http://www.spacex.com/webcast
T-13 minutes to launch.
Any bets on whether they'll stick the landing this time?
http://www.spacex.com/webcast
T-13 minutes to launch.
Any bets on whether they'll stick the landing this time?
Warning : Above post may contain snark and/or sarcasm. Try reparsing with the /s argument before replying.
What the world has learned is that America is never more than one election away from losing its goddamned mindMe on Elite : Dangerous | My WoW charactersOriginally Posted by Howard Tayler
Go, SpaceX! Safe landing.
I clicked the stream and instantly it was like HOLD HOLD HOLD ABORT LAUNCH!
What have I done!?
This one? Probably not. It's complicated.
Even SpaceX's pre-launch Press Release material says that landing is unlikely. It is indeed the Falcon 9 v1.1 Full Thrust (sometimes called v1.2).
SES-9 is both large and has to go to a very high orbit. It is headed to Geostrationary Transfer Orbit, on the way to a GSO.That put's it over 20,000 miles away.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ion_orbits.svg
Far higher than ISS or GPS. But very useful for telecommunications.
SpaceX saying "probably won't land" could be part technical and part PR. One one hand, SpaceX is intentionally trying VERY hard to build launch-provider credibility at the moment. Falcon 9 landing attempts require reserve fuel and reserve mass that SpaceX deducts from the launch capability of a Falcon 9 (which is Falcon 9 has a single-use variant, for higher performance if needed). Being a higher orbit and heavier mass, requires more fuel and a larger margin, for example if a first stage engine goes out and the other 8 have to burn longer. Scenarios like that.
SpaceX won accolades from SES last month for a particular reason. If SpaceX launched it into a lower orbit and let SES-9 transit to it's higher orbit under it's own power, it would take months longer to bring into service. SES, due to difficulties with another satellite, wanted it sooner. SpaceX, by taking it basically directly there, will allow SES to utilitize it months earlier than otherwise possible.
Basically SpaceX is demonstrating to it's customers - satellite makers - that it can be counted on to put their needs first. So from a business perspective for SpaceX, very good move.
Is SpaceX being conservative? Probably, agian for PR purposes towards sattelite makers, and not the general public. A successful landing is something that would be important for a GTO-targeted Falcon 9 first stage to eventually accomplish. SpaceX though probably just wants to wrack up customers in the short term though.
Considering they just peeled Iridium off Russia, it's working.