Author Topic: SCRUB: SpaceX - Falcon I (Mk.II) NET March 19 (Read 178711 times)

Comga · « **Reply #120 on:** 01/16/2007 03:00 am »

The Space Calendar ( http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/calendar.html ) is showing an indeterminate day in February. No one at SpaceX is saying anything. A very closed secret, and I wonder why.

Don't be so sure the launch date is "racing towards us". One can only hope that out of the blue we will hear about a live webcast scheduled for the next day.

edkyle99 · « **Reply #121 on:** 01/16/2007 03:23 am »

Quote

Comga - 15/1/2007 9:43 PM

The Space Calendar ( http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/calendar.html ) is showing an indeterminate day in February. No one at SpaceX is saying anything. A very closed secret, and I wonder why.

Don't be so sure the launch date is "racing towards us". One can only hope that out of the blue we will hear about a live webcast scheduled for the next day.

This site:
http://msdb.honeywell-tsi.com/launches.asp
shows it as no earlier than January 21, 2007, "2300-21/0300Z".

It also shows a NASA "mission" for the DemoSat flight, called "Autonomous Flight Safety System/Low Cost TDRSS Transceiver", or AFSS/LCT2. According to this page:
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:P-sPq3ms7xYJ:www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/pdf/164229main_dec8color.pdf+AFSS/LCT2&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a

"AFSS is the prototype of a flight technology developed by Kennedy Space Center’s Applied Technology directorate and the Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Va., with support from ASRC. The AFSS is an independent self-contained computer subsystem that will be mounted onboard the Falcon I payload fairing. AFSS autonomously makes flight termination decisions using a redundant onboard system of navigation sensors and flight processors. During launch, the AFSS/LCT2 will interface with TDRSS to demonstrate utilization of GPS and communication satellites to perform traditional ground based range safety operations in space. The AFSS/LCT2 will be monitored on the ground to see how quickly and accurately it communicates with the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Measurement Unit navigation sensors to relay metric tracking and flight termination data through TDRSS."

- Ed Kyle

braddock · « **Reply #122 on:** 01/16/2007 12:16 pm »

I've sent in an inquiry to SpaceX - will let you know what I find out.

sammie · « **Reply #123 on:** 01/16/2007 12:24 pm »

Quote

AFSS autonomously makes flight termination decisions using a redundant onboard system of navigation sensors and flight processors.

Ah, good call, its a good idea to test a new "flight termination" system onboard the Falcon 1

rocketmantitan · « **Reply #124 on:** 01/16/2007 05:06 pm »

SpaceX web page (www.spacex.com) has a posted update this morning (Tuesday, 1/16/2007) for the upcoming launch.

nacnud · « **Reply #125 on:** 01/16/2007 05:19 pm »

Cool thanks for the heads up

From the update, linked below: [A] static fire is planned Thursday, January 18 ( California time). We have a launch window on January 21 and 22 ( California time).

Linky

braddock · « **Reply #126 on:** 01/16/2007 05:23 pm »

Gez, it never fails. I send in a press inquiry to SpaceX after a month of silence hoping to write a short story on the response, and instead a public update magically appears a few hours later addressing everything I asked. Gotta be about the 5th time.
Irritating...

meiza · « **Reply #127 on:** 01/16/2007 07:30 pm »

Isn't it nice to know a 100 million enterprise moves at the twitch of your fingers?

rnc · « **Reply #128 on:** 01/16/2007 07:32 pm »

Braddock, I wondered if they might do that. You obviously have some cachet with Elon.

Let's hope they get to & through staging this time.

Crispy · « **Reply #129 on:** 01/16/2007 07:46 pm »

It's like lighting a cigarette while waiting for a bus

Comga · « **Reply #130 on:** 01/17/2007 01:34 am »

Perhaps this update was not as much "out of the blue" as I had supposed.
Whatever their motivation, it is great to see some indication of progress and get a new launch date target.

JesseD · « **Reply #131 on:** 01/17/2007 02:29 pm »

Quote

Comga - 15/1/2007 11:00 PM
Don't be so sure the launch date is "racing towards us". One can only hope that out of the blue we will hear about a live webcast scheduled for the next day.

well...

SpaceX just posted an update on their website! hotfire is scheduled for tomorrow, launch this weekend!

(see attached picture of the rocket in the sunrise)

lmike · « **Reply #132 on:** 01/17/2007 02:36 pm »

(personally rooting for SpaceX...) Thanks for the updates.

BarryKirk · « **Reply #133 on:** 01/17/2007 04:49 pm »

I'm really looking forward to a successful launch this weekend.

Nate_Trost · « **Reply #134 on:** 01/17/2007 04:51 pm »

They've been saying all along that it was likely they were going to have to iron out their new countdown procedures. I'm calling that second launch attempt actually happens third launch window day in their February slot.

reubenb · « **Reply #135 on:** 01/18/2007 12:38 am »

I was reading about the Merlin engines on Wikipedia and saw that there are a couple variants. Which one is actually being used for this launch? 1A or 1B?

Edit:
Oops, even says in the article that the 1B will probably never be used. Guess it's the 1A

HIP2BSQRE · « **Reply #136 on:** 01/18/2007 01:26 am »

There is a new update---testfire has been pushed back till Friday with a launch attempt on Monday...

BarryKirk · « **Reply #137 on:** 01/18/2007 11:51 am »

I'm like what I'm hearing from the updates. It sounds like Elon has the right mix of risk taking and
confidance while at the same time taking good precautions.

The right mix is critical to making things work. Not enough risk taking and nothing happens. Not enough precautions and the wrong things happen.

It is a delicate balance.

Best of luck Elon.

meiza · « **Reply #138 on:** 01/18/2007 11:56 am »

Why don't they test to that t-0.1 seconds and just leave ignition out. Now Elon is saying as if "we are probably having launch delays as we haven't tested the checks the vehicle does from t-3 to t-0".

They could perhaps even do that multiple times with one fuel load and need not care about launch windows?! I understand all the systems are robust and reusable so the engine wouldn't suffer from the testing, you'd just purge it.

braddock · « **Reply #139 on:** 01/18/2007 12:15 pm »

They basically are doing that with tomorrow's static firing test.