Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 - Iridium NEXT - Jan 14, 2017 (17:54 UTC)- UPDATES (Read 224199 times)

ZachS09 · « **Reply #60 on:** 01/14/2017 03:24 pm »

Excluding the satellite dispenser, the total payload weight for this mission will be 8,600 kilograms: the second heaviest for a Falcon 9. The heaviest Falcon 9 payload so far was the SpaceX CRS-8 mission in April 2016, weighing in at 8,836 kilograms.

edkyle99 · « **Reply #61 on:** 01/14/2017 03:34 pm »

Quote from: ZachS09 on 01/14/2017 03:24 pm

Excluding the satellite dispenser, the total payload weight for this mission will be 8,600 kilograms: the second heaviest for a Falcon 9. The heaviest Falcon 9 payload so far was the SpaceX CRS-8 mission in April 2016, weighing in at 8,626 kilograms.

Source for that CRS-8 value? I have it at greater than 10 tonnes.

- Ed Kyle

ZachS09 · « **Reply #62 on:** 01/14/2017 03:36 pm »

L-78 minutes. The GO/NO GO poll for prop loading is underway. This also serves as the final GO/NO GO poll for launch because it was combined with the fueling poll having been placed earlier than T-13 minutes.

Also, the blast danger area is clear of all personnel.

ZachS09 · « **Reply #63 on:** 01/14/2017 03:39 pm »

Quote from: edkyle99 on 01/14/2017 03:34 pm

Quote from: ZachS09 on 01/14/2017 03:24 pm
Excluding the satellite dispenser, the total payload weight for this mission will be 8,600 kilograms: the second heaviest for a Falcon 9. The heaviest Falcon 9 payload so far was the SpaceX CRS-8 mission in April 2016, weighing in at 8,626 kilograms.
Source for that CRS-8 value? I have it at greater than 10 tonnes.

- Ed Kyle

I added up the total number of pounds the cargo weighed (6,914 lbs), the dry mass of Dragon (9,259 lbs), and the propellant mass of Dragon (2,844 lbs) to get 19,017 pounds. I then converted it to 8,626 kilograms using a simple calculator.

ZachS09 · « **Reply #64 on:** 01/14/2017 03:39 pm »

Polling is complete and we're GO for launch. Awaiting fuel loading in less than five minutes.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #65 on:** 01/14/2017 03:41 pm »

William Harwood
‏@cbs_spacenews
F9/Iridium: The team just got a "go" to begin loading RP-1 kerosene rocket fuel; liquid oxygen loading starts at 12:09pm

ZachS09 · « **Reply #66 on:** 01/14/2017 03:44 pm »

T-70 minutes. The fuel loading is underway in both the first and second stages. This fuel is called Rocket Propellant-1, a highly refined kerosene whose temperature is at -7 degrees Celsius.

ZachS09 · « **Reply #67 on:** 01/14/2017 03:49 pm »

The Falcon 9 first stage contains 416,780 kilograms of propellant while the second stage contains 108,670 kilograms of propellant.

You can't put more into the second stage than the first stage, or else the rocket won't launch.

ZachS09 · « **Reply #68 on:** 01/14/2017 03:49 pm »

Forgot to mention that the Terminal Count also started at T-70 minutes.

ZachS09 · « **Reply #69 on:** 01/14/2017 03:54 pm »

T-1 hour. A final weather briefing is underway.

Hopefully, the POV will drop lower than 40%. You never know what Mother Nature will do.

ZachS09 · « **Reply #70 on:** 01/14/2017 03:56 pm »

If you want to watch either the Hosted Webcast or the Technical Webcast on YouTube, both of them start at 17:20 UTC (9:20 AM local).

In other words, the countdown will be at T-34 minutes at the time the webcasts begin.

ZachS09 · « **Reply #71 on:** 01/14/2017 04:05 pm »

15 minutes until the webcast starts up.

Rocket Science · « **Reply #72 on:** 01/14/2017 04:05 pm »

https://www.youtube.com/user/spacexchannel
http://www.spacex.com/webcast

ZachS09 · « **Reply #73 on:** 01/14/2017 04:09 pm »

T-45 minutes. The oxidizer loading of both stages is underway. This oxidizer is liquid oxygen whose temperature is at -207 degrees Celsius.

This is the part where the AMOS 6 explosion occurred, although it was later in the countdown at that time. Let's just hope the second stage stays in one piece.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #74 on:** 01/14/2017 04:09 pm »

A reminder, as it always seems to require it. This is for updates only. We have discussion and party threads for everything else, including questions and such.

It's a pain to split and merge threads so they will be removed. (I did wait for one above to be answered, so the guy got his answer

)

OK, and focus!

ZachS09 · « **Reply #75 on:** 01/14/2017 04:14 pm »

T-40 minutes. Continuing to see nominal fuel and oxidizer flow rates.

While the coverage will technically not begin at T-34 minutes, it's highly likely that the funky music will start at that time. Then, fourteen minutes later at T-20 minutes, we'll go live.

ZachS09 · « **Reply #76 on:** 01/14/2017 04:21 pm »

Webcast isn't up yet; we're a few minutes past 17:20 UTC.

ZachS09 · « **Reply #77 on:** 01/14/2017 04:23 pm »

T-30 minutes. Now inside the final half-hour of the countdown.

Craftyatom · « **Reply #78 on:** 01/14/2017 04:27 pm »

Funky music has started on the hosted webcast: song is "Return to Flight" by Test Shot Starfish!

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #79 on:** 01/14/2017 04:27 pm »