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#580
by
woods170
on 19 Feb, 2017 14:42
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Did anyone notice flame on the TEL (maybe around S2 umbilical) right after liftoff? Did it retract as far and fast as expected?
Yes it did.
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#581
by
Ben the Space Brit
on 19 Feb, 2017 14:43
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I'm thinking residual fluids coming out of one of the fill or drain lines being ignited by the exhaust heat from the main engines.
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#582
by
ugordan
on 19 Feb, 2017 14:44
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That's not flame, that's light reflected off of the vapor cloud.
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#583
by
toruonu
on 19 Feb, 2017 14:49
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At around 3:17 a white spherical object maybe the size of a basketball? entered from frame right and quickly disappeared. Any idea as to what that was?
Look back to page #29 here. It's the dragon's nosecap.
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#584
by
Journeyman
on 19 Feb, 2017 14:57
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Woohoo! No work tonight or tomorrow! Was getting worried watching the weather. Minus the cloud coverage it was an awesome sight to see! On another note, for me this really brings it full circle. After the last launch from there I was sitting in my jeep in the parking lot there teary eyed writing a post on this forum. Within a month I, along with a few thousand others, was seeking employment elsewhere. Now I can officially say that I have returned and can't wait to add some more history to this piece of sacred ground. I hope that we can do you all proud and it feels great to be back in the launching business (Florida side) and feels great to be back at 39A. Let's keep it going!
P.S. And yes, it will be a double shot of Jack no.22 tonight! 
I share your emotions!
I remember watching Atlantis launching for the final time from the NASA causeway... The feeling of sadness as the launch I just had witnessed would be something USA could not do again! The future looked very uncertain for when a crewed mission would again roar off that pad? Today has indeed bring it full circle with the return of launches from 39A.
I got teary eyed on July 8, 2011 and I got teary eyed today with happy tears as we are finally starting the next chapter in space exploration on the back of the Space Shuttle and Apollo missions!
Well done SpaceX, Well done launch team and all the workers that worked on getting 39A ready!
Padrat, next time I visit KSC I will buy you a beer! :-)
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#585
by
vanoord
on 19 Feb, 2017 15:00
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At around 3:17 a white spherical object maybe the size of a basketball? entered from frame right and quickly disappeared. Any idea as to what that was?
Look back to page #29 here. It's the dragon's nosecap.
Full image for clarity.
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#586
by
AC in NC
on 19 Feb, 2017 15:31
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Hella lot of bits of things flying around today:
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#587
by
Herb Schaltegger
on 19 Feb, 2017 15:33
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Congrats on the launch. One thing that's also being somewhat wondered on the public side, it looked like the rainbirds only came online at T-0 and even then seemed to be quite low pressure. Is that just a visual misrepresentation or was there some issue with them?
Edit: and any clues as to what the two distinct object were that flew out of the rocket or close to it prior to entry burn?
It occurred pretty much simultaneously with the entry burn startup, so possibly ice or small bits of debris from the base area of the stage - perhaps pieces of cork dislodged by the overpressure of the engine start sequence. Post-landing inspection of the stage would confirm if it's stage debris, but SpaceX may not choose to disclose whatever it was.
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#588
by
Sohl
on 19 Feb, 2017 15:34
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Here's the Dragon nosecone visible at T+3:12.
That's no moon.
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#589
by
Stranger
on 19 Feb, 2017 15:39
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#590
by
kevinof
on 19 Feb, 2017 15:43
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Ice ? Hard to figure out it's size given the position of the camera.
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#591
by
toruonu
on 19 Feb, 2017 15:44
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Jay is still there asking questions! Asking about schedule. Comes out with one of his usually strange comments. Didn't quiet catch it.
He wanted Jessica to share her phone number to SpaceX party goers so that she can bail them out of jail instead of him
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#592
by
Flying Beaver
on 19 Feb, 2017 16:00
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"No date but approx two weeks for next launch".
Hmmm. 10 days was the plan. We'll have to see.
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#593
by
AC in NC
on 19 Feb, 2017 16:01
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Ice ? Hard to figure out it's size given the position of the camera.
See my sequence above. Initially presents very small and the pair exit top-right of frame about 3 seconds later. I could be being tricked by perspective but I lean toward thinking it not something frome Stage 1. Is that unlikely at the altitude prior to the landing burn?
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#594
by
pb2000
on 19 Feb, 2017 16:12
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FAA lady is happy with the safety of the launch.
Her responses sounded like she was reading off a script, and she kept reading it over and over again without actually answering any of the questions. She midaswell not have even bothered showing up.
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#595
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 19 Feb, 2017 16:17
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#596
by
Herb Schaltegger
on 19 Feb, 2017 16:24
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FAA lady is happy with the safety of the launch.
Her responses sounded like she was reading off a script, and she kept reading it over and over again without actually answering any of the questions. She midaswell not have even bothered showing up.
She a government administrator charged with enforcing regulations enacted pursuant to federal law in an even-handed and non-discriminatory (*) manner. In what way would you prefer her to have answered any particular question?
(*) Non-discriminatory as to any other applicant for commercial space launch and landing applicants.
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#597
by
laika_fr
on 19 Feb, 2017 16:28
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I thought she was expecting a question about the pending extra funding for commercial operations.
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#598
by
Jarnis
on 19 Feb, 2017 16:33
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#599
by
flyright
on 19 Feb, 2017 16:38
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Is it just me or did the rainbirds activate awfully late?
Visible on this clip: https://streamable.com/v9zjg
My guess is they have refined the Rainbird startup to be "just in time" rather than to soak down the base of the rocket.
