SpaceX News

[WLJ]

Japan seems to have the worse luck with rockets

Japan’s H3 rocket launch fails after second stage malfunction
https://spacenews.com/japans-h3-rocket-launch-fails-after-second-stage-malfunction/

[dogmush]

When thinking about how far SpaceX's lead is with Starlink I find it useful to visualize what the constellation looks like.

https://satellitemap.space/

I'm not sure Amazon/BO can afford that many satellites.  Elon got a bunch of them up there by ride shareing with paying customers, and that's with Falcon 9's proven reusability keeping the cost down.

[WLJ]

When thinking about how far SpaceX's lead is with Starlink I find it useful to visualize what the constellation looks like.

https://satellitemap.space/

I'm not sure Amazon/BO can afford that many satellites.  Elon got a bunch of them up there by ride shareing with paying customers, and that's with Falcon 9's proven reusability keeping the cost down.

Like how you can see strings of Starlinks that haven't spread out yet.

[WLJ]

Will be the first launch of a 3D printed rocket to space.

Terran 1 is launching the Good Luck, Have Fun mission, the first orbital launch attempt from Relativity Space. Liftoff is scheduled for a window from 1 to 4 PM EST (18:00 to 21:00 UTC) from LC-16, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_qTx6KUYXw

Watch Relativity Space launch Terran 1, world's 1st 3D-printed rocket, on debut flight today
https://www.space.com/relativity-space-terran-1-debut-launch-webcast

[AZRedhawk44]

Relativity Space is attempting the launch of the Terran 1 vehicle today.  Livestream starts in 25 minutes as of this post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YAlOGZM32U

Notables of this rocket include it being the first 3D printed rocket to attempt to reach space, and also if successful will be the first methane rocket engine to achieve orbit.

[AZRedhawk44]

Wow, beat me by seconds, WLJ.

[WLJ]

Wow, beat me by seconds, WLJ.

But I forgot to note the methane engine aspect of it

[RoadKingLarry]

But I forgot to note the methane engine aspect of it

So they are powering it with evil, globular warmulating producing cow farts?

[Jim147]

I am interested to see if it survives Max Q.

[WLJ]

As per what seems to be the norm nowadays they're using overly excited teenage or near teenage girls as commentators.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YAlOGZM32U

[WLJ]

Bet there will be a weather scrub, looks windy.

[WLJ]

Wow, look fresh out of high school

[AZRedhawk44]

Much like SpaceX, they're using program leads as commentators for their launches.

Doesn't hurt to use attractive ones.

These are some smart ladies.

[WLJ]

Much like SpaceX, they're using program leads as commentators for their launches.

Doesn't hurt to use attractive ones.

These are some smart ladies.

And making me feel old

Wondering if the one on the left is single? 

[Cliffh]

The older you get, the younger they look.   

[WLJ]

Go poll is go

[RocketMan]

Hold at 1:09 for an issue.  May just be being cautious.  Waiting for an update.

[WLJ]

Hold at 1:09 for an issue.  May just be being cautious.  Waiting for an update.

Think just being cautious, last hold they could do without a scrub. From the sound of it probably just using it for extra checks.

Edit: Abort. Looking to see if they can  recycle

[RocketMan]

Extending the hold due to an automated abort.  Assessing recycle options. 

[WLJ]

Recycling

15:45 target time for launch

[Ben]

When thinking about how far SpaceX's lead is with Starlink I find it useful to visualize what the constellation looks like.

https://satellitemap.space/

I'm not sure Amazon/BO can afford that many satellites.  Elon got a bunch of them up there by ride shareing with paying customers, and that's with Falcon 9's proven reusability keeping the cost down.

Going to the site just now, it shows 397 sats have been launched since the last time I was there, in late JAN. If that's consistent throughout the year, that's a lot of little birdies going into orbit.

What's irritating is that while the website shows between 9-11 sats always in range from my house, the Starlink site still has me as "expanding in 2023". In fact I'm in this little bubble of "expanding" surrounded by "available now". It's rather frustrating.

Also, tangent: Has anyone used the Starlink app and the "check antenna placement" or whatever it's called function? It is always showing some small percentage of obstructions for me, even when I walk out to the middle of my pasture to check it. I'm wondering if the app is glitchy. Or maybe it's part of me being in the "expanding" bubble if the app is advanced enough to consider not just sky, but sats. I'd really like to up my bandwidth when Starlink gives me the thumbs up, but on the other hand, I rather have my current ~16mbps with no interruptions, than 200mbps Starlink with a dozen 5 second interruptions every hour.

[WLJ]

Scrub 

[RocketMan]

Scrub 

That explains why the countdown clock went away a few minutes ago.  I had the audio muted because of the silly musical interlude.

[WLJ]

That explains why the countdown clock went away a few minutes ago.  I had the audio muted because of the silly musical interlude.

I was watching NSF's feed.

[AZRedhawk44]

Also, tangent: Has anyone used the Starlink app and the "check antenna placement" or whatever it's called function? It is always showing some small percentage of obstructions for me, even when I walk out to the middle of my pasture to check it. I'm wondering if the app is glitchy. Or maybe it's part of me being in the "expanding" bubble if the app is advanced enough to consider not just sky, but sats. I'd really like to up my bandwidth when Starlink gives me the thumbs up, but on the other hand, I rather have my current ~16mbps with no interruptions, than 200mbps Starlink with a dozen 5 second interruptions every hour.

I have Starlink.

Yes, there is always some degree of sky obstruction.  Right now for me, it's a tree on the east side of my property.   My dish is 20 feet off the ground and above my roof, but I have a 40 foot tall pine tree to the east of it, rooted about 30-40 feet away.  North/South there's no obstruction and far to the west there's no obstruction, but that tree blocks a good ~30 degree angle directly east.  I don't think you have unobstructed sky horizon to horizon unless you live on top of a mountain or in the middle of the Great Plains.  I suspect it has something to do with handoff of your workload from one satellite to the next as they pass overhead, and the degree of time you're expected to reuse the same satellite before fixing on the next.  As the constellation grows, that time window may shrink and allow for narrower fields of view and more frequent bounding to the next favorable satellite.