SpaceX Falcon 9 Live Landing Attempt
It's been a busy week.
The first flight ready fully stacked Starship prototype (SN8) has been assembled at the pad.
Another successful Starlink launch and recovery of the Falcon9 first stage.
The first sample taken from an asteroid.
The first flight ready fully stacked Starship prototype (SN8) has been assembled at the pad.
Another successful Starlink launch and recovery of the Falcon9 first stage.
The first sample taken from an asteroid.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/28/...ew-1-nasa-swap
SpaceX is replacing two engines on its Falcon 9 rocket ahead of next crewed mission
SpaceX is replacing two engines on its Falcon 9 rocket that will soon carry four astronauts to the International Space Station.
The change is being made after SpaceX found a substance in the engines that could have caused them to start earlier than planned.
SpaceX found the substance after one of the company’s launches halted just before liftoff in October. One of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets, tasked with launching a new GPS satellite for the Space Force, shut itself down just two seconds before takeoff.
“It was a good abort,” Hans Koenigsmann, vice president of build and flight reliability for SpaceX, said during a press conference. “It did exactly what we programmed it to do.”
Today, SpaceX revealed the rocket had automatically stopped its own launch after two of its nine main Merlin engines tried to start too early. Starting up too early could have caused something called a hard start, where the engine’s various propellants and liquids are combined in the wrong order. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 shut itself down before that happened, but such a hard start could have damaged the hardware.
“It’s not necessarily bad, but in most cases, you know, it rattles the engine,” Koenigsmann said. “And it may cause, you know, a little bit of damage on the engine. In extreme cases, it may cause more damage to the engine.”
After the abort, SpaceX inspected the engines and found a reddish lacquer substance blocking a relief valve in each model. The lacquer, analogous to nail polish, is used to treat surfaces, likely leftover from when the engines were being built.
Koenigsmann noted that it came from one of SpaceX’s vendors that works on the engine, though he didn’t name the company. “It could be that person is now more generous with cleaning fluid or anything,” Koenigsmann said. “It’s a little bit hard to figure this out.”
SpaceX says it’s working with the vendor to implement corrective actions and that the company will be inspecting all of the hardware more closely in the short term.
After the abort, SpaceX also examined the engines in its fleet that will be used for upcoming launches. They looked for any exhibiting this early startup behavior and singled out five various engines on three different rockets.
Two were on the Falcon 9 rocket that will launch three NASA astronauts and one Japanese astronaut in November, a mission called Crew-1.
After this testing, SpaceX opened up all of the engines and found the same lacquer inside. SpaceX also noted that the lacquer was found mostly on newer engines that had been built recently, not the engines that have already flown to space and back.
Now, the company is in the process of swapping out the engines ahead of Crew-1, which is tentatively set for November 14th at 7:49PM ET.
“Two, three days is roughly what you need to take it out,” Koenigsmann said regarding the engine swap. “And then another two, three days to put it back in again.”
Ultimately, SpaceX won’t fly Crew-1 until a few days after the company launches a joint European and American satellite called Sentinel-6, which is designed to map the world’s oceans. SpaceX found an affected engine on the Falcon 9 rocket for that flight and had to swap it out, too.
NASA wants to see how that launch goes first before it makes the final decision about flying its astronauts on SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The Sentinel-6 launch is currently slated for November 10th out of California......
SpaceX is replacing two engines on its Falcon 9 rocket ahead of next crewed mission
SpaceX is replacing two engines on its Falcon 9 rocket that will soon carry four astronauts to the International Space Station.
The change is being made after SpaceX found a substance in the engines that could have caused them to start earlier than planned.
SpaceX found the substance after one of the company’s launches halted just before liftoff in October. One of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets, tasked with launching a new GPS satellite for the Space Force, shut itself down just two seconds before takeoff.
“It was a good abort,” Hans Koenigsmann, vice president of build and flight reliability for SpaceX, said during a press conference. “It did exactly what we programmed it to do.”
Today, SpaceX revealed the rocket had automatically stopped its own launch after two of its nine main Merlin engines tried to start too early. Starting up too early could have caused something called a hard start, where the engine’s various propellants and liquids are combined in the wrong order. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 shut itself down before that happened, but such a hard start could have damaged the hardware.
“It’s not necessarily bad, but in most cases, you know, it rattles the engine,” Koenigsmann said. “And it may cause, you know, a little bit of damage on the engine. In extreme cases, it may cause more damage to the engine.”
After the abort, SpaceX inspected the engines and found a reddish lacquer substance blocking a relief valve in each model. The lacquer, analogous to nail polish, is used to treat surfaces, likely leftover from when the engines were being built.
Koenigsmann noted that it came from one of SpaceX’s vendors that works on the engine, though he didn’t name the company. “It could be that person is now more generous with cleaning fluid or anything,” Koenigsmann said. “It’s a little bit hard to figure this out.”
SpaceX says it’s working with the vendor to implement corrective actions and that the company will be inspecting all of the hardware more closely in the short term.
After the abort, SpaceX also examined the engines in its fleet that will be used for upcoming launches. They looked for any exhibiting this early startup behavior and singled out five various engines on three different rockets.
Two were on the Falcon 9 rocket that will launch three NASA astronauts and one Japanese astronaut in November, a mission called Crew-1.
After this testing, SpaceX opened up all of the engines and found the same lacquer inside. SpaceX also noted that the lacquer was found mostly on newer engines that had been built recently, not the engines that have already flown to space and back.
Now, the company is in the process of swapping out the engines ahead of Crew-1, which is tentatively set for November 14th at 7:49PM ET.
“Two, three days is roughly what you need to take it out,” Koenigsmann said regarding the engine swap. “And then another two, three days to put it back in again.”
Ultimately, SpaceX won’t fly Crew-1 until a few days after the company launches a joint European and American satellite called Sentinel-6, which is designed to map the world’s oceans. SpaceX found an affected engine on the Falcon 9 rocket for that flight and had to swap it out, too.
NASA wants to see how that launch goes first before it makes the final decision about flying its astronauts on SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The Sentinel-6 launch is currently slated for November 10th out of California......
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...buffering.html
Early adopters of SpaceX's Starlink internet say they are able to stream 4K videos 'with zero buffering' as they share unboxing of the 'UFO stick' terminal and WiFi router
SpaceX has begun rolling out beta service of its Starlink internet to early adopters who reported internet speeds higher than 95 percent of the leading providers.vOne user found the space broadband is 'streaming 1440p and 4K with zero buffering' and a screen shot from another customer shows latency speed of 38 milliseconds.
An email sent to a handful of consumers last month attempted to lower their expectations for the 'Better Than Nothing' beta service that was said to have data speeds varying from 50Mb/s to 150Mb/s and latency from 20ms to 40ms – and warned there may be 'be brief periods of no connectivity at all.'
However, initial connectivity appears to have surpassed expectations and CEO Elon Musk says it 'will significantly improve soon.'
The email surfaced online about a week, which shows customers are paying nearly $600 upfront to receive access to the Starlink satellite internet. The fee includes the $99 monthly fee, plus an additional $499 for the Starlink kit that includes the 'UFO on a stick' terminal, mounting tripod and WiFi router.
It has been less than a week since the email was sent out and costumers have already been using the service. Twitter user Kenneth Auchenberg shared a post about his experience: 'Results from a Starlink beta tester in Washington state.' 'Streaming 1140p and 4K with zero buffering on YouTube.'
Musk spotted the tweet, which shows an image of the terminal and a screenshot of the Screentest in the companion app. 'Latency will improve significantly soon. Bandwidth too,' the CEO commented.
Auchenberg explained on Reddit that the terminal is atop his roof and has been 'getting steady high speeds.' 'Noticed a couple of interruptions, probably from satellite transitions, but almost 100% steady since initial setup,' reads the post. 'I actually uploaded this post using Starlink.'
Another customer, who lives in Montana, shared a screen shot from the app that shows the service is providing download speeds of 174.21 Mbps and upload speeds of 33.40 Mbps.
The Starlink Kit has been kept a secret until recently and one Facebook user shared a video of what the black box contains.
https://www.facebook.com/sharer/shar...ugin&src=video
Early adopters of SpaceX's Starlink internet say they are able to stream 4K videos 'with zero buffering' as they share unboxing of the 'UFO stick' terminal and WiFi router
SpaceX has begun rolling out beta service of its Starlink internet to early adopters who reported internet speeds higher than 95 percent of the leading providers.vOne user found the space broadband is 'streaming 1440p and 4K with zero buffering' and a screen shot from another customer shows latency speed of 38 milliseconds.
An email sent to a handful of consumers last month attempted to lower their expectations for the 'Better Than Nothing' beta service that was said to have data speeds varying from 50Mb/s to 150Mb/s and latency from 20ms to 40ms – and warned there may be 'be brief periods of no connectivity at all.'
However, initial connectivity appears to have surpassed expectations and CEO Elon Musk says it 'will significantly improve soon.'
The email surfaced online about a week, which shows customers are paying nearly $600 upfront to receive access to the Starlink satellite internet. The fee includes the $99 monthly fee, plus an additional $499 for the Starlink kit that includes the 'UFO on a stick' terminal, mounting tripod and WiFi router.
It has been less than a week since the email was sent out and costumers have already been using the service. Twitter user Kenneth Auchenberg shared a post about his experience: 'Results from a Starlink beta tester in Washington state.' 'Streaming 1140p and 4K with zero buffering on YouTube.'
Musk spotted the tweet, which shows an image of the terminal and a screenshot of the Screentest in the companion app. 'Latency will improve significantly soon. Bandwidth too,' the CEO commented.
Auchenberg explained on Reddit that the terminal is atop his roof and has been 'getting steady high speeds.' 'Noticed a couple of interruptions, probably from satellite transitions, but almost 100% steady since initial setup,' reads the post. 'I actually uploaded this post using Starlink.'
Another customer, who lives in Montana, shared a screen shot from the app that shows the service is providing download speeds of 174.21 Mbps and upload speeds of 33.40 Mbps.
The Starlink Kit has been kept a secret until recently and one Facebook user shared a video of what the black box contains.
https://www.facebook.com/sharer/shar...ugin&src=video
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https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-nex...ude-prototype/
SpaceX’s next two Starships close behind first high-altitude rocket
SpaceX is in the midst of preparing Starship serial number 8 (SN8) for the first high-altitude launch of its kind – a test that could easily end in a fireball. To counter that risk, SpaceX is doing what it does best: building a fleet of prototypes as quickly as possible.
Currently sitting at the launch pad in anticipation of its first fully-integrated cryogenic proof and triple-Raptor static fire test(s), Starship SN8 was expected to begin that test campaign on Sunday, November 1st, followed by 9am to 11pm windows on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. With about three hours left in Monday’s window, SpaceX appears to have delayed Starship SN8’s next round of tests for unknown reasons, though new road closures on the 5th and 6th were requested as recently as today.
Given that Starship SN8 is the first full-scale prototype to have three Raptors and a functional (and plumbed) nose section installed, some slack is warranted. Crucially, though, as teams prepare SN8 for what could be an explosive flight debut, SpaceX’s Boca Chica factory continues to churn out replacement prototypes just a few miles down the road.
Most recently, Starship SN10’s tank and engine section was fully stacked on November 2nd, completing the cylindrical structure that functions as the rocket’s airframe, propellant tanks, and engine mounts. The only major work that remains is completing minor external and internal plumbing, fully installing avionics, and finally installing the ship’s ‘aero covers’ and flaps. Once completed, a nosecone – also fitted with two flaps – will be stacked on four or five steel rings and then installed on top of the rest of the rocket.
A few weeks ahead of SN10, Starship SN9 is crossing exactly those milestones. On October 31st, SpaceX moved the rocket’s completed tank section into the nearly completed high bay where Super Heavy boosters will soon be built. Large aft flaps were then lifted and installed on the side of the ship, essentially leave just two steps left before Starship SN8 will have a 1:1 replacement ready to go.
Now the only thing missing from SN9 is a nose section (and Raptors, technically). Work on that nose section is already partially complete, with a stack of five steel rings already more or less ready for its nosecone ‘hat’ as of November 1st.
An SN9-specific nosecone has yet to be spotted but may well be hiding – completed – just behind the closed doors of SpaceX’s nose production tent. Ultimately, pass or fail, SpaceX’s consistently hardware-rich and iterative approach to development means that Starship SN8’s launch debut will produce useful data and help point out any pressing upgrades or fixes in need of immediate implementation. At the moment, SN8’s launch date is completely up in the air but will likely solidify as the rocket (hopefully) proceeds through several upcoming tests.
SpaceX’s next two Starships close behind first high-altitude rocket
SpaceX is in the midst of preparing Starship serial number 8 (SN8) for the first high-altitude launch of its kind – a test that could easily end in a fireball. To counter that risk, SpaceX is doing what it does best: building a fleet of prototypes as quickly as possible.
Currently sitting at the launch pad in anticipation of its first fully-integrated cryogenic proof and triple-Raptor static fire test(s), Starship SN8 was expected to begin that test campaign on Sunday, November 1st, followed by 9am to 11pm windows on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. With about three hours left in Monday’s window, SpaceX appears to have delayed Starship SN8’s next round of tests for unknown reasons, though new road closures on the 5th and 6th were requested as recently as today.
Given that Starship SN8 is the first full-scale prototype to have three Raptors and a functional (and plumbed) nose section installed, some slack is warranted. Crucially, though, as teams prepare SN8 for what could be an explosive flight debut, SpaceX’s Boca Chica factory continues to churn out replacement prototypes just a few miles down the road.
Most recently, Starship SN10’s tank and engine section was fully stacked on November 2nd, completing the cylindrical structure that functions as the rocket’s airframe, propellant tanks, and engine mounts. The only major work that remains is completing minor external and internal plumbing, fully installing avionics, and finally installing the ship’s ‘aero covers’ and flaps. Once completed, a nosecone – also fitted with two flaps – will be stacked on four or five steel rings and then installed on top of the rest of the rocket.
A few weeks ahead of SN10, Starship SN9 is crossing exactly those milestones. On October 31st, SpaceX moved the rocket’s completed tank section into the nearly completed high bay where Super Heavy boosters will soon be built. Large aft flaps were then lifted and installed on the side of the ship, essentially leave just two steps left before Starship SN8 will have a 1:1 replacement ready to go.
Now the only thing missing from SN9 is a nose section (and Raptors, technically). Work on that nose section is already partially complete, with a stack of five steel rings already more or less ready for its nosecone ‘hat’ as of November 1st.
An SN9-specific nosecone has yet to be spotted but may well be hiding – completed – just behind the closed doors of SpaceX’s nose production tent. Ultimately, pass or fail, SpaceX’s consistently hardware-rich and iterative approach to development means that Starship SN8’s launch debut will produce useful data and help point out any pressing upgrades or fixes in need of immediate implementation. At the moment, SN8’s launch date is completely up in the air but will likely solidify as the rocket (hopefully) proceeds through several upcoming tests.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
https://www.space.com/spacex-launche...te-space-force
Spacex launches Next-Gen GPS Satellite for USAF, Lands Booster
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX successfully launched an advanced GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force on Thursday (Nov. 5), marking the first launch in nearly two weeks here on the Space Coast.
One of the company's two-stage Falcon 9 rockets blasted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station here at 6:24 p.m. EST (2324 GMT), carrying the GPS III-SV04 satellite to orbit. Nine minutes later, the rocket's first stage touched down on the deck of "Of Course I Still Love You," one of SpaceX's two drone ships.
The GPS III-SV04 mission had been set to follow on the heels of a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket, which was scheduled to loft a U.S. spy satellite from Cape Canaveral on Tuesday (Nov. 3). However, the Atlas V launch was delayed twice due to issues with ground systems equipment. ULA is now targeting Friday (Nov. 6) for that liftoff.
It was a crystal clear night here on the Space Coast, and onlookers were able to follow the rocket through the different phases of launch. A nebula-like cloud, typically visible on clear nights, formed around the rocket as the first and second stages separated. The booster's reentry burn was also visible from a press viewing area......
The 227-foot-tall (70 meters) Falcon 9 is SpaceX's workhorse, and the rocket boasts more than 1.5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. Today's mission featured a fresh-off-the-factory-floor Falcon, its exterior stark white for its first trip to space.
SpaceX has been relying heavily on its fleet of veteran rockets, with many Falcon 9 first stages having racked up five or more flights each. The booster that launched today, known by the SpaceX designation B1062, could be the last brand-new one we see launch a GPS satellite, as the U.S. government has given SpaceX the green light to launch future military missions on flight-proven boosters.
That decision followed on the heels of another recent announcement to allow SpaceX to recover the rocket's first stage during national security missions — something that was previously not allowed. The next two GPS missions, which are already scheduled to fly on SpaceX rockets sometime next year, will now launch atop refurbished rockets.
That announcement is a first for national-security payloads and could result in savings of nearly $53 million for American taxpayers across the two flights, Space Force officials said....
Spacex launches Next-Gen GPS Satellite for USAF, Lands Booster
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX successfully launched an advanced GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force on Thursday (Nov. 5), marking the first launch in nearly two weeks here on the Space Coast.
One of the company's two-stage Falcon 9 rockets blasted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station here at 6:24 p.m. EST (2324 GMT), carrying the GPS III-SV04 satellite to orbit. Nine minutes later, the rocket's first stage touched down on the deck of "Of Course I Still Love You," one of SpaceX's two drone ships.
The GPS III-SV04 mission had been set to follow on the heels of a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket, which was scheduled to loft a U.S. spy satellite from Cape Canaveral on Tuesday (Nov. 3). However, the Atlas V launch was delayed twice due to issues with ground systems equipment. ULA is now targeting Friday (Nov. 6) for that liftoff.
It was a crystal clear night here on the Space Coast, and onlookers were able to follow the rocket through the different phases of launch. A nebula-like cloud, typically visible on clear nights, formed around the rocket as the first and second stages separated. The booster's reentry burn was also visible from a press viewing area......
The 227-foot-tall (70 meters) Falcon 9 is SpaceX's workhorse, and the rocket boasts more than 1.5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. Today's mission featured a fresh-off-the-factory-floor Falcon, its exterior stark white for its first trip to space.
SpaceX has been relying heavily on its fleet of veteran rockets, with many Falcon 9 first stages having racked up five or more flights each. The booster that launched today, known by the SpaceX designation B1062, could be the last brand-new one we see launch a GPS satellite, as the U.S. government has given SpaceX the green light to launch future military missions on flight-proven boosters.
That decision followed on the heels of another recent announcement to allow SpaceX to recover the rocket's first stage during national security missions — something that was previously not allowed. The next two GPS missions, which are already scheduled to fly on SpaceX rockets sometime next year, will now launch atop refurbished rockets.
That announcement is a first for national-security payloads and could result in savings of nearly $53 million for American taxpayers across the two flights, Space Force officials said....
https://www.ft.com/content/24cca993-...2-b39c0ec30c5b
Europe’s Arianespace struggles for relevance in SpaceX era
Europe’s Arianespace struggles for relevance in SpaceX era
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It's a bit pointless posting things like this when it's behind a click-bait paywall...
Europe’s Arianespace struggles for relevance in SpaceX Era
For decades the Ariane rocket has been a symbol of European technological prowess — proof that the EU plays a vital role in the space race even if it may lack the glamour of the US and Russia’s manned missions.
Arianespace, jointly owned by Airbus and Safran, was the world’s first commercial launch company and until recently dominated the business of sending big communications satellites into geostationary orbit, 35,000km above the earth. But the latest delay to its €4bn next-generation Ariane 6, announced last week, has underlined the group’s vulnerability as it struggles to keep pace with disruptive forces unleashed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX in a drastically changed market.
Jan Wörner, director-general of the European Space Agency, is now hoping EU member states will stump up another €230m to put Ariane 6 on the launch pad by spring 2022, almost two years later than planned.
The rocket, along with the smaller Vega-C version, is Europe’s answer to Mr Musk’s pioneering, reusable Falcon 9, which has sent prices plunging in the $5bn-a-year satellite launch market. Although single-use, it will be more than 40 per cent cheaper than its predecessor the Ariane 5, which has been one of the world’s most reliable rockets.
According to Arianespace chief executive Stéphane Israël, it will be able to carry up to 70 small 150kg satellites, and serve not just government customers but the booming private market for “mega-constellations” delivering internet access from low-earth orbit. The problem is, it will still be substantially more costly than the Falcon models. And the longer the delay, the wider the price gap is likely to be.
A longer wait will also make it harder for Arianespace to hold its own in a market changing at great speed.
Bank of America estimates that the global space industry will grow from roughly $400bn in 2019 to $1.4tn by 2030. This is prompting new private sector rivals to emerge, including Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin rocket company. Meanwhile, old adversaries such as United Launch Alliance — a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing — are expanding beyond traditional government services to the commercial market.
“When Arianespace, ESA and the national space agencies set out to develop Ariane 6 [in 2014] they underestimated how competitive the commercial space launch market would be by 2020,” said Caleb Henry, analyst at Quilty Analytics, a space industry research group.
Ever since SpaceX’s Falcon 9 took off a decade ago, life has been getting tougher for Arianespace. According to a report for Nasa in 2018, the average launch cost of $18,500 per kg between 1970 and 2000 was cut by a factor of seven with the Falcon 9.
Arianespace lost its crown as the world’s leading commercial launch provider to SpaceX’s lower-priced launches in 2017, when the US company sent more commercial satellites into orbit, according to France’s national auditor, the Cour des Comptes. This year, SpaceX is also expected to beat Arianespace in terms of the value of contracts won for future launches. At the same time, the commercial market in which it has operated for 40 years, and where it generates two-thirds of its €1bn annual income, has shifted.
For more than a decade, Ariane was responsible for launching the majority of the 20 to 30 annual launches of big communications satellites into geostationary orbit. But demand tumbled to fewer than 10 in 2018 and industry experts expect that a brief resurgence this year, the result of a one-off auction of broadcast spectrum, will fade fairly quickly.
“We are seeing fewer broadcast satellites being launched. If you watch Netflix you are no longer a customer of a broadcast provider. You are the customer of someone who gives you internet services and there are bold ambitions to have some of this internet in the sky done at low earth orbit,” said Rainer Horn, managing partner of SpaceTec Partners, which has advised the European Commission on space policy. “What was a strength in previous decades has become less easy to manage,” said Pacôme Revillon, chief executive of Euroconsult, a space industry consultancy.
Instead, the focus is shifting to smaller satellites, which cost far less to launch. Euroconsult estimates that an average of 990 satellites of all sizes will be launched every year for the next decade, more than four times the volume of the previous one. Most will be small satellites of less than 500kg. Arianespace was unable to exploit that market fully until September when it carried out its first “ride-sharing ” launch with a Vega rocket. But costs are still higher than SpaceX, which can offer customers frequent low-priced space on rockets already being deployed for Mr Musk’s own mega-constellation, Starlink.
If Europe wants to maintain independent access to space it will have to stoke government and institutional demand, according to Mr Israël. That is how SpaceX has succeeded, he argues, with its government contracts priced almost twice as high as those in the commercial market. “We are now facing a launcher which is highly supported by institutional demand, which allows [it] to come to market at cut prices,” Mr Israël said. “The question is, how will Europe organise itself?”
Europe’s space industry is pushing for Brussels to launch its own mega-constellation to provide what could be crucial internet services to industry. The UK government is already following the mega-constellation route in a bid to boost its space industry. This month it will become the biggest shareholder in OneWeb, the original mega-constellation rescued from bankruptcy in a deal with India’s Bharti Global telecoms group.
OneWeb is Arianespace’s biggest customer, with a contract worth more than $1bn to put 650 of its first-generation satellites into orbit by the end of 2023. But it might not be able to rely on winning the contract for the second generation if its launch costs remain high. “It could be a Japanese company next launching 300 sats for OneWeb,” said Mr Henry.
So the pressure is on for new European projects that will help to enhance the commercial offer.
European governments and institutions, unlike those in the US, do not generate enough volume to keep the bloc’s rocket production competitive with the new entrants, according to Mr Israël. “To develop non-institutional business, it is mandatory to rely on a . . . strong institutional business: this is the condition for a level playing field on the commercial market,” he said.
The relatively limited number of European launches is also why Europe did not opt for a reusable rocket in 2014, according to Mr Wörner. If there were, for example 10 launches a year, he said, the industrial system might only need to produce one launcher a year for European needs. That would render the production business unviable, he said. “The industrial situation may have to be reorganised and that could take years,” says Mr Wörner. “In 2014, the decision was to go fast as possible.”
That doesn’t mean reorganisation is impossible. ESA and the industrial partners behind Arianespace are already looking to the next generation, and reusable rockets are on the cards. But it will mean Europe’s system of allocating production work according to member states’ financial contributions will have to be re-examined, according to several industry executives.
Ariane rockets involve an industrial network of more than 600 companies in 13 countries “These are complexities that Mr Musk doesn't have as a vertically integrated player,” said Mr Horn. “He is selling the rockets, renting the spaceport, and producing most parts himself. He organises the logistics. There is less workshare and less dependency.”
ESA and Europe’s space industry have begun discussions on how work could be reorganised to eliminate some of the complexities, according to several people with knowledge of the subject. “We need to create the same conditions to propose competitive prices,” said one.
For now, however, the focus is the new rocket. “The priority is to make Ariane 6 a success,” said Mr Israël. “It is to make Ariane 6 fly.”
Last edited by ORAC; 6th Nov 2020 at 16:18.
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If I go via the FT I hit the firewall, if I go via this link, I go to the story....
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0ge...e83KYzYLIVcSQ-
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0ge...e83KYzYLIVcSQ-
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https://phys.org/news/2020-11-astron...-2nd-crew.html
Astronauts head to launch site for SpaceX's 2nd crew flight
Four astronauts headed to Kennedy Space Center on Sunday for SpaceX's second crew launch, coming up next weekend.....
The crew of three Americans and one Japanese are scheduled to rocket away Saturday night. It will be a speedy trip to the space station, a six-orbit express lasting under nine hours.....
SpaceX's Benji Reed said the company expects to launch seven Dragons over the next 14 months: three for crew and four for cargo. "Every time there's a Dragon launch, there will be two Dragons in space," said Reed, director of crew mission management.
NASA's other hired taxi service, meanwhile, Boeing, isn't expected to fly its first crew until next summer. The company plans a second unpiloted test flight in a couple months; the first one suffered so many software problems that the Starliner capsule failed to reach the space station.......
Astronauts head to launch site for SpaceX's 2nd crew flight
Four astronauts headed to Kennedy Space Center on Sunday for SpaceX's second crew launch, coming up next weekend.....
The crew of three Americans and one Japanese are scheduled to rocket away Saturday night. It will be a speedy trip to the space station, a six-orbit express lasting under nine hours.....
SpaceX's Benji Reed said the company expects to launch seven Dragons over the next 14 months: three for crew and four for cargo. "Every time there's a Dragon launch, there will be two Dragons in space," said Reed, director of crew mission management.
NASA's other hired taxi service, meanwhile, Boeing, isn't expected to fly its first crew until next summer. The company plans a second unpiloted test flight in a couple months; the first one suffered so many software problems that the Starliner capsule failed to reach the space station.......
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https://www.space.com/spacex-starshi...c-fire-problem
SpaceX's Starship SN8 prototype fires engines for 3rd time, encounters problem
SpaceX fired the engines on its latest Starship prototype for the third time Thursday night (Nov. 12), but the test was a bumpy one.
The Starship SN8 vehicle performed its third brief "static fire" — a test in which engines are ignited while a rocket remains tethered to the ground — at SpaceX's South Texas facility on Thursday, near the village of Boca Chica.
Shortly after the test, which several outside organizations webcast live, material could be seen apparently dripping from SN8's base. This looked odd, and SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk soon confirmed that something off-nominal had happened.
"We lost vehicle pneumatics. Reason unknown at present. Liquid oxygen header tank pressure is rising. Hopefully triggers burst disk to relieve pressure, otherwise it’s going to pop the cork," Musk said via Twitter on Thursday night. (Burst disks are single-use devices that, like valves, seal off different sections or systems of a vehicle. They relieve pressure when they open, as Musk noted.)
The cause of the problem is unknown at the moment, Musk said in another Thursday tweet: "Maybe melted an engine preburner or fuel hot gas manifold. Whatever it is caused pneumatics loss. We need to design out this problem."
That's the bad news. The good news is that the burst disk did its job, and SN8 is still in one piece. "Burst disk worked, so vehicle appears to be ok. We’ll have to swap out at least one of the engines," Musk said in another tweet.
The SN8 ("Serial No. 8") has three Raptors, SpaceX's powerful next-generation engine that runs on liquid methane and liquid oxygen. No previous Starship prototype had more than one Raptor.
SN8's static fires — the first two occurred on Oct. 20 and Nov 10 — are intended to pave the way for a 9-mile-high (15 kilometers) test flight in the near future. That would be far higher than any of its predecessors have gone. The stubby Starhopper craft and the SN5 and SN6 prototypes reached maximum altitudes of about 500 feet (150 meters) during their flights, which occurred in the summer of 2019 and this past August and September, respectively. (SN8 also sports a nose cone and stabilizing flaps to help it handle the more ambitious coming flight.)
Thursday night's setback will delay SN8's big leap, but by how much we'll have to wait and see.
SpaceX's Starship SN8 prototype fires engines for 3rd time, encounters problem
SpaceX fired the engines on its latest Starship prototype for the third time Thursday night (Nov. 12), but the test was a bumpy one.
The Starship SN8 vehicle performed its third brief "static fire" — a test in which engines are ignited while a rocket remains tethered to the ground — at SpaceX's South Texas facility on Thursday, near the village of Boca Chica.
Shortly after the test, which several outside organizations webcast live, material could be seen apparently dripping from SN8's base. This looked odd, and SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk soon confirmed that something off-nominal had happened.
"We lost vehicle pneumatics. Reason unknown at present. Liquid oxygen header tank pressure is rising. Hopefully triggers burst disk to relieve pressure, otherwise it’s going to pop the cork," Musk said via Twitter on Thursday night. (Burst disks are single-use devices that, like valves, seal off different sections or systems of a vehicle. They relieve pressure when they open, as Musk noted.)
The cause of the problem is unknown at the moment, Musk said in another Thursday tweet: "Maybe melted an engine preburner or fuel hot gas manifold. Whatever it is caused pneumatics loss. We need to design out this problem."
That's the bad news. The good news is that the burst disk did its job, and SN8 is still in one piece. "Burst disk worked, so vehicle appears to be ok. We’ll have to swap out at least one of the engines," Musk said in another tweet.
The SN8 ("Serial No. 8") has three Raptors, SpaceX's powerful next-generation engine that runs on liquid methane and liquid oxygen. No previous Starship prototype had more than one Raptor.
SN8's static fires — the first two occurred on Oct. 20 and Nov 10 — are intended to pave the way for a 9-mile-high (15 kilometers) test flight in the near future. That would be far higher than any of its predecessors have gone. The stubby Starhopper craft and the SN5 and SN6 prototypes reached maximum altitudes of about 500 feet (150 meters) during their flights, which occurred in the summer of 2019 and this past August and September, respectively. (SN8 also sports a nose cone and stabilizing flaps to help it handle the more ambitious coming flight.)
Thursday night's setback will delay SN8's big leap, but by how much we'll have to wait and see.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
https://www.space.com/spacex-nasa-de...tronaut-launch
SpaceX, NASA delay Crew-1 astronaut launch to Sunday due to rocket recovery weather
SpaceX's first four-astronaut launch for NASA is going to have to wait at least an extra day to get off the ground.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule were slated to launch the astronauts to the International Space Station on Saturday (Nov. 14) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. That mission, called Crew-1, will now launch no earlier than Sunday at 7:27 p.m. EST (0027 Nov. 16 GMT) due to weather delays from Tropical Storm Eta that affected SpaceX's drone ship rocket recovery operations. The launch itself had a promising 70% chance of good weather.
"Fundamentally, this was an issue of getting the drone ship there in time," Benji Reed, SpaceX's senior director for human spaceflight programs, told reporters in a Friday press conference. "The weather was such because of this tropical storm, that we couldn't get the drone ship to leave in time and get there."
SpaceX uses automated drone ships as floating landing pads in the Atlantic Ocean to recover the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket for later reuse. But good weather is needed for those operations.
Recovering the Crew-1 mission's first stage is vital since the booster will be used on SpaceX's next astronaut flight for NASA, which is due to launch March 30.
"This booster is very important for us," NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stitch said. " We're going to reuse the first stage that we're flying on Crew-1 for the Crew-2 mission coming up in the springtime."
SpaceX, NASA delay Crew-1 astronaut launch to Sunday due to rocket recovery weather
SpaceX's first four-astronaut launch for NASA is going to have to wait at least an extra day to get off the ground.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule were slated to launch the astronauts to the International Space Station on Saturday (Nov. 14) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. That mission, called Crew-1, will now launch no earlier than Sunday at 7:27 p.m. EST (0027 Nov. 16 GMT) due to weather delays from Tropical Storm Eta that affected SpaceX's drone ship rocket recovery operations. The launch itself had a promising 70% chance of good weather.
"Fundamentally, this was an issue of getting the drone ship there in time," Benji Reed, SpaceX's senior director for human spaceflight programs, told reporters in a Friday press conference. "The weather was such because of this tropical storm, that we couldn't get the drone ship to leave in time and get there."
SpaceX uses automated drone ships as floating landing pads in the Atlantic Ocean to recover the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket for later reuse. But good weather is needed for those operations.
Recovering the Crew-1 mission's first stage is vital since the booster will be used on SpaceX's next astronaut flight for NASA, which is due to launch March 30.
"This booster is very important for us," NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stitch said. " We're going to reuse the first stage that we're flying on Crew-1 for the Crew-2 mission coming up in the springtime."
Crew1 Launch
.Another success.
Launch is about 4;40 into this vid.
Launch is about 4;40 into this vid.
Loved the registrations on the fleet of Tesla Model Xs that took them out to the pad. The last one had the reg "L8RERTH" ("later Earth") and that sense of humour seems to run right through everything that SpaceX does. The naming of the drone ships, "Of Course I Still Love You" and "Just Read The Instructions", is another example, and as any Tesla owner knows, the car is full of humorous features, including some hidden "Easter eggs", like tapping the stalk 4 times and having the road display turn into the Mario Kart Rainbow Road, or the "Foot of Cupid" cartoon from Monty Python that can drop across the screen. It wouldn't surprise me to find that they've also added features like this to the Crew Dragon screens.