SpaceX F9 : Iridium NEXT Flight 8 : Jan. 11, 2019 : Vandenberg - DISCUSSION

[meekGee]

Just caught up with the web cast.

I can't remember seeing the grid fins working so hard during descent.  Some serious wind sheer on the way down...  Also the from the drone ship video - a lot of rock'n'rolling...

But yeah, ho hum, F9 nailed it as usual.

[Pete]

Just caught up with the web cast.

I can't remember seeing the grid fins working so hard during descent.  Some serious wind sheer on the way down...  Also the from the drone ship video - a lot of rock'n'rolling...

But yeah, ho hum, F9 nailed it as usual.

I would have a real hard time just *standing* on that deck, it really blows the mind that the Falcon9 can execute a pinpoint landing on it in that weather and sea.

[ATPTourFan]

Just caught up with the web cast.

I can't remember seeing the grid fins working so hard during descent.  Some serious wind sheer on the way down...  Also the from the drone ship video - a lot of rock'n'rolling...

But yeah, ho hum, F9 nailed it as usual.

Agree. Grid fin activity was high and I had prepared myself for an off-"norminal" landing. Amazed it hit the target. Shows that the closed loop software by Lars is working swimmingly. Just need to work in some redundancy for the grid fin systems down the road.

For all we know, they have already determined root cause of the recent CRS B1050 landing issue and have determined best course forward.

[deruch]

Just caught up with the web cast.

I can't remember seeing the grid fins working so hard during descent.  Some serious wind sheer on the way down...  Also the from the drone ship video - a lot of rock'n'rolling...

But yeah, ho hum, F9 nailed it as usual.

Yeah, and since you couldn't actually see the ASDS under the low cloud deck I was thinking, "Shoot, I really hope the boat is down there."  But then even though it lost video we got to see the exhaust lighting up the ship.  Very happy to have all things right in "Rocket Landing World" again.

[Rondaz]

SpaceX Launch Final 10 Iridium NEXT Satellites

By Andrew Parsonson - January 11, 2019

https://rocketrundown.com/spacex-launch-final-10-iridium-next-satellites/

[punder]

The Mvac engine bell went through a big shudder shimmy on the first cutoff.

And no, I don't think anything's wrong. I just liked the way it looked.   

Congrats SpaceX, and Iridium--must be a huge relief for Matt D. to get the main launches behind him! He sounded a tad excited during the countdown.

Edit: I like "shimmy." Better matches SpaceX's funkytown vibe.

[ugordan]

Man, I'm really not digging this new "let's compression-artifact the crap out of all live streams" approach by YouTube recently...

[matthewkantar]

Remember how this contract was received when it was first announced? It has worked out very well for Iridium, SpaceX, and any party with a need for truly world wide connectivity. Congrats to all involved.

Matthew

[flyright]

The Mvac engine bell went through a big shudder on the first cutoff.

And no, I don't think anything's wrong. I just liked the way it looked.   

Congrats SpaceX, and Iridium--must be a huge relief for Matt D. to get the main launches behind him! He sounded a tad excited during the countdown.

Saw that! Agree, it's nothing abnormal, but I'm always amazed at how flexible that big engine bell is.

Thank You Iridium for selecting SpaceX!

[Lars-J]

Great mission!

I'm always amazed the short MVac relight (or more of a burp) is precise enough, but it is! It doesn't look like the relight for these flights even reaches full thrust before it is shut down. They seem to know exactly how much impulse is given during startup and shutdown.

[edkyle99]

During our remote camera setup, no photos was permitted until the F9 was in UP position which takes about 10 minutes while the lighting condition was fading away fast.

Why was that, if I may ask?

Same question. Also someone else mentioned it was not allowed to take photos from the front, only from the back. Why?

I'm going to guess that this thingy a few miles down the coast might have had something to do with the rules.  But I could be wrong.
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=44545.msg1890322#msg1890322

 - Ed Kyle

[Semmel]

I thought of thats but its in a fairing and there are cameras much closer directly pointing at it anyway. All I heared so far is they are fiddling with the rocket, not the payload.

[Helodriver]

Did a something a little different and went for the distant day 4 min 45 second streak shot for today's Iridium 8. I think it turned out rather well! Shot from Harris Grade Road overlook, 11.7 mi NE of the pad to get a little angle and perspective.

[ugordan]

Man, I'm really not digging this new "let's compression-artifact the crap out of all live streams" approach by YouTube recently...

And FYI, the archived webcast is now at its full originally-intended quality.

[Comga]

During our remote camera setup, no photos was permitted until the F9 was in UP position which takes about 10 minutes while the lighting condition was fading away fast.

Why was that, if I may ask?

Same question. Also someone else mentioned it was not allowed to take photos from the front, only from the back. Why?

I'm going to guess that this thingy a few miles down the coast might have had something to do with the rules.  But I could be wrong.
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=44545.msg1890322#msg1890322

 - Ed Kyle

Did a something a little different and went for the distant day 4 min 45 second streak shot for today's Iridium 8. I think it turned out rather well! Shot from Harris Grade Road overlook, 11.7 mi NE of the pad to get a little angle and perspective.

Very nice shot
What are the two plumes along the track, and in what order are they?
Is one of them the reentry braking burn that just happens to end on the arc from your perspective?   That Seems unlikely.

[ugordan]

What are the two plumes along the track, and in what order are they?

If you're asking about the lower two plumes, those are two distinct contrails that happened on this flight. The upper one the usual one that happens around max-Q.

[cppetrie]

What are the two plumes along the track, and in what order are they?

If you're asking about the lower two plumes, those are two distinct contrails that happened on this flight. The upper one the usual one that happens around max-Q.

So first one might be when the vehicle becomes transonic and the second as it passes through max-Q?

[ugordan]

Probably just down to meteorological conditions on that particular day, humidity/temperature conditions. Otherwise it would be showing up on most other launches as well.

[HVM]

The old strong back setup strike again; it's on fire:

Maybe it's more cost effective to change the umbilicals each time than update the TEL, at Vandenberg launch rate.

[gongora]

So did this flight have 9 sats staying in Plane 3 and one drifting to Plane 4 for a final distribution of:
12-12-14-12-12-13?