SpaceX Tuesday...
Discussion
Gandahar said:
I wonder if Space X will feel the gravity of Tesla Motors anytime soon? $$ wise.
What gravity there's no direct financial connection. At worst Musk could sell his spacex shares to put cash into Tesla, but he won't do that as I think he sees spacex as more important, and part of Teslas mission is already done.
Actually there's one more Block 4 first stage F9 to go, although it'll almost certainly be destroyed during the launch. It has already flown once (Koreasat 5A, back in October 2017), but SpaceX are due to do an inflight abort test of the Dragon crew capsule, so they'll use it for that.
Once they hit Max-Q (i.e the worst possible time for an emergency), Dragon will jetson off the rocket, then hopefully splashdown in the Atlantic under parachutes. Like so:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=1_FXVjf46T8
Capsule view:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=wcHD9AmkxA0
I don't know if they'll even use an upper stage for this. Seems a bit pointless, but I guess that's down to NASA.
SpaceX were originally planning to use a special 3 engine Falcon 9 for this test (suggesting no upper stage, with its 110 tonnes of fuel), but that idea seems to have been scrapped.
This test is scheduled some time after the first test flight of an unmanned Dragon 2 which will likely be in August / September. They'll use the same capsule for the abort test.
It it all works fine, the first manned flight will likely be in early 2019.
Once they hit Max-Q (i.e the worst possible time for an emergency), Dragon will jetson off the rocket, then hopefully splashdown in the Atlantic under parachutes. Like so:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=1_FXVjf46T8
Capsule view:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=wcHD9AmkxA0
I don't know if they'll even use an upper stage for this. Seems a bit pointless, but I guess that's down to NASA.
SpaceX were originally planning to use a special 3 engine Falcon 9 for this test (suggesting no upper stage, with its 110 tonnes of fuel), but that idea seems to have been scrapped.
This test is scheduled some time after the first test flight of an unmanned Dragon 2 which will likely be in August / September. They'll use the same capsule for the abort test.
It it all works fine, the first manned flight will likely be in early 2019.
They're modifying the tower at Pad 39a to accommodate manned SpaceX launches. A new gantry, escape system and covering.
Maybe longer term there'll be a new Horizontal Assembly Facility for BFR. The idea being that the pad will support both Falcon 9 / Heavy and BFR at the same time.
https://nasaspaceflight.com/2018/07/spacexs-39a-up...
Maybe longer term there'll be a new Horizontal Assembly Facility for BFR. The idea being that the pad will support both Falcon 9 / Heavy and BFR at the same time.
https://nasaspaceflight.com/2018/07/spacexs-39a-up...
Really looking forward to it. 7 years is a long time to be without a capability that you've had for decades. Indeed, since the start of US manned spaceflight, the gap between the retirement of the Space Shuttle and the expected launch of the manned Dragon will be the longest gap since the Apollo/Soyuz flight of July 1975 and the first Space Shuttle launch in April 1981.
First pictures of one of Mr Steven's upgraded support arms for a 4x larger net.
https://teslarati.com/spacex-mr-steven-upgraded-ar...
The next launch is from Vandenberg, California on 20th July, so I imagine they're hurrying to get Mr Steven completed for that.
This launch is to take up the another 10 Iridium comms satellites. It's a new Block 5 first stage and they'll try to land it on Just Read The Instructions, which is finally back in commision after a long lay off.
https://teslarati.com/spacex-mr-steven-upgraded-ar...
The next launch is from Vandenberg, California on 20th July, so I imagine they're hurrying to get Mr Steven completed for that.
This launch is to take up the another 10 Iridium comms satellites. It's a new Block 5 first stage and they'll try to land it on Just Read The Instructions, which is finally back in commision after a long lay off.
MartG said:
Whoppers!Spiderboat looks even more wacky now. 
The next West Coast launch has been put back to the 25th July now, so they should have plenty of time to finish Spiderboat's rigging.
The next East Coast launch is on 22nd July, with a launch window running from 06:50 - 10:50 UK time.
This is the Telstar 19V mission and they'll try to land the booster on the drone ship.
The next West Coast launch has been put back to the 25th July now, so they should have plenty of time to finish Spiderboat's rigging.
The next East Coast launch is on 22nd July, with a launch window running from 06:50 - 10:50 UK time.
This is the Telstar 19V mission and they'll try to land the booster on the drone ship.
New GAO report of the progress ( or lack thereof ) of the CCP Programme, which states that it is likely that there will be further delays 
Article on the report - https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/11/gao-boeing-spacex-...
Direct link to report - https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/693035.pdf
Several factors are identified affecting the programme timetable, including the early reductions in funding imposed by Congress, and the apparent inability of NASA to agree specific criteria. One of these factors is the loss of crew metric that was put in place to capture the probability of death or permanent disability to an astronaut. NASA has not identified a consistent approach for how to assess loss of crew. As a result, officials across NASA have multiple ways of assessing the metric that may yield different results. Consequently, the risk tolerance level that NASA is accepting with loss of crew varies based upon which entity is presenting the results of its assessment.
On a more positive note there are signs that NASA is coming to accept SpaceX's 'fuel-with-the-crew-aboard' approach.
Critics of SpaceX are also saying that Boeing will launch first - not surprising though when they are being paid 50% more for the same job
Article on the report - https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/11/gao-boeing-spacex-...
Direct link to report - https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/693035.pdf
Several factors are identified affecting the programme timetable, including the early reductions in funding imposed by Congress, and the apparent inability of NASA to agree specific criteria. One of these factors is the loss of crew metric that was put in place to capture the probability of death or permanent disability to an astronaut. NASA has not identified a consistent approach for how to assess loss of crew. As a result, officials across NASA have multiple ways of assessing the metric that may yield different results. Consequently, the risk tolerance level that NASA is accepting with loss of crew varies based upon which entity is presenting the results of its assessment.
On a more positive note there are signs that NASA is coming to accept SpaceX's 'fuel-with-the-crew-aboard' approach.
Critics of SpaceX are also saying that Boeing will launch first - not surprising though when they are being paid 50% more for the same job
king ridiculous and brilliant 
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