Falcon 9: Eutelsat & ABS dual-manifested commsats (mission thread)

[Draggendrop Veteran]

22 hours ago, DocM said:

Static fire moved to Sunday.

 

Delayed by the Delta IV Heavy scrub. NROL didn't feel comfortable with their $billion bird being on the pad while another rocket was firing several miles away. 

If I remember correctly, SpaceX had this booked, prior to ULA wanting the Thursday launch (scrub). The earlier original launch date cancellation was  from NRO.

 

Thursday scrub then causes a delay with SpaceX, then this silliness....

 

 NRO and ULA both caused delays to SpaceX by trying to fit into a one day slot.

 

----------------------------------------

 

 

[DocM]

NRO made the call.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

10 minutes ago, DocM said:

NRO made the call.

True, but they chose the launch day after NRO delayed the initial launch date.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Have not been able to see any activity for static fire, assume one for Monday I imagine. With a Wednesday launch, should be ample time if no bugs found. News has been lacking with this static fire....guess I will do some "barge stalking" instead...

[DocM]

Static fire completed yesterday. It went off so fast the media missed it and SpaceX PR didn't tweet.

 

Weather: 80%

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Aaaah....ninja fire....

 

Falcon 9 checks off Static Fire for third GEO Satellite Launch in a Row

 

Quote

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket hot fired its engines on Sunday to set up for the vehicle’s third commercial communications satellite launch in the space of just under six weeks.

 

Aiming for liftoff on Wednesday, Falcon 9 will be carrying two stacked spacecraft built by Boeing Space Systems for satellite operators Eutelsat Americas and Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS). This marks the second dual-payload launch for the two companies after the Eutelsat 115 West B and ABS 3A satellites headed into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket in March of 2015.

 

With a combined payload mass of around 4,200 Kilograms and the increased power of the Falcon 9 FT launch vehicle, this mission will leave sufficient propellant margin on the rocket’s first stage for SpaceX’s next high-energy return attempt.

 

The two most recent sea-based landings of the booster atop the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship have been a surprise as the vehicles were not expected to make it through a challenging re-entry environment. This mission will see similar conditions at re-entry, but previous flights have shown Falcon 9 is quite resilient – though it remains to be seen whether Falcon 9 can stand its fourth Drone Ship landing in a row.

http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-eutelsat-117-abs-2a-static-fire/

[DocM]

These static fires are going away before too long. They'll roll out, erect the launcher, gas up and launch in an hour or so.

 

Run 'n Gun.

 

USAF has wanted rapid response launch for decades, so once they can also integrate quickly USAF will be smiling. I would imagine Firefly etc. will be encouraged to do this for smaller payloads as well.

Edited June 14, 2016 by DocM

[Unobscured Vision]

I'm more comfortable with them doing the static fires, simply as a diagnostic pre-flight procedure before launch. It's 10 seconds of extra precaution, wait ten minutes to read green, top off the tanks and reset the system, and then launch. Certainly no harm in that?  

[DocM]

 

Press kit

http://admin.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/spacex_eutelsat_abs_press_kit.pdf

 

Webcasts

 

Hosted:

 

 

Technical

 

 

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

 

Hazard map and ASDS location

 

[DocM]

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

^ above twitter only shows top portion of image on my system, will repost to see if it shows...

 

 

// will post and check...

 

//edit, shows now   ? gremlins

[bguy_1986]

10 hours ago, Draggendrop said:

^ above twitter only shows top portion of image on my system, will repost to see if it shows...

<snip>

 

// will post and check...

 

//edit, shows now   ? gremlins

Always seems to display that way for me .  Always thought it was MS edge or something doing that.

[DocM]

 

[DocM]

Funky music & animation started

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Station 41047 - NE BAHAMAS - 350 NM ENE of Nassau, Bahamas

 

 

Quote

Significant Wave Height (WVHT):3.0 ft

Swell Height (SwH):3.0 ft

Swell Period (SwP):6.7 sec

Swell Direction (SwD):N

Wind Wave Height (WWH):1.3 ft

Wind Wave Period (WWP):4.0 sec

Wind Wave Direction (WWD):SW

Wave Steepness (STEEPNESS):AVERAGE

Average Wave Period (APD):5.3 sec

 

Quote

Wind Direction (WDIR):SSW ( 210 deg true )

Wind Speed (WSPD):5.8 kts

Wind Gust (GST):7.8 kts

Wave Height (WVHT):3.0 ft

Dominant Wave Period (DPD):7 sec

Average Period (APD):5.3 sec

Mean Wave Direction (MWD):N ( 354 deg true )

Atmospheric Pressure (PRES):30.13 in

Air Temperature (ATMP):81.7 °F

Water Temperature (WTMP):81.1 °F

Dew Point (DEWP):76.8 °F

Heat Index (HEAT):89.2 °F

Wind Speed at 10 meters (WSPD10M):7.8 kts

Wind Speed at 20 meters (WSPD20M):7.8 kts

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=41047

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

Hey, where is everyone...launch time....

[Draggendrop Veteran]

strongback away

[DocM]

Liftoff!!

[Draggendrop Veteran]

lift off!

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Almost missed it!  Looking pretty.

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Cool view

 

Edit:

Awesome view actually

[Draggendrop Veteran]