A Space & astronomy forum. SpaceBanter.com

Go Back   Home » SpaceBanter.com forum » Space Science » Policy
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Falcon 9 second stage tested



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old January 7th 10, 06:08 AM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.space.history
Pat Flannery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18,465
Default Falcon 9 second stage tested

Successfully: http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/05falcon9/
It's now on its way to the Cape after a full flight duration burn test.
SpaceX seems to be shooting for a March lift-off.
The Dragon test spacecraft will be inserted into a 155 mile high orbit
if all goes well. I'm really hoping that they stick a camera on the
Dragon capsule so it can transmit some images back from orbit.

Pat
  #2  
Old January 7th 10, 06:31 AM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.space.history
Damon Hill[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 162
Default Falcon 9 second stage tested

Pat Flannery wrote in
dakotatelephone:

Successfully: http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/05falcon9/
It's now on its way to the Cape after a full flight duration burn test.
SpaceX seems to be shooting for a March lift-off.
The Dragon test spacecraft will be inserted into a 155 mile high orbit
if all goes well. I'm really hoping that they stick a camera on the
Dragon capsule so it can transmit some images back from orbit.


I'm really hoping they'll stick cameras on the upper stage with a
view of the engine nozzle, so we'll have fewer things to guess at
what went wrong.

Not normally a betting man, but I'm giving 50-50 odds of the first
launch getting into orbit. Better than Falcon 1 because they're
flying a lot of better-tested hardware this time around. I don't expect
any problems from the first stage.

--Damon
  #3  
Old January 7th 10, 01:25 PM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.space.history
Pat Flannery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18,465
Default Falcon 9 second stage tested

Damon Hill wrote:
Not normally a betting man, but I'm giving 50-50 odds of the first
launch getting into orbit. Better than Falcon 1 because they're
flying a lot of better-tested hardware this time around. I don't expect
any problems from the first stage.


I'm on the flip side of that; I'm expecting trouble with the first stage
due to harmonic vibrations from so many engines firing at once, but
think the second stage will have fewer problems due to fewer engines.
Like you though, I'd give it around a 50-50 chance of working right on
the first flight.

Pat
  #4  
Old January 7th 10, 07:50 PM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.space.history
Rick Jones[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 587
Default Falcon 9 second stage tested

I'm betting there is a 100 chance that no matter what happens the
SpaceX PR department will call the launch a success

As for the Dragon, I thought it was essentially boilerplate, no
"smarts?"

rick jones
--
The glass is neither half-empty nor half-full. The glass has a leak.
The real question is "Can it be patched?"
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...
  #5  
Old January 7th 10, 08:56 PM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.space.history
Rick Jones[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 587
Default Falcon 9 second stage tested

In sci.space.history Pat Flannery wrote:

Although it doesn't have any RCS system, avionics, or heat shield on
this one, they say it will send "telemetry" back from orbit, and there
is something that looks like a camera window up near the nose:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001...on9/dragon.jpg
Does Dragon use a escape tower for launch abort in the manned version or
does it have base-mounted escape rockets?


The artist's impression of a Dragon launch as presented at:

http://www.spacex.com/dragon.php

doesn't show an escape tower. Now, whether that is an omission on the
part of the artist or reflects actual design I do not know.

rick jones
--
A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on usenet and in e-mail?
  #6  
Old January 7th 10, 09:05 PM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.space.history
Rick Jones[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 587
Default Falcon 9 second stage tested

In sci.space.policy Rick Jones wrote:
The artist's impression of a Dragon launch as presented at:


http://www.spacex.com/dragon.php


doesn't show an escape tower. Now, whether that is an omission on the
part of the artist or reflects actual design I do not know.


But this link:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/...able-falcon-9/

suggests there will be a Launch Escape Tower.

rick jones
--
portable adj, code that compiles under more than one compiler
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...
  #7  
Old January 7th 10, 10:07 PM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.space.history
David Spain
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,901
Default Falcon 9 second stage tested

Pat Flannery writes:

Rick Jones wrote:
I'm betting there is a 100 chance that no matter what happens the
SpaceX PR department will call the launch a success

As for the Dragon, I thought it was essentially boilerplate, no
"smarts?"


Although it doesn't have any RCS system, avionics, or heat shield on this one,
they say it will send "telemetry" back from orbit, and there is something that
looks like a camera window up near the nose:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001...on9/dragon.jpg
Does Dragon use a escape tower for launch abort in the manned version or does
it have base-mounted escape rockets?


What no sub-orbital test first? How will they vouch for the capsule integrity
if they can't inspect it?

Telemetry, shelemetry!! Show me the friggin thing back on the ground first before
I put my a$$ into it!

Beside if they don't de-orbit it, how will Elon Musk get back his 1 MEEELION
dollars? Oh of course, ANOTHER X PRIZE!!!

BRILLIANT!!!

;-)

Dave
  #8  
Old January 7th 10, 10:49 PM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.space.history
Pat Flannery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18,465
Default Falcon 9 second stage tested

Rick Jones wrote:
I'm betting there is a 100 chance that no matter what happens the
SpaceX PR department will call the launch a success

As for the Dragon, I thought it was essentially boilerplate, no
"smarts?"


Although it doesn't have any RCS system, avionics, or heat shield on
this one, they say it will send "telemetry" back from orbit, and there
is something that looks like a camera window up near the nose:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001...on9/dragon.jpg
Does Dragon use a escape tower for launch abort in the manned version or
does it have base-mounted escape rockets?

Pat
  #9  
Old January 7th 10, 11:05 PM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.space.history
Pat Flannery
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18,465
Default Falcon 9 second stage tested

Rick Jones wrote:
Does Dragon use a escape tower for launch abort in the manned version or
does it have base-mounted escape rockets?


The artist's impression of a Dragon launch as presented at:

http://www.spacex.com/dragon.php

doesn't show an escape tower. Now, whether that is an omission on the
part of the artist or reflects actual design I do not know.



According to this, the service module houses some sort of abort system:
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1095

"Below the capsule (crew compartment) is an integrated service module.
In addition to on-orbit operations, the service module can also provide
the combined crew compartment/service module with the ability to pull
the entire crew and cargo off the pad or out of the flight path should
an abort be required."

That's going to be a pretty formidable system to separate that much mass.

Pat
  #10  
Old January 7th 10, 11:05 PM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.space.history
Glen Overby[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 152
Default Falcon 9 second stage tested

Pat Flannery wrote:
Does Dragon use a escape tower for launch abort in the manned version or
does it have base-mounted escape rockets?


Escape tower, which they haven't started developing yet. They hope to have
the US Taxpayers (or debt-owers) also fund that with the COTS phase D
contract.

It will be fun to watch F9 staging on webcam.

Glen Overby
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Status of Falcon 1 Flight 4 First Stage? Dr J R Stockton[_14_] History 2 October 10th 08 08:29 PM
Status of Falcon 1 Flight 4 First Stage? Rick Jones[_3_] History 47 October 6th 08 06:04 AM
Falcon first stage finished Vince Cate Policy 97 May 24th 07 02:51 PM
Insulated Falcon stage 2? Henry Policy 3 December 15th 05 09:30 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 04:33 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 SpaceBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.