Falcon 9: Dragon CRS-10 ISS resupply

[Blue-Vision]

Yessir.  Might need some fine-tuning or some additional touches to get it just how they need it ... it's SpaceX and they're not happy unless it's JUST so. It'll be a LONG arm, too; so they're going to test it until they're happy with it and won't use it until they're happy with it.

[DocM]

Today's window opens at 1000 Eastern, 10 minutes from now.

No venting report yet, but the fit checks went nicely.

[DocM]

LOX venting!

[DocM]

Static fire moved to Sunday. Gremlin. 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

I hope it goes well and they take the time required to commission the pad safely....static fire will be our answer.  

[Jim K Global Moderator]

 

 

 

 

[DocM]

 

NET: Saturday, Feb. 18 
T-0: 1001 EST

Edited February 12, 2017 by DocM

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Bits and bytes....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Falcon 9 fires up for milestone Engine Test on historic Launch Pad 39A

http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-dragon-spx-10-static-fire-complete/

 

Fire returns to flame trench at Apollo-era launch pad in Florida

http://spaceflightnow.com/2017/02/12/fire-returns-to-flame-trench-at-apollo-era-launch-pad-in-florida/

 

Falcon 9 static fire test performed at LC-39A

http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/space-exploration-technologies/falcon-9-static-test-fire-performed-at-lc-39a/

 

Falcon 9 conducts static fire test on 39A ahead of CRS-10 launch

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/02/fire-lc-39a-falcon-9-crs-10-launch/

 

Not bad for a Sunday....   (Just some flame trench dusting)

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

[DocM]

Via NSF user Raul

 

NAVAREA IV 117/2017 (11,12,26)  
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 181453Z TO 181557Z FEB, ALTERNATE 191430Z TO 191534Z FEB
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-25N 080-36W, 28-39N 080-39W, 29-27N 079-48W, 31-12N 077-56W, 34-06N 074-00W, 34-04N 073-59W, 30-57N 077-36W, 28-34N 080-15W, 28-29N 080-22W.
   B. 29-59N 078-51W, 30-04N 078-55W, 30-42N 078-18W, 31-08N 077-59W, 31-42N 077-10W, 32-01N 076-38W, 31-56N 076-33W, 31-09N 077-22W, 30-32N 078-07W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 191634Z FEB 17.
( 130347Z FEB 2017 )

HYDROPAC 528/2017 (GEN)  
SOUTHEASTERN INDIAN OCEAN.
WESTERN SOUTH PACIFIC.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 181523Z TO 181613Z FEB, ALTERNATE 191505Z TO 191547Z FEB
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   26-09S 100-02E, 25-25S 101-19E, 39-12S 115-00E, 49-08S 129-43E, 56-18S 148-28E, 60-04S 170-48E, 61-43S 170-54E, 61-38S 158-07E, 58-47S 141-29E, 52-54S 126-19E, 44-49S 114-05E, 35-09S 105-10E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 191647Z FEB 17.
( 130401Z FEB 2017 )

 

https://goo.gl/umnY2Q

 

[DocM]

The most concise write-up on this I've seen is on Snopes, so here it is....

 

http://www.snopes.com/spacex-sending-deadly-pathogen/

 

Quote

SpaceX will be transporting a potentially deadly pathogen to the International Space Station as part of their next launch.

 

RATING: TRUE

ORIGIN: On 18 February 2017, the SpaceX space transport service will launch a capsule to the International Space Station for a resupply mission (CRS-10) aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

Among the items contained within the capsule will be a sample of the highly infectious Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacterium, along with a device able to monitor that sample at the genomic level.

This experiment is the result of the first “Galactic Grant Competition,” a Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) initiative aimed at providing Massachusetts-based biotech companies access to the International Space Station. Among the grant recipients was Harvard physicist Anita Goel’s private research company Nanobiosym, which has developed a mobile pathogen-detection tool that has the potential to detect genetic mutations to bacterial infections in real time.

This “tricorder”-style device, dubbed Gene-RADAR by Nanobiosym, is described as follows in a patent filing:

A portable system for extracting, optionally amplifying, and detecting nucleic acids or proteins using a compact integrated chip in combination with a mobile device system for analyzing detected signals.

With the receipt of the CASIS grant, Nanobiosym was given the opportunity to refine the technology in space. Not only will this help with the development that technology, but it may also allow scientists to view genetic mutations to bacterial in “fast-forward”, helping scientists predict the ways in which bacterial infections develop antibiotic resistance, as described in the NASA mission summary:

Microgravity may accelerate the rate of bacterial mutations and this pilot investigation analyzes this process in two strains aboard the International Space Station, which may provide insight into how deadly bacteria become drug-resistant. The data can help refine models of drug resistance and support development of better medicines to counter it.

This conclusion is far from settled science, as described in a 2015 review paper, but both space-based and low-gravity simulation experiments have demonstrated that it is at least plausible that low gravity affects the mutation rate of some bacterial species:

There is general agreement that microgravity represents the major influence on bacterial growth kinetics and bacterial cell behavior during short orbital flights, although radiation may increase microbial mutation rates during flight [as well].

If, as Goel hypothesizes, mutations rates speed up in space, Scientists may be able to use this information to develop drugs that anticipate potential mechanisms of antibiotic resistance before they occur, as described in a CASIS press release:

The project will attempt to computationally predict bacterial mutations, to evaluate model organisms in space, and to use the empirical results to validate and refine the company’s predictive algorithms. This proof-of-concept experiment will provide data that can be applied to future predictive models for antibiotic resistant pathogen mutations, which will be of significant value to antibiotic drug development.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem that gained increased media attention with the death of a patient from a bacterial infection resistant to 26 different antibiotic medications in August 2016.

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

 

 

 

 

[DocM]

Weather 50-50 for Saturday, 70% for Sunday.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

 

Weather could stand in way of Falcon 9 launch Saturday

 

Quote

Rainy weather expected across Central Florida this weekend has a 50-50 chance of preventing the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Saturday on a resupply mission to the International Space Station, U.S. Air Force forecasters said Wednesday.

 

The official weather outlook issued by the Air Force’s 45th Weather Squadron calls for thick clouds and isolated rain showers at Cape Canaveral during Saturday’s launch countdown.

 

Liftoff is timed for 10:01 a.m. EST (1501 GMT), roughly the moment the space station’s orbital path is positioned above Florida’s Space Coast.

But meteorologists are tracking a upper-level trough expected to strengthen over the Gulf of Mexico on Friday.

 

“On Saturday, this upper-level trough will migrate east, bringing the clouds and rain over the Florida peninsula,” the Air Force weather team wrote in Wednesday’s forecast. “The clouds and rain will gradually increase through the countdown and be entrenched over the spaceport by midday. The primary weather concern for launch Saturday is the thick cloud cover and rain showers associated with the upper-level trough.”

 

There is a 50 percent chance the weather conditions will violate one of the Falcon 9’s launch rules.

 

The outlook calls for mostly cloudy skies, isolated rain showers, southeast winds of 10 to 15 mph, and a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

If the launch is delayed to Sunday, the weather should improve, with a 70 percent chance of acceptable conditions.

 

“On Sunday, the cloudiness and rain associated with the upper-level trough will continue to slowly move east, diminishing through the countdown,” forecasters wrote. “The main weather concern will be cumulus clouds associated with lingering instability.”

http://spaceflightnow.com/2017/02/15/weather-could-stand-in-way-of-falcon-9-launch-saturday/

 

Hope they are lucky enough to launch early Saturday...otherwise, looks a little rough.

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

bits and bytes...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DocM]

SpaceFlight Insider @SpaceflightIns

.@POTUS will be visiting Florida's Space Coast Saturday, Feb. 18, the same day @SpaceX makes its first launch from historic Pad 39A. #CRS10

2:23 PM - 16 Feb 2017

 

Wonder if POTUS will be Elons guest for the launch?

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

A good launch, payload delivery and S1 landing, in person, would do well for "NewSpace Ventures".

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

It's only Thursday and I noticed that Spaceflight Now already has their livestream set up and updating....cool. 

 

Live coverage: SpaceX begins final launch preparations at historic launch pad

http://spaceflightnow.com/2017/02/10/pad-39a-mission-status-center/

 

along with NASA TV on Saturday...

https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/#public

Notice for NASA TV

Quote

On Feb. 17, NASA.gov will start streaming NASA TV in HTML 5 rather than Flash. Users with Windows computers should use the Chrome or Firefox web browser for the best experience.

https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/#public

 

Plus our SpaceX generic and technical.....way too much fun.....

 

[DocM]

Pad pics

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/spacex

 

 

 

 

[DocM]

SpaceX YouTube webcasts

 

Hosted

 

 

Technical

 

 

[Blue-Vision]

Looks great sitting on 39-A like that.  Hope the weather holds off too.

[DocM]

Weather now 70%, main concern upper level winds.

 

The launch delay to the 18th was due to an Ohio Class boomer doing SLBM missile tests offshore.

 

They're working a gas leak in the upper stage engine spinup circuit. Shouldn't be a problem.

 

And....

 

 

[DocM]

 

The work on the upper stage spinup system and late load.

Edited February 18, 2017 by DocM

[DocM]

High resolution LARGE image showing the launch mount.

 

https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/201702-CRS10/n-p6PtMj/i-BT5ZKC9/0/O/i-BT5ZKC9.jpg