SpaceX rockets and launches

[2hats]

Hatch opening due around 1330UT or shortly thereafter. They are busy having lunch right now.

 

[Limejuice]

Hatch is open!

 

[HAL9000]

 

[2hats]

 

[HAL9000]

...

 

[HAL9000]

 

[2hats]

People in the corridor running SE from southern British Colombia & Alberta, Montana, through the Dakotas, Iowa, Illinois and adjacent states might be able to see the plasma wake of the Crew Dragon during re-entry just before sunrise on Friday.

e2a: Best locations would probably be either side of and along the western-most Canada/US border - BC, AB, SK and WA, ID, MT, between about 1315 and 1330 UT.

 

[2hats]

Have got hold of some better descent information. Eastern Montana up against the Dakotas looking like the best bet for viewing. Any further west and you would struggle to see entry phenomena. Any further east and the sun will have risen. Undocking now due 0727UT Friday, de-orbit burn 1253UT, entry 1334UT (lasting only just over 6 minutes) leading to splashdown at 1345UT.

 

[Limejuice]

Coverage here:

 

[Limejuice]

Actually, this is better:

CREW DEMO-1 MISSION | SpaceX

 

[Limejuice]

Bring Ripley home!

 

[2hats]

Undocking sequence:

 

[Limejuice]

Coverage here:

 

[Crispy]

Live re-entry footage from an airborne tracking camera! Very cool

 

[a_chap]

Even though the commentary grated the video footage was incredible!

View attachment 163874

 

[Limejuice]

I hope they check Ripley for alien infestation...

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

Managed to watch this at work, brilliant stuff - landed the exact minute they predicted.

 

[a_chap]

Not sure why this screen-grab wouldn't upload in my previous post. But I think it's worth posting!
View attachment 163874

ETA: bugger

 

[Limejuice]

Live re-entry footage from an airborne tracking camera! Very cool

View attachment 163873

I liked the moment when you saw the drogue chutes deploy on the airborne shots.

Coolissimo.

 

[2hats]

Live re-entry footage from an airborne tracking camera! Very cool

Yes, WB-57 FLIR shots were nice. Handy for characterising the re-entry too.

 

[Crispy]

*googles wb-57*

Now that's what I call a vintage jet!

 

[2hats]

*googles wb-57*

Now that's what I call a vintage jet!

Originally the English Electric Canberra (licensed to build in the US).

 

[Limejuice]

You can tell it got a bit warm during re-entry.

Will the scorch marks buff out, or will it need re-painting?

 

[2hats]

Starhopper static test fire coming up tomorrow (postponed due to weather from today) - window 1500-2100GMT.

Will the scorch marks buff out, or will it need re-painting?

Lick of paint. It will only be re-used as a cargo vehicle - SpaceX have no plans to re-use crew capsules for lofting people a second time (or at least that was their intention last time I looked).

 

[Crispy]

starship prototype pulls on its restraints:



Meanwhile, Falcon Heavy will fly again Tuesday night.

 

[ferrelhadley]

 

[Limejuice]

The launch is due around 23.36 tonight (Tues 9th April), and with any luck we'll see some pyro-choreography.



"Falcon Heavy is expected to launch at 6:36 p.m. EDT (2236 GMT) on Tuesday. If all goes according to plan, the two side boosters will touch down in unison on their designated landing pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, while the central booster will land at sea, on one of the company’s two drone ships."

SpaceX Fires Up Falcon Heavy Ahead of Rocket's 2nd-Ever Launch Next Week

 

[Limejuice]

My bad: delayed until tomorrow.

SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch delayed again to Wednesday

Arse.

 

[ferrelhadley]

Ground testing of the launch abort system suffers a catastrophic failure. Its on a already used unit and no details of the nature of the failure available though this is more likely than not to push their launch schedule back by many months to a year.

Yahoo is now part of Oath

 

[Crispy]

Yikes