SpaceX Tuesday...

[MartG]

Beati Dogu said:

This really isn't helping Falcon Heavy's chances of launching this year.

The next Falcon 9 launch is due early Dec from SLC-40, which is now/soon to be operational again, so probably fairly easy to shift Zuma to that launch pad if the delay is going to be more than a few days to allow LC-39 to be modified for FH

[Einion Yrth]

Beati Dogu said:

This really isn't helping Falcon Heavy's chances of launching this year.

Might be helping its chances of not going bang, however. I trust these guys, mostly - I'm intrigued as to what they've found that would cause this decision however. Hopefully we'll get some info at some point.

[RobDickinson]

A fairing issue isn't going to make anything go bang.

Probably an issue with release or something

Fh won't have a fairing issue. Eithet a dummy payload or a dragon

[MartG]

Pure guess - looking at video from previous flights, when the fairings are jettisoned they tend to oscillate - depending on the clearance to the payload it's possible a part of the fairing could hit the payload as they depart

[Beati Dogu]

Maybe; They are doing nearly Mach 10 when they jettison the fairings.

Failure to deploy the fairing is more likely though and has happened a few times over the years. Most recently in August when an Indian rocket launched OK, but the fairing didn't jettison properly, trapping the satellite inside. The extra mass seems to have stopped it attaining the correct orbital height too.

Some test footage of a SpaceX fairing separation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtI1V624vWM

SpaceX are known to be testing ways to glide them back to earth for recovery and reuse, so perhaps they've discovered issues with that.

[MartG]

This is the type of oscillation I mean, though this clip isn't a SpaceX fairing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ublbKFyIksw

[MartG]

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket with the Zuma payload has been lowered horizontal at pad 39A in Florida to await a new launch date. The mission remains postponed indefinitely to resolve potential concerns with the Falcon 9's payload shroud.

[Eric Mc]

Failure of a fairing in the first five or so minutes of a launch will probably result in destruction of the launch vehicle. If the rocket is ravelling through fairly dense atmosphere, if the fairing comes away or disintegrates, aerodynamic forces would break up the vehicle.

Once in orbit, failure to deploy the fairing would render the payload useless.

It has happened - although this is from over 50 years ago -

[MartG]

It could also be an issue with acoustic damping e.g. a previous payload's telemetry showing too high a level of acoustic energy reaching the payload

[Beati Dogu]

The next Falcon 9 from the reopened SLC-40 is due off on 4th December.

It's an ISS resupply mission (CRS-13), so no fairing to worry about on that one.

It is a pre-flown rocket though - a notable first for NASA. I previous did CRS-11, back in June.

Edited by Beati Dogu on Sunday 19th November 11:48

[Beati Dogu]

To the surprise of absolutely no one, the Falcon Heavy launch has officially slipped to January (2018 LOL).

They do plan to assemble it and wheel it out to the pad for rocket testing in December though. So that'll be nice to see,


https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/28/debut-of-spa...

[Eric Mc]

Is that it for SpaceX's 2017 launch schedule now or do they have any more launches before the end of the year?

[RobDickinson]

Given the fairing issue erc i guess just the dec 4th ISS resupply

[MartG]

I wonder if the Zuma launch ( if/when it eventually happens ) will be shifted to LC-40 to clear the way for FH modifications to the pad

[Einion Yrth]

Eric Mc said:

Is that it for SpaceX's 2017 launch schedule now or do they have any more launches before the end of the year?

There's Iridium NEXT 4 due from VAFB on 23 or 23 Dec.

[AshVX220]

Beati Dogu said:

To the surprise of absolutely no one, the Falcon Heavy launch has officially slipped to January (2018 LOL).

They do plan to assemble it and wheel it out to the pad for rocket testing in December though. So that'll be nice to see,


https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/28/debut-of-spa...

I'm really happy with that news, as I should be around for the launch.

[AshVX220]

MartG said:

I wonder if the Zuma launch ( if/when it eventually happens ) will be shifted to LC-40 to clear the way for FH modifications to the pad

I read somewhere (actually thought it was on this thread) that there's a theory that Zuma was nothing more than a test conducted by SpaceX to prove that they could do a last minute classified launch if required with little notice. As it seems to be very quiet on the Zuma front at the moment I think this could be the case.

[MartG]

AshVX220 said:

I read somewhere (actually thought it was on this thread) that there's a theory that Zuma was nothing more than a test conducted by SpaceX to prove that they could do a last minute classified launch if required with little notice. As it seems to be very quiet on the Zuma front at the moment I think this could be the case.

If it never re-appears then I guess we'll know for sure

Edit - No mention of it at all now on their website

Edited by MartG on Wednesday 29th November 17:56

[AshVX220]

MartG said:

AshVX220 said:

I read somewhere (actually thought it was on this thread) that there's a theory that Zuma was nothing more than a test conducted by SpaceX to prove that they could do a last minute classified launch if required with little notice. As it seems to be very quiet on the Zuma front at the moment I think this could be the case.

If it never re-appears then I guess we'll know for sure

Edit - No mention of it at all now on their website

Edited by MartG on Wednesday 29th November 17:56

It's certainly mysterious, I wonder if it'll be conspiracy territory in a few years!

[Beati Dogu]

That's plausible I suppose. They did everything but actually launch.


The new transporter erector was on display at Pad 40 recently:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vucGbXyKJDQ

They will be getting ready to test fire a Falcon 9 from there shortly.