SpaceX rockets and launches

[Crispy]

Good launch so far
I love the symmetrical engine flare

 

[HAL9000]

No doubt. If it hadn't been for X-33 eating all of NASA's SSTO R&D money, it could have gone somewhere.
But a VTOL SSTO is damned hard anyway. Your mass fraction is going to be terrible, if not zero, unless you use exotic engine technology like aerospike or mixed mode (air-breathing rocket).
I like the approach that SpaceX is taking - make the first stage reusable and you've already saved yourself the majority of the cost of the rocket. It's 90% of the engines and 75% of the tanking. It's much much easier than recovering the whole vehicle, and lets you test technologies while flying commercial missions. Win-win, IMO.

why didn't aerospike take off, too little benefit?

 

[Crispy]

why didn't aerospike take off, too little benefit?

In the X-33's case, the spike ended being too heavy. A similar concept is the expansion-deflection nozzle, which has the same altitude compensating effect, but with a much smaller extra component.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expansion_deflection_nozzle

 

[rover07]

No camera on the first stage?

 

[Crispy]

No camera on the first stage?

I guess not. 2nd stage is the main mission, so that's where they're dedicating effort, I suppose.

 

[rover07]

He just said 1st stage engine re-ignited.

What's happened? 2nd stage lost signal or whole thing lost?

 

[rover07]

And we're back....

 

[rover07]

I assume they got to orbit but no info on the 1st stage.

Oh well maybe next time.

 

[Crispy]

We'll find out later, I expect. Still, impressive performance from what is effectively a new vehicle.

 

[Crispy]

Primary mission complete success. CASSIOPE is in the correct orbit
Meanwhile, Elon's private jet: http://uk.flightaware.com/live/flight/N887XF
and the SpaceX recovery ship: http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/de...20.3313&centery=29.25173&zoom=10&type_color=9

are out and about...

 

[MikeMcc]

Awesome, can't wait to here the results of the first stage testing. That launch had a lot of new features. New pad and launch track, new engines, airframe, fuel handling, flight profile. It was one hell of a gamble even with an essentially zero-risk payload.

 

[Crispy]

First reports are that the 1st stage did its braking burn, re-entered fine, and was part way through the final "landing" burn, when excessive roll "centrifuged" the fuel away from the feed line, causing engine flame-out. So very nearly a complete success. Apparently, there is video. Coming later this week, we hope.

 

[Crispy]

yep that's exactly what it looks like

 

[Bob_the_lost]

Someone completely missing the launch of the new Falcon 9?

 

[Crispy]

I imagine his head rotates on his neck like other heads

 

[Bob_the_lost]

I imagine his head rotates on his neck like other heads

Think of him as a Ginger batman.

 

[Crispy]

Ok, this is incredible footage. The hexacopter gets VERY close to the rocket as it descends. Looks like a movie special effect. Very very cool.

 

[Limejuice]

That was some excellent piece of rocketry.

I mean, wow.

All hail, the wonks, who made that work.

 

[Crispy]

Here is the first stage of the F9 v1.1 "landing" on the ocean. This is apparently a still from a video, which we will get to see soon fingers crossed.

 

[rover07]

Falcon 9 launch tonight 10pm.

GEO Transfer Mission

SES-8 will be SpaceX’s first launch to a geostationary transfer orbit – 80,000 km from Earth – and most challenging mission to date. Launch window opens at 5:37pm EST on Monday.

http://www.spacex.com/webcast/

 

[Crispy]

editor - Could we have this thread renamed to "SpaceX rocket launches and news" please? We only really need the one thread, but the current title's a bit inaccurate.

 

[rover07]

http://new.livestream.com/spacex/SES8

 

[Crispy]

T -12 minutes and counting.

 

[Crispy]

well, they had an issue but looks like they've fixed it. New T=0 at half past

 

[rover07]

T - 6 minutes.

 

[rover07]

Hold?!

 

[Crispy]

Yep
I don't think they've got time for another go before the window closes
Same time tomorrow I suppose...

EDIT: Thursday night.

 

[rover07]

Happy Holidays!

 

[Crispy]

Reminder: Launch window opens at 22:38
Watch live: http://www.spacex.com/webcast/

 

[Crispy]

T minus 15 minutes.