SpaceX Updates (Thread 7)

By DocM
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Grand Master

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My guess, non GTO launch to allow a re-examination of a landed reused core. Customer probably not SES and may very well be existing customer in the lineup to be launched in the next 6 months.

 

:)

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Grand Master

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From double to triple: Why the landing Falcon 9 creates three sonic booms

 

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One of the iconic sounds of the Space Shuttle era has returned to the Space Coast—the sonic boom. The returning Shuttle orbiter produced a signature double sonic boom on its approach to Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. Similar sounds were heard again in the early morning hours of July 18 as SpaceX’s Falcon 9 first stage returned to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s (CCAFS) Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1), formerly Launch Complex 13, creating a triple sonic boom.

 

According to a NASA fact sheet, a sonic boom is the thunder-like noise a person on the ground hears when an aircraft or other type of aerospace vehicle flies overhead faster than the speed of sound or supersonic. The air reacts like a fluid to supersonic objects. As objects travel, the air molecules are pushed aside with great force and this forms a shock wave much like a boat creates a bow wave. The bigger and heavier the aircraft, the more air it displaces.

 

In general, an aircraft generates two cones: one at the nose and one at the tail. According to the fact sheet, they are usually of similar strength and the time interval between the two as they reach the ground is primarily dependent on the size of the aircraft and its altitude.

 

Because most vehicles that create these booms are small, most people on the ground cannot distinguish between the two and they are usually heard as a single sonic boom. The Space Shuttle, on the other hand, was large enough that it created two very distinguishable and distinct booms that were easily heard by those on the ground.

 

Last week, SpaceFlight Insider reached out to SpaceX for an explanation as to why the returning Falcon 9 first stage produced three booms, instead of the typical two.

 

“[The] first boom is from the aft end (engines),” said John Taylor, SpaceX’s Communications Director, “[The] second boom is from the landing legs at the widest point going up the side of the rocket. [The] third boom is from the fins near the forward end.”

 

As the pace of SpaceX launches, and subsequent landings, are expected to pick up over the next several years, Space Coast residents will here a lot more of these periodic booms.

 

Additionally, SpaceX expects to begin the launch, and landing, of its Falcon Heavy rockets by the end of the year. The Falcon Heavy will consist of three Falcon 9 first stages, strapped together, and could result in all three stages landing back at CCAFS. The two side boosters will land almost simultaneously. Each will produce three sonic booms, for a total of as many as nine.

 

Falcon 9’s July 18, 2016, triple-sonic boom triggered several 911 calls from unsuspecting Space Coast residents.

 

“We announced this. We tell people that there’s going to be a sonic boom,” said Hans Koenigsmann, Vice President of Mission Assurance at SpaceX.

 

“In my eyes it’s very similar to the Shuttle. The Shuttle has a really characteristic sonic boom that people could recognize.”

Koenigsmann said, in comparison to Shuttle, he believes it’ll be the same thing and that it will take time to get used to it.

http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/space-exploration-technologies/double-triple-landing-falcon-9-creates-three-sonic-booms/

 

:woot:

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DocM

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Meaning the 2 boosters returning from a Falcon Heavy launch will produce 6 near simultaneous sonic booms, followed within minutes by 3 more from the center cores return.

 

Martha: we need to close the window shutters.

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DocM

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JCSAT-14 landed stage, a high & hard fastball GTO launch, doing a FULL DURATION test firing at McGregor!!

 

If that thing could fly.....

 

 

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Jim K Global Moderator

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31 minutes ago, DocM said:

JCSAT-14 landed stage, a high & hard fastball GTO launch, doing a FULL DURATION test firing at McGregor!!

 

If that thing could fly.....

 

 

Guess you don't know how much (for example the motors) were refitted/repaired/etc.  Did they just give it a look over, fueled her up and lit it as was when it landed (aside from minor repairs which I'm assuming would be the norm).

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Grand Master

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That....was stunning....even the "birds" in the background were cheering.

 

That test is even tougher being restrained to a reflective structure.....she was ready to fly.....:D

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DocM

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Far as we can tell from hints the engines were cleaned, had some scortched wires & pipes replaced, new cork panels & boots and such. Also stuff that's been upgraded or covered with the newly upgraded thermal coatings.

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Grand Master

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13 minutes ago, DocM said:

Far as we can tell the engines were cleaned, had some wires & pipes replaced, new boots and such. Also stuff that's been upgraded or covered with the upgraded thermal coatings.

Overall, that really was a show...letting her go "full duration".....as the test went on longer, it was "jaw drop" time and a "fist pump" when over...:woot:

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DocM

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They certainly aren't shy about pushing that envelope, and hard.

 

We'll see how it looks after the test, but if one of the fastball GTO launches can be refurbed then fired full duration it sounds good for everything else. 

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DocM

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Look close and you'll see two large new hangars. Also, that square test pad & trench on the far side right they "abandoned" a few months ago is now round and looks like there's been new work. Raptor stand in the far side of the big test stand & tripod.

 

 

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DocM

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ANOTHER firing of JCSAT-14!!!!

 

Can't have been much refurb this time. Reams more data, plus some plain old fashioned showing off.

 

 

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Grand Master

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This is just....wow!

 

No one will have a database like this for some time. This will really instill confidence when SpaceX puts one of these stages in action...you know its good.

 

:D

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BetaguyGZT

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Nice activity ramp-up. Yeah .... and especially with all of the chatter re Orion/SLS lately, and the Review Board's scathing report recently. Looks like NASA is going double-down (now) on the Commercial programs ... finally.

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Grand Master

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SpaceX may fire that stage up again tomorrow, if so, we know why....Elon stated 10 engine tests, but not duration tests...this may be a duration test for a "high end leader", to gain a realistic recovery performance rate or modification to "leader" requirements.

 

:)

 

 

 

 

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Grand Master

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slow news day......

 

SpaceX shows off testing facility to big McGregor crowd

 

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About 1,500 Central Texans accepted an invitation from the Space Exploration Technologies Corp., better known as SpaceX, to its community appreciation picnic Saturday afternoon at the Central Texas Youth Rodeo Indoor Arena, a close neighbor to the SpaceX testing facility whose rocket engine tests frequently blanket the prairie with artificial thunder.


In a brief address, human resources vice president Brian Bjelde from the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California, told diners under a pavilion that SpaceX had conducted 5,000 tests at the McGregor facility since its establishment in 2003.


“Some say that’s more tests than a person would take showers in 13 years,” Bjelde said. “It’s a long way to come from three employees on 250 acres to our current 500 employees here now.”

more at the link...

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/spacex-shows-mcgregor-residents-around-testing-facility/article_b9e6d0fb-9519-5f86-8eab-a38fe6b3e4aa.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:D

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FloatingFatMan

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On 30/07/2016 at 10:13 PM, DocM said:

Total fires = 6.5 if you count,

 

McGregor qualification

LC-40 Static Fire

LC-40 Launch

LZ-1 landing (.5)

McGregor refire 1

McGregor refire 2

McGregor refire 3

Keep on testing that puppy until something breaks, then you have a some good data on what those engines can take. :)

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Grand Master

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8 minutes ago, FloatingFatMan said:

Keep on testing that puppy until something breaks, then you have a some good data on what those engines can take. :)

As a thought, why don't they do that? I know they'll have a pretty good idea, but wouldn't it be cheaper to see it fail during stress tests, rather than on a live cargo/crew flight? It's not like they haven't got 4 to play around with now!

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FloatingFatMan

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1 minute ago, John. said:

As a thought, why don't they do that? I know they'll have a pretty good idea, but wouldn't it be cheaper to see it during stress tests, rather than on a live cargo/crew flight? It's not like they haven't got 4 to play around with now!

I think that's probably what they ARE doing...

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Grand Master

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Just now, FloatingFatMan said:

I think that's probably what they ARE doing...

I...haven't had my cofee yet :pinch:.

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DocM

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They were planning 10 tests, but it'll have to come off the stand for a bit soon so they can test the AMOS-6 stage for early September. The JCSAT-16 stage for Aug 14 is already at KSC.

 

After them I believe Vandenberg is up with Iridium Next #1 (of 7 launches, 70 birds total) using SpaceX's all new multi-satellite dispenser. This dispenser will likely be used to launch the 4,000+ satellite SpaceX orbital internet backbone.

 

IridiumNext_Iridium.jpg

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