DocM Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Yeah. They start ignition at T-00:03 with the TEA-TEB (green flash) then monitor the power curves of all 9 engines with the rocket clamped down to the pad. The auto sequencer only only allows the launch if the engine data, telemetry, and self diagnostics look good at T-00:00. This may cause annoyances like last week, but it's better than the rocket having a preventable problem after launch (see Proton.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watkinsx2 Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Better to abort than risk a total loss (which is what I assume would likely happen if they tried to lift off with insufficient thrust). I can see a human rated variant of this being safer than anything nasa had. I seem to recall for example once you lit the solid rocket boosters on the shuttle they were going whether you wanted to or not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Falcon 9 IS human rated as it is. It was designed that way from the get-go. This includes a structural margin of 1.4 instead of the usual 1.2. Shuttle had a guaranteed loss of crew from SRB ignition to SRB separation if anything went wrong. OTOH, the F9 / Dragon stack will be able to abort from the pad all the way to orbit - no black zones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watkinsx2 Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Human rated but not certified at the moment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Correct, the rocket itself wont really change that much anymore when it comes to launching humans. The work right now is in developing their procedures and the Dragon vehicle! Although I can imagine that for astronauts strapped into a Dragon on top of Falcon 9 it would be a lot more uncomfortable if the rockets starts firing but not flying :P I guess in the back of your head there will always be this 'what if' thought! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Both F9 and Dragon have passed their NASA human certification reviews and have milestone tests forthcoming. For F9 v1.1 it's basically more launches, and for Dragon it's tests of the new parachutes, and both pad and flight tests of the SuperDraco abort & landing thrusters, and after tjat they'll do cockpit and pilot control system checks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 SpaceX tweeted they have an official GO for launch of F9/SES-8 at 1741 EST / 2241 UTC today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarK0Y Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Ugghhhhh....SarK0Y Trolling here now that you were booted off the Spaceport? The admins there are really ticked that you tried the multiple logins bit after your suspension. Decided to Google other users to continue your nonsense? Consider the mods here warned and my ignore option on hair trigger. so, kind of you :) perhaps better off to follow rules? :) Neowin Is Not A Support Forum For Other Sites. Comparing, judging the content/value or raising the opinion of other sites, recruiting members or staff, bad mouthing (or victimizing) & negative discussion about non/affiliate site issues on our forums is neither wanted nor tolerated. Promotion of individual member sites or blogs will be deleted on sight. https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?app=forums&module=extras§ion=boardrules#consequences Both F9 and Dragon have passed their NASA human certification reviews and have milestone tests forthcoming. For F9 v1.1 it's basically more launches, and for Dragon it's tests of the new parachutes, and both pad and flight tests of the SuperDraco abort & landing thrusters, and after tjat they'll do cockpit and pilot control system checks. how could they pass certification, if rocket never showed claimed specs? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Webcast at 5:25 PM EST http://www.spacex.com/webcast/ http://new.livestream.com/spacex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 BEAUTIFUL NIGHT LAUNCH!!! Waiting for SECO1, then the critical restart. @Spacex #Falcon9 and#SES8 satellite currently in parking orbit, awaiting second burn. All systems nominal. Restart in a few minutes. @SpaceX #Falcon9 second stage restart burn successful. Orbit looks nominal. W00T!! SES-8 satellite separation from the F9 second stage confirmed, perfect mission. YES!! If anyone thought their manifest was long before.... @spacex Spacecraft separation confirmed! SES-8 is now in its targeted GEO transfer orbit. 6:22pm - 3 Dec 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomastmc Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 BEAUTIFUL NIGHT LAUNCH!!! Waiting for SECO1, then the critical restart. Arrgghh! I'm so disappointed I missed it. Pictures do look beautiful. Any chance the video will be archived for a streamed replay anywhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Should be up shortly. @spacex Spacecraft separation confirmed! SES-8 is now in its targeted GEO transfer orbit. 6:22pm - 3 Dec 13 Elon Musk ?@elonmusk Restart was good, apogee raised to 80k km (50k miles). Yes!!! From Space News- Peter B. de Selding ?@pbdes SES has acquired spacecraft and it is in good health. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geertd Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 flawless launch well definitely worth the wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 One of the honchos of SES said a successful SpaceX launch to a super-synchronous GTO orbit would shake the industry to its roots. Mission accomplished - Arianespace, ILS etc. are now on notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 Earth from 8,000 miles up, from the F9 upper stages rear facing camera https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/408030622708678657/photo/1/large SPACEX SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES FIRST MISSION TO GEOSTATIONARY TRANSFER ORBIT Upgraded Falcon 9 launch vehicle delivers SES-8 satellite to targeted orbit Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida ? Today, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully completed its first geostationary transfer mission, delivering the SES-8 satellite to its targeted 295 x 80,000 km orbit. Falcon 9 executed a picture-perfect flight, meeting 100% of mission objectives. Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at 5:41 PM Eastern Time. Approximately 185 seconds into flight, Falcon 9?s second stage?s single Merlin vacuum engine ignited to begin a five minute, 20 second burn that delivered the SES-8 satellite into its parking orbit. Eighteen minutes after injection into the parking orbit, the second stage engine relit for just over one minute to carry the SES-8 satellite to its final geostationary transfer orbit. The restart of the Falcon 9 second stage is a requirement for all geostationary transfer missions. ?The successful insertion of the SES-8 satellite confirms the upgraded Falcon 9 launch vehicle delivers to the industry?s highest performance standards,? said Elon Musk, CEO and Chief Designer of SpaceX. ?As always, SpaceX remains committed to delivering the safest, most reliable launch vehicles on the market today. We appreciate SES?s early confidence in SpaceX and look forward to launching additional SES satellites in the years to come.? Today?s mission marked SpaceX?s first commercial launch from its central Florida launch pad and the first commercial flight from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in over five years. SpaceX has nearly 50 launches on manifest, of which over 60% are for commercial customers. This launch also marks the second of three certification flights needed to certify the Falcon 9 to fly missions for the U.S. Air Force under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. When Falcon 9 is certified, SpaceX will be eligible to compete for all National Security Space (NSS) missions. High-resolution photos are available for download at http://www.spacex.com/media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 Surprise-surprise. At about T+03:20 after separation thrusters fire on the first stage. They turned it for an engines first re-entry to see if it survives without a retro burn. If so it might save fuel during future first stage landings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarK0Y Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Congrats for such successful launch :) but they must run the same launches at busiest schedule w/ the lowest price of ever-seen before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Btw that infrared cam on the 2nd stage seemed new to me, almost as of the boom it was on 'unfolded' after stage sep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 Yup, perhaps to check.the temps of the TEA-TEB lines etc. to make sure they have that one nailed down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malenfant Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Any word on how well the first stage handled the non-retro re-entry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 Not yet, though we now know they did relight the first stage engines. Might not hear right away as they're already busy bees working on Thaicom-6, which is tentatively set for Dec. 22. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarK0Y Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Any word on how well the first stage handled the non-retro re-entry? X approaches damn 100% to be sure it was failed: stage has poor aerodynamics for + weighty enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 A new video emerges from Orlando, where someone tracked the launch with a telescope and hand guider. The best parts are later where you can clearly see staging, the first stage firing thrusters to align it for reentry (but no engine burn), both halves of the payload fairing falling away, and the second stage firing almost to the horizon. SALSN 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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