Space X - Dragon Launch Today

[Eric Mc]

Due to launch at 4.55 am EDT. That should be 9.55 BST

This will be the first launch of an unmanned Dragon capsule to dock with the International Space Station.

NASA TV begins its launch coverage at 8.30 am our time.

[TheHeretic]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Eric Mc]

NASA TV and Spaceflight Now are now broadcasting the run up to the launch this morning -

http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/003/status.html

[TheHeretic]

Watching NASA TV on the ipad as I type.

[TheHeretic]

That control room looked like an internet cafe.

[marksx]

Looking forward to this. I just happened to stumble across the NASA TV link on FB earlier.

The docking procedure is being broadcast on Tuesday.

[Eric Mc]

I lost my internet conection a couple of minutes ago. Slight panic stations as I tried to reconnect before lift off.

[TheHeretic]

What are those booming noises? Tanks expanding and contracting, or just someone breathing weirdly into a mic?

[Eric Mc]

I was wondering about that. It's either a sound system anomaly or perhaps bird scarers.

[Eric Mc]

Oops.

[TheHeretic]

Oh...

[TheHeretic]

Any idea when the next window is for it to go, or will it be a scrubber?

[Eric Mc]

I bet an oxygen or hydrogen pressurisation line failed to disconnect at Zero.

[Eric Mc]

It'll almost be definitely a scrub for today. Until they find out for sre what the problem was the rocket will be going nowhere.

Just reported that the chamber pressure in Engine 5 was too high which triggered the shut down.

[TheHeretic]

Yup. Well, at least the safety systems worked. Disappointing though.

[Eric Mc]

72 hours scrub.

Launch Tuesday morning - if they fully understand why the chamber pressure was too high and what they need to do to make sure it doesn't happen again.

[marksx]

Tuesday 22nd is the next launch date.

3:44am. 8:44BST

[TheHeretic]

Well, something to look forward to on tuesday then.

[Eric Mc]

Apparently, today's launch window duration was only 1 second - according to Spaceflight Now. That was a bit tight.

[TheHeretic]

Eric Mc said:

Apparently, today's launch window duration was only 1 second - according to Spaceflight Now. That was a bit tight.

A second? You'd think there would a little more scope for these things nowadays.