SpaceX launch today

[MartG]

And it's back and being unloaded

http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/009/140520photos...

[Eric Mc]

They seem to be able to make these ocean recoveries with minimum fuss. NASA seemed to require the services of a good chunk of the US Navy Pacific Fleet.

[CrutyRammers]

Well it doesn't look as impressive if you just go out with a small tug, compared to an aircraft carrier

[MartG]

And following on from the reusable Falcon 1st stage tests, SpaceX are planning similar tests for the Dragon capsule

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/elon-musks-sp...

Most of which would need to be done for man-rating the capsule anyway, both for launch-abort and return to Earth, but also raises the possibility of powered landings on Mars

[Eric Mc]

I'd still like a set of chutes, to be honest.

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

I'd still like a set of chutes, to be honest.

I agree - even on Kerbal Space Program spacecraft that can land under power I always have a couple of 'chutes just in case....

[MartG]

Manned Dragon unveiled http://www.spacex.com/webcast/

[Eric Mc]

No dates mentioned.

Any idea when the first test flights (presumably unmanned) will be?

[Einion Yrth]

Eric Mc said:

No dates mentioned.

Any idea when the first test flights (presumably unmanned) will be?

Musk reckons on an unmanned orbital test in 2015 but they always slip and they need to test the superdraco powered launch abort first, so...

[Eric Mc]

How about fitting the thing with giant airbags (like those Mars landers) - just in case the landing rockets don't work?

[Einion Yrth]

Eric Mc said:

How about fitting the thing with giant airbags (like those Mars landers) - just in case the landing rockets don't work?

There are 'chutes in case the retros don't work but it's supposed to be able to land on any 6 of 8 engines anyway. should things go to plan then pad abort test from Cape Canaveral will happen this summer, the in-flight abort test will happen from Vandenberg AFB later this year.

[MartG]

Launch tonight http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/010/status.html

[jurbie]

Apparently it will be visible over the UK from about 23:25.
https://twitter.com/VirtualAstro/status/4800938939...

[MartG]

Just been delayed 54 mins

"NEW LAUNCH TIME. The launch team has reset liftoff for the end of tonight's launch window at 7:01 p.m. EDT (2301 GMT) to give engineers time to study spurious readings involving a potential leak from the Falcon 9 rocket. Falcon 9 product manager John Insprucker says the decision to take time to study the readings was a precaution.
SpaceX has provided no further details on the nature of the problem."

Edited by MartG on Friday 20th June 23:01

[MartG]

Launch aborted for tonight

[Eric Mc]

Having another go tonight. Will it be visible over the UK after launch?

[MartG]

It was scrubbed again ( and there's a bit of a ststorm going on over SpaceX cancelling the webcast with flimsy excuses ) and now looks to have been pushed back to July

[Eric Mc]

Where is the "ststorm" goiing on? I thought it was an odd decsion and the excuses given were pretty lame but I couldn't see any comments on what people thought about the decision not to broadcast.

[MartG]

A lot on Facebook, various other places, various blogs e.g. http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/space-flight-new...

[CrutyRammers]

Another launch today.
Sounds like they're getting a bit closer, but still no cigar:

Elon Musk on Twitter said:

Rocket booster reentry, landing burn & leg deploy were good, but lost hull integrity right after splashdown (aka kaboom)

...
Detailed review of rocket telemetry needed to tell if due to initial splashdown or subsequent tip over and body slam

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/48871864951598...
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/48871972959957...


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