SpaceX Falcon 9 Live Landing Attempt
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From: Peripatetic
SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Thursday, December 28 for Falcon Heavy to launch USSF-52 to orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The four-hour launch window opens at 7:00 p.m. ET. If needed, a backup opportunity is available on Friday, December 29 during the same window.
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, December 28 for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 9:09 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 12:32 a.m. PT on Friday, December 29. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Friday, December 29 starting at 8:48 p.m. PT.
This launch will include the first six Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capabilities that will enable mobile network operators around the world to provide seamless global access to texting, calling, and browsing wherever you may be on land, lakes, or coastal waters.
Meanwhile routine (sic) Falcon 9 launches and recoveries continue, including one last night….
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, December 28 for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 9:09 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 12:32 a.m. PT on Friday, December 29. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Friday, December 29 starting at 8:48 p.m. PT.
This launch will include the first six Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capabilities that will enable mobile network operators around the world to provide seamless global access to texting, calling, and browsing wherever you may be on land, lakes, or coastal waters.
Meanwhile routine (sic) Falcon 9 launches and recoveries continue, including one last night….
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From: Peripatetic
The Falcon fleet’s life leading rocket completed its 19th and final launch and landing on December 23. This one reusable rocket booster alone launched to orbit 2 astronauts and more than 860 satellites — totaling 260+ metric tons — in ~3.5 years.
This Falcon 9 booster is celebrated for executing the first-ever crewed flight of a SpaceX Dragon capsule, notably ferrying astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station. It also set a record by launching 860 satellites and over 260 metric tons of cargo in just over three years. Its exterior, adorned with the iconic red "NASA" logo, is a testament to its pivotal role in space exploration.
The booster's final mission was completed in late December 2023, with plans for its retirement already in place. However, rough seas on the recovery droneship led to its unexpected end. Despite this, SpaceX continues to innovate, with newer Falcon 9 models featuring upgraded landing legs to prevent similar incidents.
3 other Falcon 9 B5 Boosters are currently tied with 17 flights each: 60, 61, & 62.
This Falcon 9 booster is celebrated for executing the first-ever crewed flight of a SpaceX Dragon capsule, notably ferrying astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station. It also set a record by launching 860 satellites and over 260 metric tons of cargo in just over three years. Its exterior, adorned with the iconic red "NASA" logo, is a testament to its pivotal role in space exploration.
The booster's final mission was completed in late December 2023, with plans for its retirement already in place. However, rough seas on the recovery droneship led to its unexpected end. Despite this, SpaceX continues to innovate, with newer Falcon 9 models featuring upgraded landing legs to prevent similar incidents.
3 other Falcon 9 B5 Boosters are currently tied with 17 flights each: 60, 61, & 62.
Last edited by ORAC; 26th December 2023 at 22:04.
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From: Peripatetic
JRTI and the remnants of Falcon 9 B1058 have returned to Port Canaveral.…
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SpaceX is set to launch the X-37B Spaceplane on Falcon Heavy from LC-39A tonight. The 10-minute launch window opens at 8:07 p.m. ET. Weather is currently 80% GO.
Both side cores (B1064 & B1065) will be landing at LZ-1 and LZ-2.
Just 3 hours later, SpaceX is set to launch a batch of Starlink satellites from SLC-40. Liftoff is targeting 11:01 p.m. ET.
B1069 will be making its 12th flight.
Both side cores (B1064 & B1065) will be landing at LZ-1 and LZ-2.
Just 3 hours later, SpaceX is set to launch a batch of Starlink satellites from SLC-40. Liftoff is targeting 11:01 p.m. ET.
B1069 will be making its 12th flight.
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Both successful launches and recoveries - heavy boosters RLS to Canaveral and Starlink booster which landed back on the droneship, ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas,’ which was stationed near the Bahamas in the Atlantic Ocean.
That makes a total of 98 launches this year - 91 Falcon 9, 5 Falcon Heavy and 2 Starship.
That makes a total of 98 launches this year - 91 Falcon 9, 5 Falcon Heavy and 2 Starship.
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A tip of the hat to Mr. Musk: a launch every 3.7 days, with almost every payload delivered to orbit and with the majority of boosters recovered successfully. Viva SpaceX and Private Enterprise!
- Ed
- Ed
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From: Peripatetic
https://ringwatchers.com/article/s28-b10-updates
What's New on Starship 28 & Booster 10?
A redesigned dome, heatshield changes, structural improvements, and more, are all debuting on Starship Flight 3. Our new article is live, covering all of the publically known changes on Ship 28 and Booster 10.
What's New on Starship 28 & Booster 10?
A redesigned dome, heatshield changes, structural improvements, and more, are all debuting on Starship Flight 3. Our new article is live, covering all of the publically known changes on Ship 28 and Booster 10.
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Just another day at SpaceX…
Three Falcon 9 launches in 20 hours, carrying to orbit:
- 4 crewmembers headed to the @Space_Station
- 53 rideshare spacecraft
- 23 @Starlink satellites
Dragon docked with the @Space_Station for the fifth time
Deployment of @Starlink satellites confirmed. This mission brings us above 10,000 operational space lasers for the constellation, which enable satellites to provide truly global coverage and serve those in the most remote locations on Earth.
Rideshare deployment sequence complete.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/miss...ssionId=crew-8
All first stages landed successfully.
Three Falcon 9 launches in 20 hours, carrying to orbit:
- 4 crewmembers headed to the @Space_Station
- 53 rideshare spacecraft
- 23 @Starlink satellites
Dragon docked with the @Space_Station for the fifth time
Deployment of @Starlink satellites confirmed. This mission brings us above 10,000 operational space lasers for the constellation, which enable satellites to provide truly global coverage and serve those in the most remote locations on Earth.
Rideshare deployment sequence complete.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/miss...ssionId=crew-8
All first stages landed successfully.
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From: Peripatetic
Targeting Saturday, March 30 for back-to-back-to-back launches from all three launch pads in Florida and California.
Up first, Falcon 9 will launch the @Eutelsat_Group EUTELSAT 36D mission from pad 39A in Florida,
Three hours later, Falcon 9 is targeted to lift off from pad 40 in Florida, delivering 23 @Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit.
Later Saturday night at pad 4E in California, Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch an additional 22 @Starlink satellites to orbit.
http://spacex.com/launches
Up first, Falcon 9 will launch the @Eutelsat_Group EUTELSAT 36D mission from pad 39A in Florida,
Three hours later, Falcon 9 is targeted to lift off from pad 40 in Florida, delivering 23 @Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit.
Later Saturday night at pad 4E in California, Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch an additional 22 @Starlink satellites to orbit.
http://spacex.com/launches
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From: Peripatetic
👀👀👍👍
Every SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral 2010-2023.
Every SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral 2010-2023.
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Space debris from SpaceX Dragon capsule has crashed on a hiking trail in North Carolina mountains.
The piece of debris likely came from the reentry of the SpaceX Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station, which returned to Earth on March 12, 2024, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell.
From the images it looks to be the trunk of the spacecraft, which remains attached to Dragon until shortly before reentry into Earth's atmosphere.
SpaceX has yet to comment.
The piece of debris likely came from the reentry of the SpaceX Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station, which returned to Earth on March 12, 2024, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell.
From the images it looks to be the trunk of the spacecraft, which remains attached to Dragon until shortly before reentry into Earth's atmosphere.
SpaceX has yet to comment.
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Yes, you read that right - the 14th successful launch and recovery in just May….
Its insane, other companies would be crowing about 14 in a year, and that’s with disposable one of rockets.
Falcon 9 launching 23 @Starlink satellites from Florida on our 14th launch in May.
Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on continuously raising the bar for rapid and reliable launch.
Its insane, other companies would be crowing about 14 in a year, and that’s with disposable one of rockets.
Falcon 9 launching 23 @Starlink satellites from Florida on our 14th launch in May.
Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on continuously raising the bar for rapid and reliable launch.
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Today, the Falcon 9 achieved its 300th successful landing.
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Another Falcon Heavy successful launch and recovery. Alway impressive to watch the side boosters land.
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It's the consistent, successful, operation of amazing things like booster-recovery that convince me we are actually entering the Space Age, rather than just Iron-Agers messing around with rockets.
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Been waiting on this for a bit, NASA just dumped a bunch of their tracking footage from the GOES-U launch.
Available for download here, large file but you will not regret it. 40 minutes of Falcon Heavy awesomeness.
Twitter’s compression really kind of destroys this footage, I highly recommend downloading the originals. Things like the heat distortion is absolutely nuts to look at
https://images.nasa.gov/details/KSC-...iews-M7629.mov
Available for download here, large file but you will not regret it. 40 minutes of Falcon Heavy awesomeness.
Twitter’s compression really kind of destroys this footage, I highly recommend downloading the originals. Things like the heat distortion is absolutely nuts to look at
https://images.nasa.gov/details/KSC-...iews-M7629.mov
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Looks like a LOX leak caused the failure of the latest Skylink second stage. Heavy ice build up then a RUD during the planned second relight.
Here are two minutes of the SpaceX launch stream where the ice build-up began…..
The initial issue began immediately after the MVAC chill callout was made. You can see what may be LOX swirling around a grid fin….
Upper stage restart to raise perigee resulted in an engine RUD for reasons currently unknown. Team is reviewing data tonight to understand root cause.
Starlink satellites were deployed, but the perigee may be too low for them to raise orbit. Will know more in a few hours.
Here are two minutes of the SpaceX launch stream where the ice build-up began…..
The initial issue began immediately after the MVAC chill callout was made. You can see what may be LOX swirling around a grid fin….
Upper stage restart to raise perigee resulted in an engine RUD for reasons currently unknown. Team is reviewing data tonight to understand root cause.
Starlink satellites were deployed, but the perigee may be too low for them to raise orbit. Will know more in a few hours.
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We’re updating satellite software to run the ion thrusters at their equivalent of warp 9.
Unlike a Star Trek episode, this will probably not work, but it’s worth a shot.
The satellite thrusters need to raise orbit faster than atmospheric drag pulls them down or they burn up.
Unlike a Star Trek episode, this will probably not work, but it’s worth a shot.
The satellite thrusters need to raise orbit faster than atmospheric drag pulls them down or they burn up.
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FAA Ground Falcon 9
The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket — the space launch industry’s most prolific workhorse — after a rare in-flight failure.
Further launches have been put on hold pending an investigation into the loss of a mission on Thursday night, in which the second stage of an uncrewed Falcon 9 suffered a liquid oxygen leak and broke up, failing to send 20 Starlink satellites to orbit.
“We will investigate the issue and look for any other potential near misses,” stated Elon Musk, SpaceX’s chief executive officer and chief engineer.
The duration of Falcon 9’s grounding will be determined by the pace and outcome of the investigation and will set back SpaceX’s intensive launch schedule.
That schedule over the coming weeks includes the deployment of more Starlinks, an Arctic weather satellite, a research satellite for UK Space Command, cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and, in August, the launch of four astronauts to the station on a Crew Dragon capsule spacecraft.
The FAA released a statement acknowledging the anomaly.
“The FAA is aware an anomaly occurred during the SpaceX Starlink Group 9-3 mission that launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on July 11. The incident involved the failure of the upper stage rocket while it was in space. No public injuries or public property damage have been reported. The FAA is requiring an investigation....The FAA will be involved in every step of the investigation process and must approve SpaceX’s final report, including any corrective actions,” the agency continued." - FAA Statement
The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket — the space launch industry’s most prolific workhorse — after a rare in-flight failure.
Further launches have been put on hold pending an investigation into the loss of a mission on Thursday night, in which the second stage of an uncrewed Falcon 9 suffered a liquid oxygen leak and broke up, failing to send 20 Starlink satellites to orbit.
“We will investigate the issue and look for any other potential near misses,” stated Elon Musk, SpaceX’s chief executive officer and chief engineer.
The duration of Falcon 9’s grounding will be determined by the pace and outcome of the investigation and will set back SpaceX’s intensive launch schedule.
That schedule over the coming weeks includes the deployment of more Starlinks, an Arctic weather satellite, a research satellite for UK Space Command, cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and, in August, the launch of four astronauts to the station on a Crew Dragon capsule spacecraft.
The FAA released a statement acknowledging the anomaly.
“The FAA is aware an anomaly occurred during the SpaceX Starlink Group 9-3 mission that launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on July 11. The incident involved the failure of the upper stage rocket while it was in space. No public injuries or public property damage have been reported. The FAA is requiring an investigation....The FAA will be involved in every step of the investigation process and must approve SpaceX’s final report, including any corrective actions,” the agency continued." - FAA Statement