My usual sources continue to list CRS-13 as intended to launch from SLC-40 December 12, with a successful 7-second test fire having been conducted quite recently. (which by the way is the first hot activity on SLC-40 since the unpleasantness over a year ago)
Do you have information that is more up-to-date than that?
They don't talk much about ZUMA, but people think it is not before early next year at the moment. Also Heavy.
My usual sources continue to list CRS-13 as intended to launch from SLC-40 December 12, with a successful 7-second test fire having been conducted quite recently. (which by the way is the first hot activity on SLC-40 since the unpleasantness over a year ago)
Do you have information that is more up-to-date than that?
No I just heard on the local news that it is back on for Dec 12th - no time given
archae86 wrote:
They don't talk much about ZUMA, but people think it is not before early next year at the moment. Also Heavy.
Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Aerospace startup company Rocket Lab have delayed plans to launch its Electron rocket until Friday.
The four-hour launch window was originally supposed to open at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday -- Friday in New Zealand, where the rocket will launch from. The new window will open at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday -- 1:30 in the afternoon on Saturday in New Zealand.
current local temps at ~1800 is 80F. temps for sunday morning are expected to to be ~30 F. If you don't like the weather in Florida just wait a few days. I am reminded of the cold weather that Challenger launched in.
"Now targeting Dec. 13 for launch of CRS-13 from SLC-40 to allow for additional time for pre-launch ground systems checks."
Cheers, Mike.
( edit ) I've just realised this is the first booster and Dragon reuse. Is that correct ?
I suppose in time they'll get the payload shrouds back intact too ( though no shroud needed for Dragon missions ).
A second stage recovery is much harder. Way more momentum to shed. I wonder if magneto-resistive mechanisms can be ( slowly ) used to slow these down to a re-entry scenario. By that I mean scooting a lump of conducting but significantly resistive material through the Earth's magnetic field could convert a craft's kinetic energy to a radiative heat load. I'm pretty sure that at payload ejection the second stage is not sub-orbital, so if you can bleed the KE while keeping maneuvering fuel for later use. Currently fuel is used in a retrograde configuration to trigger de-orbit and burn up. Of course now we are talking heat shields or other ablatives also.
( edit ) Doh ! Of course it will be magneto-resistive on the way up too ...... so an energy cost there. Except if it is has a linear structure which can change alignment with respect to field line crossings .... burble, burble ........ no work is done if the charge velocity is parallel to the field lines. This idea needs work. :-)
( edit ) Or power derived from a solar array can drive a loop current that will cause an inward craft shift. Or out depending on which way you switch it. This was experimented with over a decade ago with a shuttle experiment. In essence this is the same physics that one deals with when using DC motors as per levitating trains. Time for a lie down 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
Second stage recovery would essentially be the same as Dragon recovery. I believe for CRS the second does reach orbit, but NASA/ESA rules won't permit it to be left in an orbit near the ISS orbit, so after dragon separation they intentionally make a deorbit burn. Recovery at the bottom of the ocean in many small charred hunks.
Delayed again. Next launch?
)
Delayed again. Next launch? Not yet determined.
robl wrote:Delayed again.
)
My usual sources continue to list CRS-13 as intended to launch from SLC-40 December 12, with a successful 7-second test fire having been conducted quite recently. (which by the way is the first hot activity on SLC-40 since the unpleasantness over a year ago)
Do you have information that is more up-to-date than that?
They don't talk much about ZUMA, but people think it is not before early next year at the moment. Also Heavy.
archae86 wrote:robl
)
No I just heard on the local news that it is back on for Dec 12th - no time given
robl wrote: Dec 12th - no
)
11:46 a.m. EST (Cape local time), 1646 UTC according to two of my usual sources.
Scrub on the other side of
)
Scrub on the other side of the planet
https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2017/12/07/Rocket-Lab-to-launch-rocket-from-New-Zealand/9371512678389/?utm_source=fp&utm_campaign=ts_sn&utm_medium=16
current local temps at ~1800
)
current local temps at ~1800 is 80F. temps for sunday morning are expected to to be ~30 F. If you don't like the weather in Florida just wait a few days. I am reminded of the cold weather that Challenger launched in.
CRS-13 launch still forecast
)
CRS-13 launch still forecast for about three-quarters of a day from now.
Someone at the NSF forum posted the hazard maps:
First stage:
Second stage:
The current youtube location for a SpaceX webcast when it starts is:
CRS-13 webcast
This mission is currently forecast to launch at 11:46 a.m. EST (1646 UTC) and is planned for a first stage return the the landing pad at the Cape.
As of 6 hours ago via Twitter
)
As of 6 hours ago via Twitter :
"Now targeting Dec. 13 for launch of CRS-13 from SLC-40 to allow for additional time for pre-launch ground systems checks."
Cheers, Mike.
( edit ) I've just realised this is the first booster and Dragon reuse. Is that correct ?
I suppose in time they'll get the payload shrouds back intact too ( though no shroud needed for Dragon missions ).
A second stage recovery is much harder. Way more momentum to shed. I wonder if magneto-resistive mechanisms can be ( slowly ) used to slow these down to a re-entry scenario. By that I mean scooting a lump of conducting but significantly resistive material through the Earth's magnetic field could convert a craft's kinetic energy to a radiative heat load. I'm pretty sure that at payload ejection the second stage is not sub-orbital, so if you can bleed the KE while keeping maneuvering fuel for later use. Currently fuel is used in a retrograde configuration to trigger de-orbit and burn up. Of course now we are talking heat shields or other ablatives also.
( edit ) Doh ! Of course it will be magneto-resistive on the way up too ...... so an energy cost there. Except if it is has a linear structure which can change alignment with respect to field line crossings .... burble, burble ........ no work is done if the charge velocity is parallel to the field lines. This idea needs work. :-)
( edit ) Or power derived from a solar array can drive a loop current that will cause an inward craft shift. Or out depending on which way you switch it. This was experimented with over a decade ago with a shuttle experiment. In essence this is the same physics that one deals with when using DC motors as per levitating trains. Time for a lie down 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
Second stage recovery would
)
Second stage recovery would essentially be the same as Dragon recovery. I believe for CRS the second does reach orbit, but NASA/ESA rules won't permit it to be left in an orbit near the ISS orbit, so after dragon separation they intentionally make a deorbit burn. Recovery at the bottom of the ocean in many small charred hunks.
Ariane 5 today at 18:36 UTC
)
Ariane 5 today at 18:36 UTC (19:36 CET, 15:36 local time)