Beittil Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Could you tell me what they need to 'reset' about the range? How does that work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 14, 2013 Author Share Posted November 14, 2013 Each launcher and pad has different setups the range has to configure; pad & launch provider (SpaceX, ULA, NASA) mission control center comms, telemetry channels, tracking cameras, FAA and marine exclusion zones, support personnel scheduling (and conflicts) etc. etc. These take a few work days, and there is that Atlas V launch at LC-41 on the 18th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 19, 2013 Author Share Posted November 19, 2013 Hotfire Nov. 20 (Wednesday) Launch Nov. 25 1737-1843 Local (range approved) Launch will probably stream on the SpaceX LiveStream channel. Webcasts usually start ~30 minutes before the launch window opens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 20, 2013 Author Share Posted November 20, 2013 F9 v1.1 is on the pad prepping for today's wet dress rehersal + hotfire. SES-8 will not be integrated for the test. Padrat ?@LH2Padrat Moved SES-8 to our new Payload Processing Facility for static fire pic.twitter.com/8MFWufOPJn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingskippy Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 Doc, Is there any details on what went wrong with the second stage reignition with the previous launch and what changes SpaceX made to the new second stage to overcome the restart problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 Nothing released yet, but rumors have centered around the TEA-TEB igniter having an issue or the kerosenes temperature being too low. Today's hotfire was scrubbed due to f'ugly weather at KSC. Tomorrow's window starts at 2 PM local. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 WDR/HotFire test completed. Data under review. Looking good so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 Doc, Is there any details on what went wrong with the second stage reignition with the previous launch and what changes SpaceX made to the new second stage to overcome the restart problem? Restart problems cause now confirmed: frozen RP-1 (fuel) lines. They've added insulation etc. to mitigate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 UPDATE: It was the TEA-TEB igniter lines that froze, not the RP-1 as everyone thought last night. This due to O2 venting. Insulation added, SES is satisfied and has green-flagged the launch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 Livestream webcast Monday Nov. 25, 5PM EST http://new.livestream.com/spacex/SES8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 23, 2013 Author Share Posted November 23, 2013 Elon Musk ?@elonmusk Headed to Cape Canaveral tomorrow for first @SpaceX geostationary satellite launch. Elon Musk ?@elonmusk Will be toughest mission to date. Requires coast + upper stage restart + going to 80,000 km altitude (~1/4 way to moon). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 F9/SES-8 press kit Link.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 LRR (launch readiness review) passed. GO for Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 Rollout - still no outstanding issues. Jonathan Amos ?@BBCAmos Falcon-9 telecon tonight with SES CTO Martin Halliwell: Entry of @SpaceX to commercial launch market will "shake industry to its roots". http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/007/131124preview/#.UpMnJ7BOk0M Falcon 9 rocket's commercial debut set for Monday Ready to test the commercial mettle of the Falcon 9 rocket, SpaceX engineers are preparing to loft a television broadcasting satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral on Monday in a mission that could usher in a new paradigm in the global launch services industry. With a 6,918-pound communications satellite nestled in its nose, the Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to lift off at 5:37 p.m. EST (2237 GMT) Monday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The SES 8 spacecraft, built by Orbital Sciences Corp. and owned by SES of Luxembourg, will be deployed from the Falcon 9 upper stage about a half-hour later on a 15-year mission to broadcast high-definition television to homes in India, Vietnam, Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia. The Falcon 9's first commercial satellite launch is sure to be widely-watched by rocket and satellite operators. Officials with SpaceX and SES say that is for good reason. "Whether or not this launch is successful, I'm confident we will certainly make it on some subsequent launch," said Elon Musk, SpaceX's CEO and chief designer, in a meeting with reporters Sunday in Cocoa Beach, Fla. "I don't want to tempt fate, but I think it's going to have a pretty significant impact on the world launch market and on the launch industry because our prices are the most competitive of any in the world." On its website, SpaceX advertises launch costs between $56 million and $77 million for a Falcon 9 flight. That is less than SpaceX's chief competitors, the Proton and Ariane 5 rockets, which run about $100 million and $200 million per launch. Operated and sold by the European Arianespace launch provider, Ariane 5 rockets typically launch two satellites at a time, bringing its price-per-payload in line with the Russian Proton vehicle marketed by U.S.-based International Launch Services. "In order for the other launch companies to compete, they, therefore, will have to improve their designs and really strive to have next-generation rocket technology," Musk said. "So I think SpaceX could be a powerful forcing function for the improvement of rocket technology, not just the stuff we do ourselves, but in that we will force other rocket companies to either develop new technology that's a lot better, or they have to exit the launch market." SES is the world's No. 2 commercial satellite operator measured by fleet size, and the firm got a deal after agreeing to be on the first Falcon 9 launch to geostationary transfer orbit, according to Martin Halliwell, SES chief technical officer. Halliwell would not disclose what SES paid for the flight, but he said the contract value was in the lower range of the price spectrum posted on SpaceX's website. "This is really rocking the industry. Everybody has to look out," Halliwell said Sunday. "There are a lot of people who hope that SpaceX is going to fail. If you look towards the Ariane, if you looks towards Proton, for example, I think they are shaking in their shoes. I really do. Because if this is a success, the whole industry is going to be turned upside down. I don't mean this one particular launch, but if it now becomes the norm that this is the type of launch vehicle that is going to be provided, everybody is going to have to look to their cost space and they're going to have to change their attitude as the way to go forward." > Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xendrome Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Because of the current delay, local news guy at the launch site says to news caster in news room "well it's not an exact science".... :huh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xendrome Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Looks like it may happen, live stream here - http://www.space.com/17933-nasa-television-webcasts-live-space-tv.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xendrome Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Launch aborted for today, window closed.. Next attempt Thursday the 28th at 6:38 EST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Well that was a waste of time... off to bed now :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 A computer didn't start as expected, then the clock ran out on the launch window. EDIT: it was a problem with the O2 pressurization system. The computer non-start was secondary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 Next launch attempt starting at 22:38 UT (5:38 EST) Thursday, Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving) malenfant 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 Official: Statement on tonight?s launch abort: We observed unexpected readings with the first stage liquid oxygen system so we decided to investigate. The launch vehicle and satellite are in great shape and we are looking forward to the next launch opportunity on Thursday at 5:38 p.m. Eastern time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 28, 2013 Author Share Posted November 28, 2013 SLC-40 Falcon 9 / SES-8 Continuing to planned T-0 of 1739 Local Rolled out and vertical Vehicle powered on 0435 Local No issues RP-1 loading should be complete in around 30m, LOX load complete in about 60m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 28, 2013 Author Share Posted November 28, 2013 Wallpaper anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 28, 2013 Author Share Posted November 28, 2013 ABORT T-02 Seems to be engine out of spec Checking if the limits were too tight and of they can reset the countdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 28, 2013 Author Share Posted November 28, 2013 Recyling. Going to top the tanks & try again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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