Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 1 Live update thread (Nov. 26 attempt) (Read 67130 times)

braddock · « **Reply #20 on:** 11/26/2005 12:12 pm »

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Chris Bergin - 26/11/2005 6:56 AM

Those haven't been posted before, but they're off the SpaceX website where there's a few more - including on of the "rocket on a truck" outside a building in a US city (which I forgot).

Elon's people basically drove their rocket into town!

That picture of the rocket "in town" was taken in Washington DC in front of the Federal Aviation Administration headquarters last December. They were facing some regulatory hurdles with the FAA, so took the issue to their doorstep, so to speak.
No one can say that SpaceX isn't good at creative problem solving...

braddock · « **Reply #21 on:** 11/26/2005 12:22 pm »

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lmike - 26/11/2005 10:20 AM

A regenerative nozzle cooling, instead of the ablative. And I think they are considering that for the Merlin 2 (Falcon-5/9) In any case, my fingers are crossed for the flight... This could be the breakthrough, all have been waiting for...

Last week Elon Musk called the decision to go with an ablative design "their single biggest mistake". The Merlin 2 will indeed be a regenerative cooling design.

However, the Falcon-5 and 9 will use the existing Merlin-1, in configurations of between 5 and 27 engines!
Assuming they can be made reliable, of course...although Falcon-5 and 9 are designed for multiple engine failure redundancy.

The Merlin-2 is primarily for Elon's 100 ton-to-orbit ambitions, and will be of Saturn-V proportions.

Terry Rocket · « **Reply #22 on:** 11/26/2005 02:22 pm »

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Justin Space - 26/11/2005 6:29 AM

The rain percentage is a lot better now but what's the limit with the wind?

It's a good question. The answer seems to be from what I can see as "Still go for a launch."

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #23 on:** 11/26/2005 04:56 pm »

Current Conditions
Temp: 83.5°F (28.6°C)
Humidity: 76%
Dew Point: 75.4°F (24.1°C)
Wind: ENE at 16 MPH
Sky: overcast

Needs to clear up....still not sure on the wind allowance for launch.

braddock · « **Reply #24 on:** 11/26/2005 05:17 pm »

Okay, I got the weather limitations from SpaceX.

The weather limitations are:
No precipitation
Surface winds less than 22 knot gusts
No lightning potential within 10 miles

-braddock

Rob in KC · « **Reply #25 on:** 11/26/2005 05:21 pm »

Thanks.

Three hours to go before the opening of the window. Is it still a five hour window today?

DaveS · « **Reply #26 on:** 11/26/2005 05:25 pm »

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Rob in KC - 26/11/2005 7:21 PM
Is it still a five hour window today?

Four hour window. Opens at 21:00 GMT, closes at 01:00 GMT.

British NASA · « **Reply #27 on:** 11/26/2005 06:25 pm »

100 minutes to go before the window

I'm actually excited about this.

newsartist · « **Reply #28 on:** 11/26/2005 06:35 pm »

Wind seems to be between 14-17 right along, all week; (Trade Wind?), so I would assume they are happy with that, and don't expect higher unless a short squall develops.

I'm not sure what the Army is letting them use for cameras, so overcast, with no precip or lightning, may not take much away from them at all.

SpaceflightNow has a text feed on the launch, from the California Press Site, but it hasn't been updated in a while.

Andy L · « **Reply #29 on:** 11/26/2005 06:42 pm »

There's a live feed from Braddock on here. But better as we can talk about it at the same time.

SimonShuttle · « **Reply #30 on:** 11/26/2005 07:03 pm »

Good luck SpaceX. One hour to go.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #31 on:** 11/26/2005 07:11 pm »

Current Conditions
Temp: 83.7°F (28.7°C)
Humidity: 74%
Dew Point: 74.8°F (23.8°C)
Wind: ENE at 17 MPH
Sky: overcast

braddock · « **Reply #32 on:** 11/26/2005 07:36 pm »

Just an update. I'm in on the SpaceX Press call now. No news, the line hasn't really come to order yet.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #33 on:** 11/26/2005 07:47 pm »

A bit of a farce at the moment, with noisey journalists at the press center drowing each other out. The phone line sounds like a washing machine and apparently MSNBC just shouted at people to press mute on their phone lines, it's that bad!

braddock · « **Reply #34 on:** 11/26/2005 07:50 pm »

SpaceX Rep: "Everything looks great....everything looks like ti is coming together real well."

DaveS · « **Reply #35 on:** 11/26/2005 07:51 pm »

T-17 minutes and counting. I hope that SpaceX will begin to send out some updates soon!

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #36 on:** 11/26/2005 07:51 pm »

15 mins to launch window opening and SpaceX are making their opening comments.

braddock · « **Reply #37 on:** 11/26/2005 07:52 pm »

SpaceX: Launch attempt in just a few minutes. Everything we have heard is that the window will open at 1pm. We haven't heard anything about any delay.

Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like SpaceX or the rpess room in CA is getting a live feed right now....

braddock · « **Reply #38 on:** 11/26/2005 07:53 pm »

Okay,. they are trying to patch us through to the audio from Kwajalain now.

Grooble · « **Reply #39 on:** 11/26/2005 07:53 pm »

Ah details at last.