Falcon 9 Launch & Recovery Operations |
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Falcon 9 Launch & Recovery Operations |
 Jun 5 2010, 07:55 AM
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#166
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 Senior Member  Group: Admin Posts: 3108 Joined: 21-December 05 From: Canberra, Australia Member No.: 615  |
Some reports are suggesting that a bizarre 'spiral ufo' seen along the east coast of Australia this morning was created by the noted oscilation of the second stage.
Have a look at the story and video here. Very similar to the 'wom hole spiral' seen over Norway last December. |
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Jun 5 2010, 08:15 AM
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#167
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Member Group: Members Posts: 184 Joined: 2-March 06 Member No.: 692 |
You really have give Elon Musk applause for this. He can't be much more "all in" with spacex and he pulled this off. This is a BIG deal!
As for the ufo, if it was the falcon 9 stage 2, they might want to induce a tumble with vented propellant to help with reentry breakup. What really caught my eye was the about 90 degree role the vehicle performed right off the launch pad. It seemed to almost yank an umbilical off sideways! |
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Jun 5 2010, 08:15 AM
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#168
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 Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Wild! Not quite as wild as one of the people in the video's comment ('No, that was a galaxy far, far away!')...
 The time seems about right. Astro0, you guys are NOT on daylight savings time right now, correct? -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Jun 5 2010, 11:50 AM
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#169
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Senior Member Group: Admin Posts: 3108 Joined: 21-December 05 From: Canberra, Australia Member No.: 615 |
Correct! Looking at the orbit data posted by NORAD, and the field of view covering the entire Australian east coast, I think it had to be the second stage.
The story certainly got a run in local media and I received quite a few calls asking if our tracking station saw it. Probably belongs in the 'reporting astronomy' thread, but try explaining to media that just because we are a space tracking station, we aren't in the business of just scanning the skies looking for little green men 
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Jun 5 2010, 02:37 PM
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#170
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1418 Joined: 26-July 08 Member No.: 4270 |
QUOTE (Astro0 @ Jun 5 2010, 02:55 AM)  Very similar to the 'wom hole spiral' seen over Norway last December. Well of course. All the alien ships probably use the same warp-drive/worm-hole generator technology. /ducks and runs. -------------------- -- Hungry4info (Sirius_Alpha)
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Jun 5 2010, 07:21 PM
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#171
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523 |
For all our UMSF fans out there, a quick fun fact. The launch pad Falcon 9 took off from yesterday (SLC-40) was the same pad everyone's favorite mission (hehe), Cassini was launched from in 1997. Also, with Delta II on the way out, one can ponder whether we have witnessed the first launch of a vehicle that could replace it and ultimately launch NASA Discovery-class missions (along with Orbital's Taurus II).
Interesting times. -------------------- |
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Jun 6 2010, 02:00 AM
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#172
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Those are indeed fun facts!
Nice to see continuity in history. Hopefully this was the first of a great many F9s...followed by F9 Heavies carrying Flagships! 
-------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Jun 6 2010, 05:39 AM
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#173
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 540 Joined: 25-October 05 From: California Member No.: 535 |
I'm a month late, but did anyone here already point out that Elon Musk made an appearance in the movie "Iron Man 2"?
I thought that was pretty cool. 
-------------------- 2011 JPL Tweetup photos: http://www.rich-parno.com/aa_jpltweetup.html
http://human-spaceflight.blogspot.com |
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Jun 7 2010, 04:44 AM
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#174
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 444 Joined: 1-July 05 From: New York City Member No.: 424 |
QUOTE (ugordan @ Jun 5 2010, 02:21 PM) The launch pad Falcon 9 took off from yesterday (SLC-40) ... The launch pad at launch complex 40 is surrounded by 4 towers. What are they for? Lightning rods, perhaps? TTT |
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Jun 7 2010, 04:49 AM
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#175
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
QUOTE (Tom Tamlyn @ Jun 6 2010, 08:44 PM) What are they for? Lightning rods, perhaps? Yep. -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Jun 7 2010, 08:28 AM
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#176
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523 |
Both the Atlas V pad (also a former Titan IV pad) and Falcon 9 pad have the same 4 towers with wires in between that form a net with a hole inside for the booster to fly through.
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Jun 7 2010, 03:57 PM
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#177
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Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 39 Joined: 26-March 09 From: Cornwall Member No.: 4697 |
QUOTE (monty python @ Jun 5 2010, 09:15 AM) As for the ufo, if it was the falcon 9 stage 2, they might want to induce a tumble with vented propellant to help with reentry breakup. Apparently the second stage developed an unexpected rolling motion during powered flight. This will be investigated before the next launch of the vehicle. |
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Jun 19 2010, 02:25 PM
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#178
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523 |
An extended launch highlights video has now been posted, including some new and higher quality views: http://www.spacex.com/multimedia/videos.php?id=53
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Jun 28 2010, 07:08 AM
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#179
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Member Group: Members Posts: 184 Joined: 2-March 06 Member No.: 692 |
There is a nice interview of a spacex official on spaceflightnow.com where they discuss some of the problems the falcon 9 had during launch. The roll the rocket had right off the launch pad was caused by torque induced by gasses swirling out of the nozzles and turbopump exhaust exiting at an angle. It takes some time for the nozzles to move over and compensate.
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Jun 28 2010, 05:17 PM
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#180
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 7 Joined: 26-October 08 From: London, UK Member No.: 4465 |
QUOTE (monty python @ Jun 28 2010, 08:08 AM) There is a nice interview of a spacex official on spaceflightnow.com where they discuss some of the problems the falcon 9 had during launch. The full 8:37 min interview of SpaceX vice president of Astronaut Safety and Mission Assurance (and former NASA astronaut) Ken Bowersox with Miles O'Brien from This Week In Space is up on Youtube here. There's only a short segment from the interview in the round-up for This Week in Space 27 June 2010. |
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