SpaceX Updates (Thread 9)

[DocM]

Posted by a NASA guy be who posts to Reddit. Political content, so I edited it down to the relevant paragraph fragment,

 

https://np.reddit.com/r/space/comments/8dh1xv/jim_bridenstine_confirmed_as_new_director_of_nasa/dxnp9o3/

 

...we have two huge reveals next year too, along with a joint phase with SpaceX. Good things are coming both to the Moon, to Mars and to the people and the country as well as the world at large.

[Blue-Vision]

 Thus the embargo I mentioned last week or so. It involves BFR/BFS in a big way, and Bigelow.

[DocM]

2 more Falcon Heavy launches coming up.

 

The USAF's STP-2 mission  will be closer to September, followed by the ArabSat-6A commsat. 

 

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2018/04/19/spacex-shotwell-expect-couple-more-falcon-heavy-launches-year/535071002/

COLORADO SPRINGS – The Space Coast can expect a "couple more" of the massively popular Falcon Heavy launches from Kennedy Space Center this year, SpaceX's president and chief operating officer said during a dinner event Thursday night.

"We have a big year in front of us," Gwynne Shotwell said during a closing dinner at the 34th Space Symposium. "We've got a couple more heavys to fly, which will be very exciting."

"For satellites this time – not cars," Shotwell said jokingly.

The first of those Falcon Heavy launches from pad 39A is expected this summer, when the 27-engine, three-core rocket will take an Air Force mission to orbit with NASA science spacecraft riding as secondary payloads. And the second mission will take Saudi Arabia's Arabsat-6A communications satellite, which was built in Colorado, to orbit sometime in late 2018.
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[Blue-Vision]

Cannot f*****g wait.  

[DocM]

 

[DocM]

 

[DocM]

ISDC = International Space Development Conference.

 

Tom Mueller is SpaceX's rocket engine wizard.

 

Also speaking

 

Jeff Bezos: Blue Origin, Amazon

 

Dr. Freeman Dyson: theoretical mathematician & astrophysicist,  Princeton. Will accept the 2018 Heinlein Award

 

Dr. Kathryn Sullivan: former astronauts, former Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator

 

 

[DocM]

 

[Beittil]

Oooow, such beauty... 

 

 

[DocM]

Hello....

 

 

[+John. Subscriber¹]

33 minutes ago, DocM said:

Hello....

 

 

Is it possible that the bright colours mean there may be some sort of optical part of the maneuver? Like target acquisition? 

[DocM]

More likely just the color of the marine netting for visibility.

 

Looks like Elon has a new main  squeeze - Grimes

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiiAeCdhz8X

 

And he was just elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society.

 

https://news.sky.com/story/elon-musk-elected-as-fellow-of-the-royal-society-11365298

[DocM]

 

[DocM]

CNBC Disruptor 50 list

 

#1: SpaceX

 

Gwynne Shotwell on CNBC

 

Financials

 

 

Launch rate & Starlink

 

 

Exploration (lightly)

 

 

[DocM]

 

 

 

 

 

[DocM]

This clears up some talk of COPV 2.0 in the future tense even after B1046 had flown. 

 

https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/25/new-helium-tank-for-spacex-crew-launches-still-waiting-to-fly/

 

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NASA and SpaceX confirmed Thursday that the modified COPVs were not on the May 11 launch, but will instead be flown for the first time on a test mission of the company’s Crew Dragon capsule called Demo-1, currently set for liftoff at the end of August without any astronauts on-board.

Only then with the counter start logging the seven flights of the Falcon 9 in a “frozen” configuration required before a second Crew Dragon demo flight, currently scheduled for December, at the earliest, with two astronauts who will fly to the space station.

“In aerospace, ‘testing like we fly’ is a long standing tenant for safe operations and understanding of critical systems,” said Cheryl Warner, a NASA spokesperson, in response to an inquiry from Spaceflight Now. “We anticipate this configuration will be ready for Demonstration Mission 1.
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[Blue-Vision]

Oooohh ... and it was my understanding that those had already been extensively tested and flown at least a dozen times. Wow. Okay, thanks @DocM. Guess that clears that up.

[DocM]

 

[DocM]

 

[DocM]

Staying on as a SpaceX advisor

 

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2018/05/31/nasa-astronaut-garrett-reisman-stepping-away-spacex-role-join-university-southern-california/660996002/

 

Quote

Former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman changing roles at SpaceX

 

A former NASA astronaut is altering his seven-year role at SpaceX, where he spearheads development of the future Crew Dragon spacecraft, to join the University of Southern California.

Space shuttle astronaut Garrett Reisman is slated to leave his position as SpaceX's director of space operations on Friday to join USC's Viterbi School of Engineering, the university said Thursday, but will continue to support SpaceX in an advisory role. He was hired by the launch services provider in March 2011 to oversee astronaut safety and mission assurance as the company developed Crew Dragon, which could take crews to the International Space Station as soon as late this year or early next year.

"USC and the students of Viterbi are incredibly fortunate to learn from someone with Garrett's personal experience, practical knowledge, and passion for space," SpaceX's president and chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell said in a university-released statement. 

"For the past seven years, Garrett has played a pivotal role at SpaceX helping to build and lead a smart and dynamic team that works side-by-side with NASA as we prepare to launch crew in our next generation spacecraft later this year," she said, also confirming that Reisman will still support SpaceX's crewed efforts in an advisory capacity.
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[DocM]

A Falcon Heavy Block 5 for both ArabSat and STP-2

 

http://spacenews.com/arabsat-falcon-heavy-mission-slated-for-december-january-timeframe/

 

Quote

Arabsat Falcon Heavy mission slated for December-January timeframe

 

WASHINGTON — SpaceX’s first Falcon Heavy launch with a commercial satellite is scheduled to occur around the end of the year, according to customer Arabsat.

The Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-based satellite operator told SpaceNews by email that the launch window for Arabsat 6A is between December and January.

SpaceX has one Falcon Heavy launch scheduled ahead of Arabsat-6A — the U.S. Air Force’s STP-2 technology demonstration mission.

An Air Force Space Command spokesperson told SpaceNews the STP-2 mission is currently scheduled for October. 
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[DocM]

WRT: Mr. Steven and its net

 

 

 

[Beittil]

O... M... G... 

 

https://amp.floridatoday.com/amp/685098002?__twitter_impression=true

[DocM]

Yup

 

New "SpaceX Operations Area" at KSC

 

Draft EA....(PDF)

 

Quote

 

SpaceX plans major expansion at KSC with futuristic launch control center

 

Like something out of "The Jetsons" - SpaceX plans major expansion at KSC

According to plans detailed in a draft environmental review published recently by KSC, SpaceX will undertake a major expansion of its facilities at the space center sometime in the not-too-distant future. GINNY BEAGAN/FLORIDA TODAY
WOCHIT

It will be an operational monument to Elon Musk's vision: a towering SpaceX launch control center, a 133,000-square-foot hangar and a rocket garden rising in the heart of Kennedy Space Center.

According to plans detailed in a draft environmental review published recently by KSC, SpaceX will undertake a major expansion of its facilities at the space center sometime in the not-too-distant future.
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Called the SpaceX Operations Area, the facilities would be located on 67 acres of fallow agricultural land west of State Road 3 on Roberts Road and A Avenue, between the VAB and KSCs Industrial Area to the south.
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[DocM]

Modeller builds flying 1/48 Falcon Heavy