Another short update: http://spacex.com/

Posted January 17, 2007

DemoFlight 2 Launch Update

The static fire has moved to Friday (California time) and launch to Monday, January 22. We have not encountered any new issues – the shift in timing is primarily to provide for additional risk reduction activities on site, as we continue to operate with a healthy paranoia.

As stated in the prior update, there is a high likelihood that the dates will continue to change, given the broad array of vehicle robustness upgrades. This will remain true all the way up to the final few seconds of the countdown, as our new health verification software executes hundreds of systems checks between engine ignition at T-3 sec and liftoff at T-0, when the hold down clamps release the rocket for flight. This is a critical phase for verification, given that the vehicle will have undergone substantial state changes throughout the first stage and avionics system.

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latest update from http://www.spacex.com

DemoFlight 2 Launch Update

During our final check-outs prior to static fire, we uncovered an anomaly with the thrust vector control (TVC) pitch actuator on the second stage that will result in launch being pushed to February. Since this is not used during the static fire, we have decided to push forward with that test in order to acquire valuable data on engine ignition, pad acoustics, and the overall system response. The static fire is now planned to occur between Saturday and Tuesday (California time). This test will proceed very slowly and then only burns for about four seconds, so will not be webcast to avoid boring people silly. We will post a video afterwards.



Upon completion of the static fire, we will take the rocket back into the hangar to thoroughly investigate the TVC issue. With the range available to us only until January 23 (Kwaj needs to reconfigure for an incoming Minuteman mission), this means launch is now planned for mid-February. As I’ve mentioned previously, don’t hold your breath for this launch. Given the large number of robustness improvements and the fact that our vehicle/pad health verification system has increased from about 30 checks to almost 1000, shifts in the launch date are to be expected. Overall, the SpaceX team is quite happy with the smooth progress so far.



--Elon--

And another update


January 25, 2007: DemoFlight 2 Launch Update

In an excess of caution, we decided not to proceed with the static fire this month. The vehicle is now back in the hangar, where the stages are being demated for careful inspection.

The static fire and launch window is now mid to late February, due to Kwaj having to configure for an incoming Minuteman and then reconfigure back to handling a Falcon launch. During this downtime, we will take the opportunity to go over every inch of the rocket with a microscope again.

As Andy Grove said, "Only the Paranoid Survive".

---Elon

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:

Paranoia \Par`a*noi"a\, n. (Med.)
A chronic form of insanity characterized by very gradual
impairment of the intellect, systematized delusion, and
usually by delusions of persecution or mandatory delusions
producing homicidal tendency. In its mild form paranoia may
consist in the well-marked crotchetiness exhibited in persons
commonly called ``cranks.'' Paranoiacs usually show evidences
of bodily and nervous degeneration, and many have
hallucinations, esp. of sight and hearing.

OK, but how would you call ignoring an incoming Minuteman? Psychopathy? Emotional flatness?

During the development of the V2, Werner Von Braun drove to the area in Poland being used as a target in order to observe the incoming missile (they'd been suffering disintegration problems before impact, and wanted an intact missile to land and thus add kinetic energy to the blast). Von Braun, as an engineer, reasoned that the CEP was just that, and so placed himself right on target. The launch took place, and Von Braun soon came to realise that the targetting was indeed *very* precise that day, and dove for cover just as the missile hit a few hundred yards away.

Logic states that he should have been perfectly safe where he was; wisdom suggests not!


Bob Shaw

I'm sure he was waiting in the crater were Apollo 11 was heading...

It is most unlikely that the paranoia quote had anything to do with the missile test. Besides, what kind of a fool would retreat to a tent if he was worried about an incoming ICBM? Or leave his rocket in one?

Elon states that this move is based on "an excess of caution" and HE put the Andy Grove quote in the update. We all try to err on the side of caution. The issue is how far to that side we each should go.

It's not like the Minuteman is carrying a real and armed nuclear warhead.

And neither was the V2 in Bob Shaw's story about Von Braun.

The point was, no one is ignoring an incoming Minuteman. It just doesn't figure into the SpaceX plans other than it means the range is unavailable and there may be other restrictions at Kwaj.

Two new updates :
Posted February 7, 2007
After the upcoming demonstration flight, Falcon 1 is scheduled to launch a satellite for the US Navy Research Laboratory (funded by the Office of Force Transformation) in late summer and then a satellite for the Malaysian Space Agency late in the year. We are also building an additional Falcon 1 vehicle in the event that some promising customer discussions culminate in a fourth Falcon 1 launch this year.

Posted February 8, 2007
We have recently been informed by the Kwajalein Army Range that they do not have sufficient resources to support our launch in mid to late Feb. Several range personnel critical to the launch safety process will be unavailable in that timeframe. The earliest launch window available from the Range now opens March 9.

... and a new website with video and photo galleries, launch manifest...

New update....

"The launch window is now March 19th to 22nd (California time). During extended ground testing in late February, one of our second stage thrust vector control boards indicated a problem. Although our analysis showed substantial margin for flight, we decided nonetheless to increase the robustness of certain of the components and run a delta qualification.

The upgraded boards will be installed this week. If all goes well, Falcon 1 will do a static fire next week and then launch in the week of the 19th.

--Elon--"
http://www.spacex.com/updates.php#demoflig...launch_update_6

Another update on www.spacex.com Posted March 16, 2007

Successful static firing with video posted
More news tomorrow ( Sunday )
Launch countdown as early as Monday
Falcon 9 update next month

The live webcast is now underway.

Man that camera wobble on the web cam feed is freaky.