SpaceX Tuesday...

[Beati Dogu]

SpaceX launched NROL-76 back in 2017 on a Falcon 9 rocket . The booster landing back at the Cape soon after. They've a couple more booked for late next year too.

Slight related tangent, but the Hubble space telescope is 30 years old this year (launched April 24th, 1990).

[Beati Dogu]

The Starlink-2 launch is still on for tonight. The weather looks good & winds are within limits, so far.

The static fire was done a couple of days ago, with the satellites loaded on top.

Apparently they make 7 of these satellites a day currently. So just over a week's production per launch. Kinda shows what sort of launch rate they want to cater for.


Meanwhile, the CRS-19 Dragon capsule's return from the ISS is delayed until Tuesday morning due to an adverse weather forecast in the recovery area today.

[Flooble]

Another launch and landing, but the fairings continue to prove elusive.

[Beati Dogu]

Yes, they only sent one boat out though, as the other ship (Go Ms.Chief) got a bit damaged during the last mission. They sent the more conventional Go Navigator to haul the other fairing half out of the water instead.

Must have been close though. Go Ms.Tree was seen in port in North Carolina later with a bit of the fairing's parafoil caught in the edge of her netting. She's headed back to Florida now with her net now clear.



Meanwhile, in the Pacific, recovery boat NRC Quest has picked up the Dragon capsule and they're on the way back to port now. The successful conclusion to the CRS-19 mission.

Edited by Beati Dogu on Wednesday 8th January 00:24

[MartG]

The booster for the in flight abort test has been rolled out for its static test fire

[Beati Dogu]

The test fire will likely be on Saturday morning sometime. The flight itself is no earlier than the following Saturday (18th) now.

Meanwhile the capsule is getting ready too:

[Beati Dogu]

The new Starship tank was tested at Boca Chica until it popped earlier:



According to Elon :

"Dome to barrel weld made it to 7.1 bar, which is pretty good as ~6 bar is needed for orbital flight. With more precise parts & better welding conditions, we should reach ~8.5 bar, which is the 1.4 factor of safety needed for crewed flight."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&...

Edited by Beati Dogu on Friday 10th January 23:04

[Chester35]

MartG said:

The booster for the in flight abort test has been rolled out for its static test fire

When the abort happens at Max Q what happens to the booster? Does it land to be used again or does the abort procedure add additional effects that means it will be a one shot booster ?

[Chester35]

Beati Dogu said:

The new Starship tank was tested at Boca Chica until it popped earlier:



According to Elon :

"Dome to barrel weld made it to 7.1 bar, which is pretty good as ~6 bar is needed for orbital flight. With more precise parts & better welding conditions, we should reach ~8.5 bar, which is the 1.4 factor of safety needed for crewed flight."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&...

Edited by Beati Dogu on Friday 10th January 23:04

I have to say that I am still dubious that they can get a welded steel vehicle into space and landed again. Normally things don't fail at Max Q but this might ... and then has to do a re-entry.

Perhaps I am being over pessimistic though. What are other peoples thoughts?

Falcon series rockets are so well tuned now, why did they not just extrapolate that for this?

[MartG]

Chester35 said:

MartG said:

The booster for the in flight abort test has been rolled out for its static test fire

When the abort happens at Max Q what happens to the booster? Does it land to be used again or does the abort procedure add additional effects that means it will be a one shot booster ?

Aerodynamic stress will probably rip it to bits - hopefully it will be a clear day so we get good video of the event

[Eric Mc]

Chester35 said:

I have to say that I am still dubious that they can get a welded steel vehicle into space and landed again. Normally things don't fail at Max Q but this might ... and then has to do a re-entry.

Perhaps I am being over pessimistic though. What are other peoples thoughts?

Falcon series rockets are so well tuned now, why did they not just extrapolate that for this?

Original Atlas rockets were mainly of steel construction. That's why they were so shiny.

[Flooble]

Weren't the Atlas rockets balloon tanks too? They had to be kept pressurised to avoid collapsing? Or am I getting muddled up?

It seems Starship won't have tanks that thin, so it's interesting they can't get them to hold the pressure. Consequence of welding outside I suppose.

[Beati Dogu]

The Falcon 9 for the abort test is not a new booster; It has flown 3 times before. It won't have any legs or grid fins attached either. The upper stage will have a mass simulator (i.e. a weight) to replace its engine. If the Falcon 9 doesn't disintegrate immediately after separation, the computerised Autonomous Flight Safety System should detonate the plastic explosive lines the stretch down the tanks and turn it into a fireball.

[MartG]

Successful static fire today

[Beati Dogu]

For anyone planning to go and see it in person:

"The Canaveral National Seashore have confirmed that Playalinda Beach will NOT be open for this launch. The decision was made due to possible debris post launch and potential for exposure to toxic propellants."

https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/12167562...

[Chester35]

Eric Mc said:

Chester35 said:

I have to say that I am still dubious that they can get a welded steel vehicle into space and landed again. Normally things don't fail at Max Q but this might ... and then has to do a re-entry.

Perhaps I am being over pessimistic though. What are other peoples thoughts?

Falcon series rockets are so well tuned now, why did they not just extrapolate that for this?

Original Atlas rockets were mainly of steel construction. That's why they were so shiny.

True, but that's like saying the Mosquito was made out of balsa wood but I wouldn't suggest a B21 Raider be made out of that nowadays. As I said, they are going for return to base too with new semi gliding trajectory, that is really pushing the envelope.

I don't get good vibes that after all this time they are changing the welding process so much to make it stronger. if you are going welding then picking the right type right at the very beginning seems like a no brainer, I think their welding tech / experience is still catching up with the requirements.

Well let's see what happens. You can never say Space X are boring.

Edited by Chester35 on Monday 13th January 22:11

[Chester35]

This made me chuckle

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-51086635

"The website features a list of conditions and a schedule for the three-month long application process"

I'm guessing that will be a somewhat different test regime to the NASA folk aiming to be on Artemis.

[MartG]

Scott Manley SpaceX update video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG-6T4s2hz0

[Flooble]

Any other men considering a sex change in order to apply for the second seat on the "Dear Moon" mission?

[MartG]

E-mail from SpaceX

"SpaceX is targeting Saturday, January 18 for an in-flight test of Crew Dragon’s launch escape capabilities from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This test, which does not have NASA astronauts onboard the spacecraft, is intended to demonstrate Crew Dragon’s ability to reliably carry crew to safety in the unlikely event of an emergency on ascent.

The four-hour test window opens at 8:00 a.m. EST, or 13:00 UTC. Backup test opportunities with the same four-hour launch window opening at 8:00 a.m. EST, or 13:00 UTC, are available on Sunday, January 19 and Monday, January 20.

Current weather data suggests our best opportunity for the launch escape test will be towards the end of the four hour window, but we will continue to provide updates as new data becomes available. "