Author Topic: SpaceX F9 : CRS SpX-20 : March 6/7, 2020 : Discussion (Read 54937 times)

gongora · « **Reply #40 on:** 02/27/2020 04:44 pm »

SpaceX already had at least one and possibly two more flights scheduled in March. There probably were several second stages at the Cape. I wouldn't make an assumption about what stage is being used for Starlink v1.0 L5. It could be the stage intended for v1.0 L6 if that was also scheduled for March.

happyflower · « **Reply #41 on:** 02/27/2020 05:14 pm »

This is epic.

I can't get over the fact that SpaceX spaceflight technology is becoming off the shelf.

Tommyboy · « **Reply #42 on:** 02/27/2020 06:07 pm »

Quote from: happyflower on 02/27/2020 05:14 pm

This is epic.

I can't get over the fact that SpaceX spaceflight technology is becoming off the shelf.

SpaceX is single handedly unifying the meaning of COTS; Commercial Off The Shelf, and no longer Commercial Orbital Transportation Services.

vaporcobra · « **Reply #43 on:** 02/27/2020 06:44 pm »

Quote from: zubenelgenubi on 02/27/2020 04:40 pm

Quote from the Teslarati tweet:
Quote
SpaceX's Starlink launch ambitions may have saved a space station resupply mission from big delays
I call "shenanigans" on the Teslarati use of the phrase "big delays."

That's fair, I think it was changed from "bigger" (my intention). We don't know if Starlink L7 (V1 L6) is actually targeted for March and three missions are already scheduled, including two for paying customers (CRS-20, SAOCOM 1B), so it seems safe to assume that if Starlink L6 hadn't been planned in early March, CRS-20's delays would have been more like 2-3 weeks, maybe longer.

AndrewRG10 · « **Reply #44 on:** 02/27/2020 08:54 pm »

Quote from: vaporcobra on 02/27/2020 06:44 pm

Quote from: zubenelgenubi on 02/27/2020 04:40 pm
Quote from the Teslarati tweet:
Quote
SpaceX's Starlink launch ambitions may have saved a space station resupply mission from big delays
I call "shenanigans" on the Teslarati use of the phrase "big delays."

That's fair, I think it was changed from "bigger" (my intention). We don't know if Starlink L7 is actually targeted for March and three missions are already scheduled, including two for paying customers (CRS-20, SAOCOM 1B), so it seems safe to assume that if Starlink L6 hadn't been planned in early March, CRS-20's delays would have been more like 2-3 weeks, maybe longer.

L6 is slated for late March, they would've taken the L5 second stage which is slated March 11 due to several day delay for the second stage swap.

codav · « **Reply #45 on:** 02/27/2020 10:05 pm »

Always keep in mind that even a relatively small delay of a five to seven days can seriously affect the ISS visiting vehicle schedule, scientific activities and EVAs. It's not that the ISS crew is floating around up there waiting for a Dragon to arrive. They have a dense schedule, which has to be planned ahead with all involved agencies/countries. SpaceX can afford to launch Starlink a week or two later, they can still catch up on it as the Range and weather allows it. So if they need a week to fix the issue and retest the second stage, while having a good one ready to fly for their very own launch, there's simply no other way than giving their biggest customer priority.

Targeteer · « **Reply #46 on:** 02/27/2020 10:09 pm »

A good question to ask at a press conference would be whether clothes, food, and EVA gear have been added to this flight to support the yet to be confirmed extended stay of the DM-2 crew...

abaddon · « **Reply #47 on:** 02/28/2020 04:23 pm »

Quote from: Elthiryel on 02/27/2020 04:11 pm

SpaceX has to believe that the second stage issue should be fixed by that date and this is what the delay would probably be for the CRS-20 mission, more or less.

Or, alternatively, SpaceX is more willing to accept a possible delay on a Starlink flight, which has no external customer and no external dependencies (ISS scheduling is complicated), than a CRS flight.

Elthiryel · « **Reply #48 on:** 02/28/2020 04:52 pm »

Quote from: abaddon on 02/28/2020 04:23 pm

Or, alternatively, SpaceX is more willing to accept a possible delay on a Starlink flight, which has no external customer and no external dependencies (ISS scheduling is complicated), than a CRS flight.

That's for sure. But the mission would not be planned for March 11 if they did not believe the issue can be fixed by then (or the other second stage can be prepared for flight by then, which is maybe a bit more probable than I initially assumed, unfortunately we have no data unless somebody asks that question during the CRS-20 pre-flight conference).

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #49 on:** 02/28/2020 06:15 pm »

https://twitter.com/emrekelly/status/1233469331465478145

Quote

Drop shadow fanatics rejoice – launch hazard area issued for next #SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral. Targeting 2350 ET Friday (3/6 despite what document says) liftoff from LC 40. Last Dragon 1 flight before Dragon 2 takes over.

Targeteer · « **Reply #50 on:** 02/29/2020 04:59 am »

Chris, please ask my question above

February 28, 2020
MEDIA ADVISORY M20-035
NASA TV Coverage Set for SpaceX’s Next Space Station Resupply Mission
SpaceX CRS-17 launch May 4, 2019
SpaceX's Dragon lifting off on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Saturday, May 4, with research, equipment, cargo and supplies that will support dozens of investigations aboard the International Space Station.
Credits: SpaceX

NASA commercial cargo provider SpaceX is targeting 11:50 p.m. EST Friday, March 6, for the launch of its 20th resupply mission to the International Space Station. Live coverage of the launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida will air on NASA Television and the agency’s website with prelaunch events Thursday, March 5 and March 6.

The NASA-contracted Dragon spacecraft will be filled with supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations that will take place during Expeditions 62 and 63. In addition to bringing research to station, the Dragon’s unpressurized trunk will transport ESA’s (European Space Agency) Bartolomeo, a new commercial research platform set to be installed on the exterior of the orbiting laboratory.

Dragon will reach its preliminary orbit about 10 minutes after launch. It will then deploy its solar arrays and begin a carefully choreographed series of thruster firings to reach the space station. When it arrives March 9, Expedition 62 Flight Engineer Jessica Meir of NASA will grapple Dragon, with Andrew Morgan of NASA acting as a backup. The station crew will monitor Dragon functions during rendezvous. After Dragon’s capture, mission control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will send ground commands for the station’s arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the station’s Harmony module.

Full mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern):

Thursday, March 5

3 p.m. – NASA Social, What’s on Board science briefing from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Media have the opportunity to call in for this event only. Media will have one-on-one, in person opportunities to speak with principal investigators for payloads on this mission at the Kennedy Press Site at 3 p.m. Friday. Media who would like to call in for the What’s on Board science briefing should phone Kennedy’s NASA News Center at 321-867-2468 by 2 p.m. Thursday for dial-in information. This briefing will highlight the following research:
Jennifer Buchli, deputy chief scientist for NASA’s International Space Station Program Science Office, will share an overview of the research being conducted aboard the space station and how it benefits exploration and humanity.
Michael Roberts, interim chief scientist for the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, will discuss the lab’s work in advancing science in space, and in developing partnerships that drive industrialization through microgravity research.
Bill Corely, director of business development for Airbus Defence and Space, and Bartolomeo Project Manager Andreas Schütte, will discuss the new external science platform, Bartolomeo.
Chunhui Xu, associate professor at Emory University School of Medicine, and principal investigator for the Generation of Cardiomyocytes from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (MVP Cell-03) experiment, will discuss the study on the generation of specialized heart muscle cells for use in research and clinical applications. Chief Scientist of Techshot, Gene Boland, will share how the Multi-use Variable-g Platform will facilitate this experiment.
Paul Patton, senior manager, front end innovation and regulatory, for Delta Faucet, and Garry Marty, principal product engineer for Delta Faucet, will discuss the Droplet Formation Study, which evaluates water droplet formation and water flow of Delta Faucet’s H2Okinetic showerhead technology. This research in microgravity could help improve the technology, creating better performance and improved user experience while conserving water and energy.
Aaron Beeler, professor of medicinal chemistry at Boston University and principal investigator, and Matthew Mailloux, co-investigator, will discuss Flow Chemistry Platform for Synthetic Reactions on ISS, which will study the effects of microgravity on chemical reactions, as a first step toward on-demand chemical synthesis on the space station.

Friday, March 6

4 p.m. – Prelaunch news conference from Kennedy with representatives from NASA’s International Space Station Program, SpaceX, and the U.S. Air Force’s 45th Space Wing. Media who would like to call in for the prelaunch news conference should phone the NASA News Center at 321-867-2468 by 3 p.m., for dial-in information. Participants include:
Joel Montalbano, deputy manager for International Space Station Program
Jennifer Buchli, deputy chief scientist for International Space Station Program
Hans Koenigsmann, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability at SpaceX
Mike McAleenan, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing
11:30 p.m. – NASA TV launch coverage begins for the 11:50 p.m., launch.

Monday, March 9

4:30 a.m. – NASA TV coverage begins of Dragon arrival to the station and capture. Capture is scheduled for approximately 6 a.m.
7:30 a.m. – NASA TV coverage begins of Dragon installation to the nadir port of the Harmony module of the station

Dragon will remain at the space station for about four weeks, after which the spacecraft will return to Earth with research and cargo.

The deadline for media to apply for accreditation for this launch has passed, but general information about media accreditation is available by emailing [email protected].

For the latest schedule of media activities for this launch onsite at Kennedy, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-to-broadcast-next-space-station-resupply-launch-prelaunch-activities

Learn more about the SpaceX resupply mission at:

https://www.nasa.gov/spacex

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #51 on:** 03/01/2020 02:08 pm »

https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1234132919620378624

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #52 on:** 03/01/2020 02:14 pm »

Update thread:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=50280.0

JimO · « **Reply #53 on:** 03/05/2020 01:25 pm »

With that NOTAMS, what's the best estimate of time and location of the stage2 deorbit burn -- just to determine potential ground viewing opportunity?

LandingZone-1 · « **Reply #54 on:** 03/06/2020 01:07 am »

Quote from: JimO on 03/05/2020 01:25 pm

With that NOTAMS, what's the best estimate of time and location of the stage2 deorbit burn -- just to determine potential ground viewing opportunity?

https://www.zarya.info/Diaries/US/SpaceXCRS-20Launch.php

marsbase · « **Reply #55 on:** 03/06/2020 02:46 am »

The SpaceX webcast for the mission is up and shows a launch time of 2:50 AM on March 7. I have not seen this update anywhere else. Is this a mistake?

Wolfram66 · « **Reply #56 on:** 03/06/2020 02:50 am »

http://tropic.ssec.wisc.edu/real-time/atlantic/movies/wg8midshr/wg8midshr_loop.html

Mid level shear looks bad for tomorrow!

Alexphysics · « **Reply #57 on:** 03/06/2020 02:53 am »

Quote from: marsbase on 03/06/2020 02:46 am

The SpaceX webcast for the mission is up and shows a launch time of 2:50 AM on March 7. I have not seen this update anywhere else. Is this a mistake?

I imagine they put 2:50am thinking that 11:50pm is the time in PST (Hawthorne) when it is actually 11:50pm EST so in PST it would be 8:50pm PST. Messing with timezones on the webcast time is not really new

DigitalMan · « **Reply #58 on:** 03/06/2020 03:05 am »

Quote from: Wolfram66 on 03/06/2020 02:50 am

http://tropic.ssec.wisc.edu/real-time/atlantic/movies/wg8midshr/wg8midshr_loop.html

Mid level shear looks bad for tomorrow!

We've had more than usual wind today. It doesn't surprise me.

DigitalMan · « **Reply #59 on:** 03/06/2020 03:08 am »

Quote from: Alexphysics on 03/06/2020 02:53 am

Quote from: marsbase on 03/06/2020 02:46 am
The SpaceX webcast for the mission is up and shows a launch time of 2:50 AM on March 7. I have not seen this update anywhere else. Is this a mistake?

I imagine they put 2:50am thinking that 11:50pm is the time in PST (Hawthorne) when it is actually 11:50pm EST so in PST it would be 8:50pm PST. Messing with timezones on the webcast time is not really new

When I saw that earlier I was thinking 'there goes my chance to get to sleep on time'. It's always a little unsettling when the webcast doesn't match other schedule data. I feel like I missed an update somewhere.