SpaceX F9: Starlink v1 Flight 1 : November 11, 2019 - DISCUSSION

[Sesquipedalian]

Is this the first launch to take place during a planetary transit?  There's a transit of Mercury tomorrow.

[Llian Rhydderch]

It is definitely the first SpaceX launch during a Mercury transit.  These astronomical events happen only about a dozen times per century.

But we can watch both.  The Mercury transit started about 25 mins ago; and will last 5 1/2 hrs, and is being live cast by both citizen scientists as well as NASA.

Then, just tune into the F9 launch as the time comes. 

[Rondaz]

Today’s launch, in addition to launching the first batch of operational Starlink satellites, marks multiple reusability milestones for SpaceX. Get ready for today’s launch with my latest article for NASASpaceflight:

https://twitter.com/TGMetsFan98/status/1193877740581261312

[Crispy]

And is it all OK with Of Course I Still Love You?

No problems we know about.
You'd hear about it via https://twitter.com/SpaceXFleet if there was.

[mrhuggy]

I've made a multistream consisting of SpaceX stream, NSF Stream and chat and SpaceX Audio.

https://twitchtheater.tv/v=pIDuv0Ta0XQ&list=WL/v=rC_N5DBnicI/v=CkwAkOUvm2w&list=WL

And original:

[TorenAltair]

Is it possible they ignited the second stage a few seconds later than usual? It seemed at least so to me.

[sevenperforce]

Is it possible they ignited the second stage a few seconds later than usual? It seemed at least so to me.

Yeah, I felt like it was a late ignition as well. Also a slower takeoff than usual, though that may be the heavy payload.

Heavy seas for OCISLY. Is Octagrabber operational?

[Mike_1179]

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=48983.msg2013717#msg2013717

Is that a view of the metal helium tank in the second stage?

[yokem55]

SECO-1 is accompanied by an internal tank view, for only a few seconds.  What a throwback!

Looks to me like they left a fair bit in the tank. Seems like more than what they would need for the coast boiloff, circularization, and deorbit?

[whitelancer64]

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=48983.msg2013717#msg2013717

Is that a view of the metal helium tank in the second stage?

The helium tank is the black COPV on the left.

[Mike_1179]

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=48983.msg2013717#msg2013717

Is that a view of the metal helium tank in the second stage?

The helium tank is the black COPV on the left.

Here's a side-by-side of this one and a previous F9 (ABS-EUTELSAT-1)

Where one of black COPVs is located now has that metal-looking bottle. Is that one of the metal ones needed for certification of humans on F9?

[Nomadd]

It is definitely the first SpaceX launch during a Mercury transit.  These astronomical events happen only about a dozen times per century.

But we can watch both.  The Mercury transit started about 25 mins ago; and will last 5 1/2 hrs, and is being live cast by both citizen scientists as well as NASA.

Then, just tune into the F9 launch as the time comes. 

Just a speck in the middle with an old eclipse filter and pocket camera, but still cool, just like the speck that was Halley's comet in 86.

[Paul_G]

Here's a side-by-side of this one and a previous F9 (ABS-EUTELSAT-1)

Where one of black COPVs is located now has that metal-looking bottle. Is that one of the metal ones needed for certification of humans on F9?

I believe the metal looking thing (technical term) on the right is a device that the helium expands in/out of, and into the main tank, rather than a pressurised tank in its own right.

[punder]

Beautiful! Congrats SpaceX!

[Cheapchips]

Another streaming issue during the tension rod retraction.  It must interfere with the downlink somehow.   

[dgates]

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=48983.msg2013717#msg2013717

Is that a view of the metal helium tank in the second stage?

Might it be the first stage?  I saw the LOX “sloshing” seemingly in response to the pitching and rolling of OCISLY right after touchdown.  Also, very low LOX level as one would expect after touchdown of the first stage, which if true gives one an idea of how close to depletion they are at landing.  Not a lot left over!

[Steven Pietrobon]

Congratulations to SpaceX on the successful launch of their first operational Starlink satellites!

Here's that reused fairing heading for an ocean recovery.

Fourth flight of this booster successfully landed.

[mn]

And once again there is loss of video right at deployment.

Coincidence? (I think not!)

[JamesH65]

Here's that reused fairing heading for an ocean recovery.

Didn't they say they were not recovering the fairings due to weather conditions?

[capoman]

Would be cool if SpaceX would be able to turn around and continue to use 1048.x for Starlink flights. Would be a great way to verify the amount of times F9 can be reused, as well as give customer confidence for highly reused boosters.