SpaceX Falcon 9 : CRS-13 : Dec 15, 2017 : DISCUSSION

[StarTracker]

And is it just me, or does the USA flag on the interstage look dirty? (Which makes no sense, given the otherwise clean interstage...)

Edit: Compare to the picture of the F9 that launched OTV-5
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43585.msg1720217#msg1720217

(Welcome BTW)

Seeing sooty is pretty cool but i wondered is the interstage cleaned or is it taken off then a new one put on? (im new btw)

[Wolfram66]

AIUI there is wind shear and just plain wind, they both have [different] limits (and certainly those limits are not fixed numbers, but rather depend on lots of details).

Below is an example from https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/704770247769722880, the wind patterns that postponed SES-9 for a few days last year, the upper level specifically. The highest speed was 70 m/s = 136 knots at 32,808 ft.

here's a link to Storm Prediction Center [Norman OK] that shows all the balloon sounding data http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/soundings/

[CyndyC]

Aha, came across "Falcon 9 Launch Weather Criteria" directly from NASA at https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/649911main_051612_falcon9_weather_criteria.pdf. Ground level wind criteria is more specific:

Do not launch if the sustained wind at the 162-foot level of the launch pad exceeds 30 knots. Do not launch through upper-level conditions containing wind shear that could lead to control problems for the launch vehicle.

Also, recall the tweet below from https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/859008563519160320 after the NROL launch April 30th, when the upper level wind forecast was only 60 knots, but that was at 45,000 feet. A bit lower could have been higher as in the wind graph I just posted for SES-9 (forecast from https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=42639.msg1672306#msg1672306 and pdf attached below):

Launch and landing of the NRO spy satellite was good. Tough call, as high altitude wind shear was at 98.6% of the theoretical load limit.

[RocketLover0119]

Yeah OTV-5s def looks more clean....                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                           

And is it just me, or does the USA flag on the interstage look dirty? (Which makes no sense, given the otherwise clean interstage...)

Edit: Compare to the picture of the F9 that launched OTV-5
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43585.msg1720217#msg1720217

(Welcome BTW)

Seeing sooty is pretty cool but i wondered is the interstage cleaned or is it taken off then a new one put on? (im new btw)

[jcm]

For those wondering, as I was, here's the payload weight breakdown for CRS-13:

1,080.3 lbs (490 kg) - Crew Supplies
1,567.5 lbs (711 kg) - Science Investigations
363.8 lbs (165 kg)    - EVA Equipment
416.7 lbs (189 kg)    - Vehicle Hardware
11 lbs (5 kg)            - Computer Resources

Total Pressurized Payload (w/ packing): 3,439.2 lbs (1,560 kg)
Total Unpressurized Payload (Trunk): 1,422 lbs (645 kg)
Total payload weight: 4,861.2 lbs (2,205 kg)

But Nov 2017 NAC Scimemi report says 1080 kg trunk upmass - wonder what changed?

[lrk]

And is it just me, or does the USA flag on the interstage look dirty? (Which makes no sense, given the otherwise clean interstage...)

Edit: Compare to the picture of the F9 that launched OTV-5
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43585.msg1720217#msg1720217

(Welcome BTW)

Seeing sooty is pretty cool but i wondered is the interstage cleaned or is it taken off then a new one put on? (im new btw)

Maybe the dirty flag is an indication that the same interstage is present? 

[deruch]

For those wondering, as I was, here's the payload weight breakdown for CRS-13:

1,080.3 lbs (490 kg) - Crew Supplies
1,567.5 lbs (711 kg) - Science Investigations
363.8 lbs (165 kg)    - EVA Equipment
416.7 lbs (189 kg)    - Vehicle Hardware
11 lbs (5 kg)            - Computer Resources

Total Pressurized Payload (w/ packing): 3,439.2 lbs (1,560 kg)
Total Unpressurized Payload (Trunk): 1,422 lbs (645 kg)
Total payload weight: 4,861.2 lbs (2,205 kg)

But Nov 2017 NAC Scimemi report says 1080 kg trunk upmass - wonder what changed?

MISSE-FF wasn't ready in time for flight and so isn't on the manifest any more.  There were also some pressurized cargo mass changes as well, IIRC.  It's possible that this is also related to the MISSE-FF delay as a number of their sample carrier trays were planned to go up as internal cargo.  Not all of the slots could be filled during launch due to geometries of trunk space with the other payloads and maintaining access for Dextre during extraction.  So, I don't know whether any of the internal mass changes are due to MISSE trays waiting for the external hardware to launch as well or whether there were other changes.

[catdlr]

Space Debris Sensor


NASA Johnson
Published on Dec 11, 2017

Orbital debris poses a risk to all spacecraft in Earth orbit, so the International Space Station is getting a new debris impact sensor to provide information on the micrometeoroid orbital debris environment in low Earth orbit.  The Space Debris Sensor, launching on the next SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle, will monitor impacts caused by small-scale orbital debris for a period of two to three years.  That data will improve station safety by generating a more accurate estimate of the amount of small-scale debris that cannot be tracked from the ground and helping define better spacecraft shielding requirements.

[M.E.T.]

What's up with all the quality issues/delays SpaceX are experiencing towards the end of what has been a bumper year to date?

[pb2000]

What's up with all the quality issues/delays SpaceX are experiencing towards the end of what has been a bumper year to date?

LC-40 is essentially a brand new pad, and 39A has been undergoing a large amount of mods for FH (which now has the pad offline) all whilst serving as the primary east coast pad. The only unexpected problem has been the fairing, which seems to have either been an easy fix or a non issue as per the CRS-13 briefing.

[Wolfram66]

Not to mention that upper level winds are wicked right now.

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/soundings/17121212_OBS/

[RotoSequence]

The only unexpected problem has been the fairing, which seems to have either been an easy fix or a non issue as per the CRS-13 briefing.

That's probably because the CRS missions don't have a payload fairing. 

[gongora]

The only unexpected problem has been the fairing, which seems to have either been an easy fix or a non issue as per the CRS-13 briefing.

That's probably because the CRS missions don't have a payload fairing. 

The CRS-13 briefing included a question about the fairing status for the Iridium flight.

[ChrisGebhardt]

The only unexpected problem has been the fairing, which seems to have either been an easy fix or a non issue as per the CRS-13 briefing.

That's probably because the CRS missions don't have a payload fairing. 

The CRS-13 briefing included a question about the fairing status for the Iridium flight.

Which was never affected by the payload fairing issue according to Iridium (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/11/iridium-next-4-december-launch-vandenberg/). 

The bigger take away was Jessica confirming Zuma in early January -- which is the confirmation that the PF issue has been resolved.

[dnavas]

To add to this, yes.  Multiple sources here, too, saying we're slipping to Thursday or Friday now.

This is obviously not official until NASA or SpaceX say anything.

I thought the backup backup plan was the 15th?  Is the 14th even available?

[ChrisGebhardt]

To add to this, yes.  Multiple sources here, too, saying we're slipping to Thursday or Friday now.

This is obviously not official until NASA or SpaceX say anything.

I thought the backup backup plan was the 15th?  Is the 14th even available?

They didn't say why the 14th wasn't a current option yesterday. Most read that as the 14th being the day to stand down and swap out late-stow items that had time constraints from loading to launch.  The slip to Thursday or Friday is likely trying to see if Thursday is doable from a payload, rocket, pad, Station perspective to preserve as many attempts as possible before the hard cutoff on the 15th for the Solar Beta Angle.

It's still possible that Thursday won't be OK, and Friday will be our one shot to launch CRS-13 before standing down for the Beta cutout until ~25 Dec.

[Bubbinski]

How are the upper level winds tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday?

[jimvela]

I am hearing that The next launch attempt is now NET Friday, 15 December with a launch window at 10:36 EST.

Stated reason was that SpaceX needs a couple of day to turn around those late load items in the Dragon..

[Wolfram66]

I am hearing that The next launch attempt is now NET Friday, 15 December with a launch window at 10:36 EST.

Stated reason was that SpaceX needs a couple of day to turn around those late load items in the Dragon..

Probably adding a scale model of a Red Model S Tesla Roadster for ISS inflight testing... LOL 

[vaporcobra]

I am hearing that The next launch attempt is now NET Friday, 15 December with a launch window at 10:36 EST.

Stated reason was that SpaceX needs a couple of day to turn around those late load items in the Dragon..

Ah, does that mean that the late-load vehicles seen earlier this morning were there for offloading?