SpaceX Tuesday...
Discussion
My guess is that they need it for crew egress in an abort, so may as well use it for getting on board also.
Beati Dogu said:
As previously mentioned, it's the same tower they used for Apollo & the Shuttle programs. Albeit shortened & more Apollo-like these days.
They could have actually opted to load the astronauts while the rocket was still horizontal.
They do this for so-called "late load" items (e.g. mice) on the Dragon cargo capsule:
Perhaps it's just easier to climb aboard when it's upright. Or maybe NASA just wanted it that way.
They could have actually opted to load the astronauts while the rocket was still horizontal.
They do this for so-called "late load" items (e.g. mice) on the Dragon cargo capsule:
Perhaps it's just easier to climb aboard when it's upright. Or maybe NASA just wanted it that way.
Caruso said:
My guess is that they need it for crew egress in an abort, so may as well use it for getting on board also.
Yup - pretty difficult for the crew to get out in a hurry when it's halfway upBeati Dogu said:
As previously mentioned, it's the same tower they used for Apollo & the Shuttle programs. Albeit shortened & more Apollo-like these days.
They could have actually opted to load the astronauts while the rocket was still horizontal.
They do this for so-called "late load" items (e.g. mice) on the Dragon cargo capsule:
Perhaps it's just easier to climb aboard when it's upright. Or maybe NASA just wanted it that way.
They could have actually opted to load the astronauts while the rocket was still horizontal.
They do this for so-called "late load" items (e.g. mice) on the Dragon cargo capsule:
Perhaps it's just easier to climb aboard when it's upright. Or maybe NASA just wanted it that way.
Beati Dogu said:
LIkely a factor, although it only takes about 5 minutes to raise it vertical and they don't load O2 and fuel until it is.
It'll still have live pyros aboard won't it ?Also, if the crew are aboard during erection, you'd need to have already loaded something for them to breathe, and to have the vehicle powered up
Well it's moot anyway. They're not doing it.
I'm sure the capsule will run from ground electrical power via umbilical, until just before launch. The air supply will likely be the same, as the crew will board a full 2 hours before launch. Even the unmanned supply capsule has air supply for live cargo and for potential emergency use to escape the ISS. Only the so-called "trunk", is open to the vacuum of space.
Other potential dangers:
The rockets are ignited by the injection of TEA-TIB chemicals (the green flash at start). I don't know when they load that, but it's nasty stuff and bursts into flames upon exposure to oxygen. The center and a couple of the outer engines carry more of it so they can be re-lit for re-entry and landing.
I expect the rocket has a plastic explosive strip running down the main tanks for remote detonation if it goes off range. There's a reason astronauts used to go see the range director before launch and show them pictures of their wife and kids.
Now it's all computerised though - for SpaceX at least.
They've said the composite overwrap pressure vessels (COPVs) will be filled with helium before the crew boards.
A view looking up a Falcon 9's upper (liquid oxygen) tank with the COPVs at the top. The helium is used to pressurise the system & the first and second stages use this same basic layout.
Both Falcon 9 losses have been attributed to these (CRS-7, which disintegrated in mid-air and Amos-6, which of course blew up on the pad). They'll be using an improved version for the manned missions. It's known that the first Block 5s do not have these fitted yet. It seems that their first use will be on the unmanned SpX-DM1 test flight in November. They have back up plans to use spheres made from Inconel instead, but Elon Musk doesn't think that will be necessary.
I'm sure the capsule will run from ground electrical power via umbilical, until just before launch. The air supply will likely be the same, as the crew will board a full 2 hours before launch. Even the unmanned supply capsule has air supply for live cargo and for potential emergency use to escape the ISS. Only the so-called "trunk", is open to the vacuum of space.
Other potential dangers:
The rockets are ignited by the injection of TEA-TIB chemicals (the green flash at start). I don't know when they load that, but it's nasty stuff and bursts into flames upon exposure to oxygen. The center and a couple of the outer engines carry more of it so they can be re-lit for re-entry and landing.
I expect the rocket has a plastic explosive strip running down the main tanks for remote detonation if it goes off range. There's a reason astronauts used to go see the range director before launch and show them pictures of their wife and kids.
Now it's all computerised though - for SpaceX at least.They've said the composite overwrap pressure vessels (COPVs) will be filled with helium before the crew boards.
A view looking up a Falcon 9's upper (liquid oxygen) tank with the COPVs at the top. The helium is used to pressurise the system & the first and second stages use this same basic layout.
Both Falcon 9 losses have been attributed to these (CRS-7, which disintegrated in mid-air and Amos-6, which of course blew up on the pad). They'll be using an improved version for the manned missions. It's known that the first Block 5s do not have these fitted yet. It seems that their first use will be on the unmanned SpX-DM1 test flight in November. They have back up plans to use spheres made from Inconel instead, but Elon Musk doesn't think that will be necessary.
SpaceX's new crew arm is nearly in place at around 227 feet up.
You can also see the new floor level they had to add to the existing tower. The upper floors on the old tower are 20 ft apart, so there's plenty of room to fit one in the middle.
They don't have a launch from this pad until the unmanned test flight in late November, so it makes sense to do it now.
The crew access arm is actually about 70 feet higher than the crew arm was for the Shuttle.
It's the same height as the arm that went across to the main tank's nose vent. The so-called "beanie cap".
The Apollo crew access was way higher, at 320 ft up.
You can also see the new floor level they had to add to the existing tower. The upper floors on the old tower are 20 ft apart, so there's plenty of room to fit one in the middle.
They don't have a launch from this pad until the unmanned test flight in late November, so it makes sense to do it now.
The crew access arm is actually about 70 feet higher than the crew arm was for the Shuttle.
It's the same height as the arm that went across to the main tank's nose vent. The so-called "beanie cap".
The Apollo crew access was way higher, at 320 ft up.
Edited by Beati Dogu on Tuesday 21st August 00:29
I think they've been planning to do that for some time:
See their Falcon Heavy preview video, from Jan 2015:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ca6x4QbpoM
Although they're not going to use Falcon Heavy for manned flights now.
See their Falcon Heavy preview video, from Jan 2015:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ca6x4QbpoM
Although they're not going to use Falcon Heavy for manned flights now.
The next Falcon 9 flight is coming up on Saturday night local time (Sunday morning UK time). They did the static fire earlier today.
It's a new Block 5 rocket and they're going for a ship landing soon after. The launch windows runs from 04.28 - 08.28 UK time
This is from SLC-40 in Florida and will carry the Telstar 18V / APStar 5C comms satellite into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit.
At 7060 kg, it will be the second heaviest commercial satellite ever launched. Beaten only by the 7,075 kg Telstar 19V, which SpaceX launched in July.
It's a new Block 5 rocket and they're going for a ship landing soon after. The launch windows runs from 04.28 - 08.28 UK time
This is from SLC-40 in Florida and will carry the Telstar 18V / APStar 5C comms satellite into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit.
At 7060 kg, it will be the second heaviest commercial satellite ever launched. Beaten only by the 7,075 kg Telstar 19V, which SpaceX launched in July.
Looks 'shopped to me, but nice job though.
I'm planning to visit there next month.
Although it reminds me of one of the World Trade Centre towers to me. Hopefully they'll use some colour variation in the final design.
I'm planning to visit there next month.
Polite M135 driver said:
they are worth so much more when you keep them in their original packaging, why would you take it out of the box like that?
I know right? Although it reminds me of one of the World Trade Centre towers to me. Hopefully they'll use some colour variation in the final design.
MartG said:
Eric Mc said:
Do we have any idea s to when the next Falcon Heavy launch is due?
No earlier than Nov 30th is the latest infohttps://spaceflightnow.com/2018/09/07/air-force-re...
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