Space Stuff and Launch Info

[nikkkom]

NROL-76 footage has the first complete uninterrupted video of first stage flight, through MECO, boostback, flyback and landing. And it's jaw-dropping.

 

[1oldman2]

This should be an interesting launch to follow, a lot of new systems designs going on with "It's a test"
https://spaceflight101.com/launch-week-arrives-for-rocket-labs-electron/
"Rocket Lab’s Electron is targeting liftoff between May 24 and June 2 with daily windows stretching from 1 through 5 UTC, 1 - 5 p.m. local time at the company’s launch facility at Mahia Peninsula on New Zealand’s North Island."

 

[mfb]

As far as I know, it will be the first orbital launch from the southern hemisphere.
The British launched a few sounding rockets from Australia and New Zealand, and Argentina/Brazil launched a few from Brazilian spaceports, but none of them went to orbit.

 

[1oldman2]

it will be the first orbital launch from the southern hemisphere.

That is what I understand also, a first from the southern Hemisphere.
Also I've been waiting for this for a long time.
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6852
"Scientists from NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter will discuss their first in-depth science results in a media teleconference at 11 a.m. PDT (2 p.m. EDT) Thursday, May 25, when multiple papers with early findings will be published online by the journal Science and Geophysical Research Letters."
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/junoteleconference
http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2

 

[mfb]

Electron reached space - but not orbit. Some issue with the second stage.

https://cdn-e2.streamable.com/video/mp4/rt77d.mp4?token=1496899766_6f768a5106bf6a35fb37f567085d7b756956c3d4
Larger launch pad view

 

[1oldman2]

Finally, It's Data payday! (from the August 27th pass.)
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/356/6340/821.full

And for those who appreciate the supplemental stuff.
http://science.sciencemag.org/highw...ighwire_adjunct_files/0/aal2108_Bolton_SM.pdf

 

[1oldman2]

More material here, I'm wondering if the Metallic Hydrogen core theory is getting attention but so far I haven't seen it mentioned in the reports.
http://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/issue/10.1002/(ISSN)1944-8007.JUNO1/

 

[1oldman2]

This should be very interesting, I'm curious about the telemetry and what effect the radiation is going to have on it.
http://solarprobe.jhuapl.edu/
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddar...n-to-honor-pioneering-physicist-eugene-parker
http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/31/us/nasa-sun-mission/index.html
"(CNN)Wearing a nearly 5-inch thick coat of carbon-composite solar shields, NASA's Solar Probe Plus will explore the sun's atmosphere in a mission that begins in the summer of 2018."

 

[1oldman2]

Here is a good example of aerospace engineering at its finest, definitely a "one of a kind" Aircraft.
http://spacenews.com/stratolaunch-rolls-out-giant-aircraft/
"The Stratolaunch aircraft is the largest in the world by wingspan, measuring more than 117 meters from tip to tip. The plane weighs 226,800 kilograms empty, and 50 percent more when fully fueled. It can accommodate payloads weighing nearly 250,000 kilograms, attached to the wing segment between the twin fuselages. - See more at: http://spacenews.com/stratolaunch-rolls-out-giant-aircraft/#sthash.VehuLlpr.dpuf"

 

[1oldman2]

Still a 60% chance of launch for CRS-11 today, This ones a first for the reused Dragon, also the NICER will make a great addition to the ISS.

I can't seem to find a link for the technical webcast, that may be because NASA tv is also covering the launch.
https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#public

 

[mfb]

SpaceX merged both webcasts to one. Edit: There is still a separate webcast, see below.
In terms of launch time and trajectory, large parts of Europe have a good chance to see both Dragon and the second stage. I made a thread. The weather, on the other hand, ... cloudy nearly everywhere.

 

[1oldman2]

SpaceX merged both webcasts to one.

That is a shame, I thought the technical webcast was much better than the hosted. NASA is devoting considerable time on their site but seem to be spreading it out over several hours. Curious how their launch coverage will differ from the youtube webcast.

. I made a thread.

I have been watching it, very cool idea, I've often wondered what it would look like or if it would even be visible from Europe. On Sunday evening I get a very good 5 minute pass and I'll watch to see if Dragon is visible as it goes over.

 

[1oldman2]

This might be pretty cool for the folks on the east coast to check out.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/01/us/nasa-colorful-clouds/index.html

 

[mfb]

I found the technical webcast.

 

[1oldman2]

I found the technical webcast.

lol, I just got it from a friend in Germany also, was going to post it but you beat me to it.

 

[1oldman2]

Nice landing. they are making that part look easy

 

[mfb]

Yeah, landing is getting routine.
In a year reflights will get routine.

 

[1oldman2]

Yeah, landing is getting routine.
In a year reflights will get routine.

True enough, hope it doesn't get to the point that routine leads do extra risk. Any word on visibility from Europe?

 

[mfb]

Had a thick cloud cover, I didn't even try to see anything.
Routine should lead to a lower risk.

Upcoming spaceflight stuff:

India will have the maiden flight of a bigger rocket on Monday, 4 ton payload to GTO, about half the Falcon 9 payload.

Next Falcon 9 flight: June 15, a booster recycled from the January launch.

 

[1oldman2]

It appears that SpaceX is serious about the "competition is good for business" thing.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/06/07/technology/future/spacex-air-force-launch-contract/index.html
"SpaceX has won an Air Force contract to launch a secretive, unmanned X-37B space plane later this year. The upstart rocket outfit edged out United Launch Alliance -- a joint venture between Boeing (BA) and Lockheed Martin (LMT) -- that until recently had a monopoly on United States military launches."

 

[mfb]

The Dragon capsule was the ~12th spacecraft to go to space more than once, and the 8th to reach orbit more than once (after five Space Shuttle orbiters and two X-37B).
NASA considers Dragon missions with a used booster as well. And we can probably see reused payload fairings soon. Then just the second stage is missing. We'll see what they try with the FH maiden flight.

It appears that SpaceX is serious about the "competition is good for business" thing.

Especially if they get the contract.

They seem to collect US government agencies. NASA (as Dragon customer), NOAA (DSCOVR), NRO (weird ISS-approaching military satellite), Air Force (X-37B, later GPS satellites), what is next?

 

[1oldman2]

We'll see what they try with the FH maiden flight.

I can't wait for that one, last I had heard they didn't even have a payload selected. (That would launch a lot of cheese wheels )

Especially if they get the contract.

I believe it's a "Done deal"
https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/06/...acex-to-launch-next-x-37b-spaceplane-mission/

They seem to collect US government agencies. NASA (as Dragon customer), NOAA (DSCOVR), NRO (weird ISS-approaching military satellite), Air Force (X-37B, later GPS satellites), what is next?

Now that's interesting

 

[mfb]

They have the X-37B contract. That's not what I meant.
SpaceX loves competition if that means they get the contract. I'm not sure how happy they are if others get contracts they wanted to get.SpaceX said they try to do something recovery-like with the second stage for the FH maiden flight. I don't expect a full recovery, but if they don't plan at least surviving atmospheric entry I don't understand the announcement.

 

[1oldman2]

A few new announcements on exoplanet hunting results will coming soon from our friends at Moffet Field.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/...n-latest-results-of-exoplanet-hunting-mission
https://keplerscience.arc.nasa.gov/scicon4/

 

[mfb]

SpaceX is preparing to launch the second reused booster. Static fire is scheduled for tomorrow, the launch window is Saturday 18:10-20:10 UTC (4 days, 4-6 hours and 20 minutes after this post).

 

[1oldman2]

The Static fire went well and the Launch is set for Monday. https://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-static-fire-test-for-bulgariasat-1-launch/
I was very pleased to come across this common sense opinion piece on Mars today.
https://phys.org/news/2017-06-opini...e=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu
Thought I'd throw this in since we are on that subject again.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/elon-musk-publishes-plans-for-colonizing-mars/#

 

[mfb]

https://phys.org/news/2017-06-opini...e=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

How to spot that the article was written by someone from the US:

The USSR's Mars 2 orbited Mars for three months in 1971 but its lander module crashed onto the planet. The lander of the Mars 3 mission also failed.

NASA's Viking 1 performed the first successful landing on Mars, on July 20, 1976, followed by Viking 2 on September 3, 1976.

Mars 3 did achieve a soft landing and sent data for 15 seconds (including a very grainy picture) - more than 4 years before Viking 1.

There are indications that SpaceX wants to downscale ITS to make it (a) cheaper and (b) more interesting for satellite launches as funding source. Musk promised an update "soon".

 

[1oldman2]

While waiting for to go live, there is an interesting piece to read on "Gravitational Astronomy" by Fraser at
https://www.universetoday.com/13610...cting-gravitational-waves-changes-everything/

 

[1oldman2]

Updated Launch schedule for F9. http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-bulgariasat-1/spacex-delays-next-falcon-9-launch-from-florida/

 

[mfb]

They have to repair a valve, the next launch opportunity is the 23rd.
The weather forecast for the next two days was bad anyway.

This could also delay the Iridium satellite launch from Vandenberg, currently scheduled for the 25th.

 

[1oldman2]

They have to repair a valve, the next launch opportunity is the 23rd.
The weather forecast for the next two days was bad anyway.

Rocket science seems to require a lot of patience, maybe a "double header" launch next weekend will make up for the wait.

 

[mfb]

I'm not sure if they can do that. We'll see, if the Iridium launch is delayed they will probably announce a new date in 1-2 days.

 

[1oldman2]

I'm not sure if they can do that.

The story I linked in #274 gives it even odds on either launch, (for what that's worth) If SpaceX pulls off the double launch it's going to be a great PR Coup after the recent re-use success.
"Plenty of hurdles will have to be cleared for next weekend’s double header to work out including the valve repair on the East Coast and the Static Fire at Vandenberg. Additional concern will be with Florida’s weather now that convective season has fully set in, bringing thunderstorms to the Space Coast almost on a daily basis. Current planning forecasts from for Cape Canaveral show similar chances of precipitation and lightning throughout the week and BulgariaSat will likely be looking at 50/50 odds of getting off the pad on either opportunity."

 

[mfb]

It is understood that SpaceX can support major operations, e.g. launch attempts or Static Fire Tests that are one day apart but capabilities are not yet in place to support same-day launches from the East and West Coast.

Looks like the two teams are not completely independent.

 

[1oldman2]

Looks like the two teams are not completely independent.

That has got to change soon, considering the planned launch schedule as well as the Texas site coming online soon (I notice SES is planning on two of their Satellites being launched from Boca Chica Beach). I would imagine that either the Hawthorne facilities is going to get a major expansion or will get an East coast counterpart before long.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2015/02/25/ses-reserves-two-falcon-9-launches-from-texas/