused it with the license for another flight. They have active first stage recovery communications licenses for CRS-10 and Iridium. I don't see the application for EchoStar 23? Maybe they haven't filed it yet.
Remember that CRS-10
was the planned RTF mission. So they filled the FCC applications in preparation for a launch and RTLS landing, in anticipation of a November RTF date.
The applications will still of course work for a January flight (6 month expiry).
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#21
by
gongora
on 01 Dec, 2016 16:24
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What about FCC authorizations for first-stage recovery operation? It is not issued for this flight.
You are correct, I confused it with the license for another flight. They have active first stage recovery communications licenses for CRS-10 and Iridium. I don't see the application for EchoStar 23? Maybe they haven't filed it yet.
Remember that CRS-10 was the planned RTF mission. So they filled the FCC applications in preparation for a launch and RTLS landing, in anticipation of a November RTF date.
The applications will still of course work for a January flight (6 month expiry).
EchoStar 23 won't be RTLS, so they would need to amend that filing or file another one.
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#22
by
Chris Bergin
on 01 Dec, 2016 22:01
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Been trying to confirm it, which is always my preference - but let's just note what should be obvious as part of the progress. This latest booster was understood to be targeting testing before the Thanksgiving break and was on the test stand. Test stand is now empty, so we can likely class this S1 (which we're all assuming is for Echostar-23 from 39A) to have completed its McGregor static fire.
Next big hint will be someone spotting the stage on a road trip to Florida in the not too distant future....(and it's funny, as someone usually does! You can't tow a Falcon 9 stage on a freeway without coming across a SpaceX fan these days!

)
Photo of this stage on the stand via Gary Blair, L2 McGregor (cropped from a larger/wider photo to highlight the S1).
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#23
by
Flying Beaver
on 01 Dec, 2016 22:37
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#24
by
Chris Bergin
on 01 Dec, 2016 23:23
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Heh! "We seeee you F9!"

Location for that image? It has #Texas in the hashtag, but want to be sure if that's the Stage heading to Florida or another heading to McGregor.
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#25
by
Flying Beaver
on 01 Dec, 2016 23:41
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Heh! "We seeee you F9!"
Location for that image? It has #Texas in the hashtag, but want to be sure if that's the Stage heading to Florida or another heading to McGregor.
Supposedly (looking at other images from that account) the photographer seems to live in China Springs, Texas. Just north of McGregor.
Judging by that tanker beside the core I would think its just outside the the facility itself.
And after looking around... Here to be exact (found it on Google street view xD)
(left is out towards the highway, so its headed somewhere!)
https://www.google.ca/maps/@31.4222581,-97.4117963,3a,75y,177.25h,90.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ss-0nEsrE_ikkz4jKU0Utfg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
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#26
by
Chris Bergin
on 02 Dec, 2016 01:17
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Heh! "We seeee you F9!"
Location for that image? It has #Texas in the hashtag, but want to be sure if that's the Stage heading to Florida or another heading to McGregor.
Supposedly (looking at other images from that account) the photographer seems to live in China Springs, Texas. Just north of McGregor.
Judging by that tanker beside the core I would think its just outside the the facility itself.
And after looking around... Here to be exact (found it on Google street view xD)
(left is out towards the highway, so its headed somewhere!)
https://www.google.ca/maps/@31.4222581,-97.4117963,3a,75y,177.25h,90.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ss-0nEsrE_ikkz4jKU0Utfg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Excellent detective skills, Dr. Watson!
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#27
by
deruch
on 02 Dec, 2016 03:41
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Heh! "We seeee you F9!"
Location for that image? It has #Texas in the hashtag, but want to be sure if that's the Stage heading to Florida or another heading to McGregor.
Supposedly (looking at other images from that account) the photographer seems to live in China Springs, Texas. Just north of McGregor.
Judging by that tanker beside the core I would think its just outside the the facility itself.
And after looking around... Here to be exact (found it on Google street view xD)
The world today is amazing. Nice work.
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#28
by
Orbiter
on 12 Dec, 2016 23:09
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Per SpaceX Facebook Group, the Falcon 9 first stage was spotted rolling into Cape Canaveral today.
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#29
by
old_sellsword
on 12 Dec, 2016 23:11
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Per SpaceX Facebook Group, the Falcon 9 first stage was spotted rolling into Cape Canaveral today.
It shouldn't take twelve days for a booster to go from Texas to Florida, so I wouldn't be surprised if the first one arrived unnoticed a few days ago, and that this is a
second booster arriving at the Cape.
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#30
by
Flying Beaver
on 13 Dec, 2016 03:56
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Right on cue Chris 
From Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BNe1lrjhZ1l/
This booster is the Iridium core, leaving three weeks ago.
Different truck, and reflector strip is placed higher than the core spotted at the Cape today.
Sometimes its worth rechecking your own work xD.
It seems the photo below was taken about 30 seconds before the picture that I thought was the EchoStar booster.
So no unaccounted boosters then

https://www.instagram.com/p/BM94N0whiHZ/
Core leaving Waco
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#31
by
Ronsmytheiii
on 13 Dec, 2016 13:56
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#32
by
Ronsmytheiii
on 13 Dec, 2016 14:00
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#33
by
Chris Bergin
on 27 Dec, 2016 13:37
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We have a Jan 15 NET show up in the L2 KSC schedule for this mission:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=41538.msg1623404#msg1623404 (L2 link). Window opens at 23:50 Local (Eastern).
Usual disclaimer: Of course, schedules are only really set in stone after the Static Fire and LRR and this one isn't the next launch (that's Iridium from Vandy), plus there's the whole FAA situation post-Amos 6 although that sounds like it's down to just some FAA guy proofreading SpaceX's findings and resolutions and then giving the Chuck Norris thumbs up. (I'm misrepresenting....but what I mean is that all sounds like it is close to closing the book on it).
However, for everyone's planning purposes, not least those wanting to see this historic first SpaceX launch from 39A (the first launch from that pad since Atlantis 135!) I'm passing it on, with the big disclaimer not to go rush and book a flight/hotel until things become a little more certain. It's a planning date, but the first official schedule planning date (documented).
Will set up the update only thread, but we can stay in this discussion thread for now.
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#34
by
edkyle99
on 12 Jan, 2017 13:42
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"NET 2017-Jan on Falcon 9 from LC-39A at Cape Canaveral."
OK, so LC 39 Pad A is now considered part of Cape Canaveral rather than Kennedy Space Center?
- Ed Kyle
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#35
by
obi-wan
on 12 Jan, 2017 19:16
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(Moved from the Update thread)
"NET 2017-Jan on Falcon 9 from LC-39A at Cape Canaveral."
OK, so LC 39 Pad A is now considered part of Cape Canaveral rather than Kennedy Space Center?
- Ed Kyle
There's a clear dividing line between the two; LC40 is Cape Canaveral (AF side), but LC39 is on the Kennedy Space Center (NASA side)
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#36
by
IanThePineapple
on 12 Jan, 2017 19:25
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According to the media, they are cross-compatible names. It is SO painful to hear things like "NASA's Falcon 9 lifting off from Kennedy Space Center" on the news.
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#37
by
envy887
on 12 Jan, 2017 19:41
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Cape Canaveral is a geographical area. It's entirely reasonable to state that 39A is located at Cape Canaveral, without intending to state that it's located at CCAFS.
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#38
by
edkyle99
on 12 Jan, 2017 21:30
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Cape Canaveral is a geographical area. It's entirely reasonable to state that 39A is located at Cape Canaveral, without intending to state that it's located at CCAFS.
Anyone who has lived in Florida, as I have, would disagree. Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station are precisely distinct. LC 39A has always been part of KSC, but it has also always, until now, been a NASA launch site for NASA launch vehicles. Operationally, LC 39A no longer serves as "part" of the Kennedy Space Center, which has me wondering if it is still proper to call it "KSC LC 39 Pad A".
"Cape Canaveral" itself is a geographic feature that is 8-10 miles south/southeast of LC 39A. LC 39A stands near an area once called "Titusville Beach" and/or "Chester" that was just north of "False Cape".
Here is a neat old map of the place.
http://www.nbbd.com/godo/history/images/NASA1952Maps.html - Ed Kyle
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#39
by
vanoord
on 12 Jan, 2017 21:39
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Isn't Pad 39a considered to be on Merritt Island rather than Cape Canaveral?