Space X launch this Saturday.

[Thebobo]

Space Xs first launch from the newly renovated historic LC-39A launch pad at Kennedy Space Center.
Launch is this Saturday 2/18 @10:18 AM <--- New time as of 2/17 9PM

FYI there is also a launch on the 28th.

Full Story

SpaceX plans to launch its Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 on Saturday, February 18. This launch, which will utilize SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, is the company’s 10th mission to resupply the International Space Station. It comes exactly seven months after SpaceX’s last I.S.S resupply mission, and it will be the first launch from Kennedy Space Center since the Falcon 9 explosion in September 2016.

 

[alcoholbob]

Wake me up when the Falcon Heavy launches.

 

[Thebobo]

https://www.facebook.com/

 

[Red Squirrel]

What time zone? 2:14 is basically tonight, I might actually not miss this one!

 

[Thebobo]

What time zone? 2:14 is basically tonight, I might actually not miss this one!

Liftoff time has changed to a little more friendly time, Saturday at 10:01am ET.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Good to know, I'll probably be sleeping then though. But I might try to actually get up early. Can always watch the footage after but it's more fun to watch live.

 

[cbrunny]

 

[Thebobo]

Aborted at 13 seconds. Something to do with the second stage. Next earliest possible launch is Tomorrow 9:38 AM

 

[cbrunny]

scrub. tomorrow.

 

[Red Squirrel]

...and Abort. Doh. Rescheduled tomorrow.

Oh well this got me up early, been trying to get up early for a while and keep sleeping in.

 

[louis redfoot]

i think that's what players call an "lmr"

 

[PottedMeat]

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/832970849791537152

All systems go, except the movement trace of an upper stage engine steering hydraulic piston was slightly odd
If this is the only issue, flight would be fine, but need to make sure that it isn't symptomatic of a more significant upstream root cause.
Btw, 99% likely to be fine (closed loop TVC wd overcome error), but that 1% chance isn't worth rolling the dice.
Better to wait a day.

 

[PottedMeat]

1 hour to go bump

next launch window: 9:38am ET

SpaceX Verified account ‏@SpaceX





All systems go for today’s 9:39am ET launch of Dragon to @Space_Station. Weather 70% favorable; tracking cumulus cloud cover

 

[PottedMeat]

damn you low clouds!

nice landing

 

[cbrunny]

That is just the friggin coolest thing ever.

 

[Thebobo]

Yea the clouds were very low, hopefully they have some closer shots of the vehicle coming through the clouds to land.

 

[Thebobo]

 

[PottedMeat]

CRS-10 Falcon 9 First Stage Landing

 

[mxnerd]

With India launching 104 satellites with only one rocket, can SpaceX compete?

 

[tynopik]

With India launching 104 satellites with only one rocket, can SpaceX compete?

different markets, those were tiny nanosats. SpaceX is launching much bigger and heavier satellites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_Satellite_Launch_Vehicle
Payload to Sub-GTO/GTO 1,425 kg (3,142 lb)


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9_Full_Thrust
Payload to GTO (27°) Expendable: 8,300 kg (18,300 lb)

 

[Thebobo]

CRS-10 Falcon 9 First Stage Landing

thats awesome, just played it on my 60" tv looks like a landing in Avatar.

 

[Red Squirrel]

With India launching 104 satellites with only one rocket, can SpaceX compete?

Wow that must be quite the feat. The logistics of getting them all in the proper orbit is quite something on it's own. Like if you want a constellation of 20 or so in same orbit where they all follow each other that's not easy to do with a single launch. I imagine with 104 they have several constellations at different inclinations. Technically by slightly adjusting apogee you can get them to eventually spread out then they can do a correction burn at a later date, maybe that's what they do, but with 100 I don't imagine these are very big satellites so they may not have any propellants.

 

[mxnerd]

Found a chart depicting Inida's 104 satellites launch. 96 nano satellies from U.S.!

 

[dandruff]

nano sats ... those nano sats are just 4x4x12 (thats in inches) - its not a big feat ...
ISRO only has 0.6% of market - glorified transport trucks nothing more ... reusable has the potential to change the landscape ...

 

[tynopik]

I don't want to diminish India's accomplishment too much, successfully putting that many satellites into orbit without any problems is still a good achievement.

They aren't in quite the same league in terms of overall payload, but they have put together a very affordable, reliable (38 consecutive successful launches), useful launch system.