SpaceX Tuesday...
Discussion
MartG said:
In other news, it appears that Blue Origin have launched a legal challenge to NASA's selection of SpaceX for the lunar lander contract 
That’ll be interesting since their proposal asked for money upfront which was never on the table, and NASA couldn’t afford their proposal. Would BO rather NASA chose no lander?Their appeal is with the GAO (Government Accountability Office). It doubt it'll get anywhere.
Blue Origin themselves declared that they bid $5.99 billion. NASA didn't actually disclose Blue Origin's bid, other than it was “significantly higher” and that they were angling for payments in advance, which was against the terms of the bid (self-disqualifying in effect - as if the 30 foot ladder on their lander wasn't already).
SpaceX said they'd do it for the $2.9 billion NASA had and they'd accept payment in stages to make it easier for NASA to budget for it.
I mean....
Now ideally, NASA would have liked to have gone with 2 bidders (as they did with commercial crew), so that's $9 billion vs $3 billion.
Let's not forget that in stage one of this competition, NASA had already awarded Blue Origin $579 million, Dynetics were given $253 million and SpaceX a mere $135 million. Boeing didn't even make it that far, despite a top official at NASA giving them inside information.
Meanwhile at Boca Chica, they've test fired SN15:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OKkYnnQVNw
Blue Origin themselves declared that they bid $5.99 billion. NASA didn't actually disclose Blue Origin's bid, other than it was “significantly higher” and that they were angling for payments in advance, which was against the terms of the bid (self-disqualifying in effect - as if the 30 foot ladder on their lander wasn't already).
SpaceX said they'd do it for the $2.9 billion NASA had and they'd accept payment in stages to make it easier for NASA to budget for it.
I mean....
Now ideally, NASA would have liked to have gone with 2 bidders (as they did with commercial crew), so that's $9 billion vs $3 billion.
Let's not forget that in stage one of this competition, NASA had already awarded Blue Origin $579 million, Dynetics were given $253 million and SpaceX a mere $135 million. Boeing didn't even make it that far, despite a top official at NASA giving them inside information.
Meanwhile at Boca Chica, they've test fired SN15:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OKkYnnQVNw
Beati Dogu said:
Their appeal is with the GAO (Government Accountability Office). It doubt it'll get anywhere.
Blue Origin themselves declared that they bid $5.99 billion. NASA didn't actually disclose Blue Origin's bid, other than it was “significantly higher” and that they were angling for payments in advance, which was against the terms of the bid (self-disqualifying in effect - as if the 30 foot ladder on their lander wasn't already).
SpaceX said they'd do it for the $2.9 billion NASA had and they'd accept payment in stages to make it easier for NASA to budget for it.
I mean....
Now ideally, NASA would have liked to have gone with 2 bidders (as they did with commercial crew), so that's $9 billion vs $3 billion.
Let's not forget that in stage one of this competition, NASA had already awarded Blue Origin $579 million, Dynetics were given $253 million and SpaceX a mere $135 million. Boeing didn't even make it that far, despite a top official at NASA giving them inside information.
Meanwhile at Boca Chica, they've test fired SN15:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OKkYnnQVNw
It must be due to fly soon, any idea when? Maybe even this week?Blue Origin themselves declared that they bid $5.99 billion. NASA didn't actually disclose Blue Origin's bid, other than it was “significantly higher” and that they were angling for payments in advance, which was against the terms of the bid (self-disqualifying in effect - as if the 30 foot ladder on their lander wasn't already).
SpaceX said they'd do it for the $2.9 billion NASA had and they'd accept payment in stages to make it easier for NASA to budget for it.
I mean....
Now ideally, NASA would have liked to have gone with 2 bidders (as they did with commercial crew), so that's $9 billion vs $3 billion.
Let's not forget that in stage one of this competition, NASA had already awarded Blue Origin $579 million, Dynetics were given $253 million and SpaceX a mere $135 million. Boeing didn't even make it that far, despite a top official at NASA giving them inside information.
Meanwhile at Boca Chica, they've test fired SN15:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OKkYnnQVNw
Smiljan said:
F20CN16 said:
Temporary flight restriction and road closures are in place for tomorrow (28th) from UTC 12:00 to 01:00 (on the 29th). So 1pm to 2am BST 
Hope we get to see this one (i.e. no fog).
Brilliant, I just happen to be off shift tomorrow so I'll be watching if it goes ahead, Hope we get to see this one (i.e. no fog).Hedging my bets, I'd say either one, or alternatively far too many to count.
I think they're due to stick a landing. 
There's another Starlink launch set for Thursday at 4.44 UK time (Local time - Wednesday 11.44 p.m. EDT). This will be the F9 booster's 7th flight.
Here is the booster from the Crew-2 mission, now being offloaded in Port Canaveral today.
The giant barge passing in the foreground is Pegasus, which is carrying the SLS core stage to Cape Canaveral after it's recent green run test. Pegasus is heading to the locks out of shot to the left. From there it's onto the Banana river and north up to the dock at the Kennedy Space Center.
Pegasus was originally built to ferry the big external tanks for the Space Shuttle. It had to be lengthened to accommodate the SLS booster by chopping it in half and adding a 50-foot section in the middle. It's now 310 feet long.
There's another Starlink launch set for Thursday at 4.44 UK time (Local time - Wednesday 11.44 p.m. EDT). This will be the F9 booster's 7th flight.
Here is the booster from the Crew-2 mission, now being offloaded in Port Canaveral today.
The giant barge passing in the foreground is Pegasus, which is carrying the SLS core stage to Cape Canaveral after it's recent green run test. Pegasus is heading to the locks out of shot to the left. From there it's onto the Banana river and north up to the dock at the Kennedy Space Center.
Pegasus was originally built to ferry the big external tanks for the Space Shuttle. It had to be lengthened to accommodate the SLS booster by chopping it in half and adding a 50-foot section in the middle. It's now 310 feet long.
Beati Dogu said:
I think they're due to stick a landing.
There's another Starlink launch set for Thursday at 4.44 UK time (Local time - Wednesday 11.44 p.m. EDT). This will be the F9 booster's 7th flight.
Here is the booster from the Crew-2 mission, now being offloaded in Port Canaveral today.
The giant barge passing in the foreground is Pegasus, which is carrying the SLS core stage to Cape Canaveral after it's recent green run test. Pegasus is heading to the locks out of shot to the left. From there it's onto the Banana river and north up to the dock at the Kennedy Space Center.
Pegasus was originally built to ferry the big external tanks for the Space Shuttle. It had to be lengthened to accommodate the SLS booster by chopping it in half and adding a 50-foot section in the middle. It's now 310 feet long.
I hope they stick the landing too. Someone has done a nice infographic on what to expect if all goes to plan There's another Starlink launch set for Thursday at 4.44 UK time (Local time - Wednesday 11.44 p.m. EDT). This will be the F9 booster's 7th flight.
Here is the booster from the Crew-2 mission, now being offloaded in Port Canaveral today.
The giant barge passing in the foreground is Pegasus, which is carrying the SLS core stage to Cape Canaveral after it's recent green run test. Pegasus is heading to the locks out of shot to the left. From there it's onto the Banana river and north up to the dock at the Kennedy Space Center.
Pegasus was originally built to ferry the big external tanks for the Space Shuttle. It had to be lengthened to accommodate the SLS booster by chopping it in half and adding a 50-foot section in the middle. It's now 310 feet long.
Problems with shipping does seem to be a theme for 2021. The Starlink launch is a day later than intended due to the landing ship’s tug “Hawk” suffering a mechanical fault. They had to send the other tug “Finn Falgout” out to sea to take over instead. Finn Falgout had only just got back from retrieving the Crew-2 booster. Bit if a turn and burn for them.
Pegasus seemed to be drifting a bit while they were swapping tugs from the bigger seagoing ones to the smaller port-bound ones.
Pegasus seemed to be drifting a bit while they were swapping tugs from the bigger seagoing ones to the smaller port-bound ones.
The Crew-1 astronauts and their Dragon capsule should be back on Earth at the weekend:
Friday, April 30, 5:55pm ET: Undocking
Saturday, May 1, 11:36am ET: Splashdown
That may change, subject to the weather and sea states. Which side of Florida they come down on will also be left to nearer the time.
They’re releasing the Progress MS-14 supply capsule from the ISS tonight after a year at the ISS. That will burn up in the atmosphere.
Quite a busy week. Starship SN-15 was static fired again yesterday.
Also, Elon Musk is hosting Saturday Night Live on May 8th. As if he hasn't got enough to do already.
Friday, April 30, 5:55pm ET: Undocking
Saturday, May 1, 11:36am ET: Splashdown
That may change, subject to the weather and sea states. Which side of Florida they come down on will also be left to nearer the time.
They’re releasing the Progress MS-14 supply capsule from the ISS tonight after a year at the ISS. That will burn up in the atmosphere.
Quite a busy week. Starship SN-15 was static fired again yesterday.
Also, Elon Musk is hosting Saturday Night Live on May 8th. As if he hasn't got enough to do already.
Edited by Beati Dogu on Wednesday 28th April 09:36
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