SpaceX And/Or Rocketry In General

Chris S
Chris S
Joined: 27 Aug 05
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Is it still true that the sun

Is it still true that the sun never sets on the British Empire? (Or Commonwealth, if you prefer these days.)

 

Yes.

Waiting for Godot & salvation :-)

Why do doctors have to practice?
You'd think they'd have got it right by now

AgentB
AgentB
Joined: 17 Mar 12
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Mike Hewson wrote:... will

Mike Hewson wrote:
... will SpaceX toss the first stage regardless ? 

It's planned to return to LZ-1.

The hazard NOTAMs (as @archae86 mentioned) indicate the path of the first stage quite accurately, some talk and maps here about  what orbit, quite possibly a Molniya orbit, but if you don't know the payload weight and second stage fuelling the final orbit(s)- could be anything.   You might be able to guess the total of second stage plus payload weight from the telemetry of the first stage.

If it's a small payload with its own propulsion it could go quite a distance on a dogleg.    We probably should not assume its a single payload, could be a cube-sat swarm.

One things for certain there will be no on-board pictures of the fairing coming off!

 

archae86
archae86
Joined: 6 Dec 05
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Go Quest is reported outbound

Go Quest is reported outbound from Port Canveral, recently making 5.4 knots on a 128 degree track.  As this has been reported as a return to launch site mission for the first stage, possibly this is part of the ongoing development of fairing recovery.  Or maybe something else.  Go Searcher and Elsbeth III remain reported within the harbor, so presumably also the landing barge is there, consistent with this not being an at-sea recovery mission for the first stage.

archae86
archae86
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AgentB wrote:The hazard

AgentB wrote:
The hazard NOTAMs (as @archae86 mentioned) indicate the path of the first stage quite accurately

Two different people have posted map images based on the hazard area announcements, one apparently for the first stage is about where you'd expect heading northeast out of the Cape.  The second is on the other side of the planet.  I suppose this is preparation for second stage disposal.

 

 

AgentB
AgentB
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Only one (technical) webcast

Only one (technical) webcast this time here

edit: 15 minute delay to 11:15 UTC

@SpaceX #Falcon9 will launch @NatReconOfc #NROL76 in just under two hours. Shooting for a T-0 of 7:15 a.m.!edit

edit++: launch scrubbed at T-52 secs.  First stage sensor issue.   Next lanch window tomorrow at 07:00 UTC

edit:+3 today's webcast here

Anonymous

outstanding effort.  The

outstanding effort.  The video side x side presentation was in credible.  Just heard the sonic boom about 1 minute after landing of the 1st stage.  It just keeps getting better!!!!!

Mike Hewson
Mike Hewson
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Epic. Flawless. Cheers,

Epic. Flawless.

Cheers, Mike.

I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...

... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal

AgentB
AgentB
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The lack of second stage

The lack of second stage footage made a dedicated coverage of the first stage, which had quite a number of new camera angles and actions. 

Definitely will replay that again.

Mike Hewson
Mike Hewson
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Per Elon it was close to a

Per Elon it was close to a scrub :

Quote:
Launch and landing of the NRO spy satellite was good. Tough call, as high altitude wind shear was at 98.6% of the theoretical load limit.

Great closeup view of the inbound one engine landing burn.

Cheers, Mike.

I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...

... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal

archae86
archae86
Joined: 6 Dec 05
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AgentB wrote:The lack of

AgentB wrote:
The lack of second stage footage made a dedicated coverage of the first stage, which had quite a number of new camera angles and actions.

I live in the Mountain Time zone and did not choose to get up early to watch this live.  I emphatically agree that the first stage video this time adds a great deal to what has been shown on previous missions.  

The launch video is currently available as a replay on youtube.  I'd urge you to step up the display resolution option to 1080p and go to full-screen viewing.  

If you want to skip the preliminaries, you can move to 14:00 and be late in the first stage burn.  I found the video of the movements just after stage separation particularly beautiful and enlightening.  They waste very little time in lighting up the boost-back burn after separation.

There is also new material most of the way down.

 

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