Author Topic: SpaceX News  (Read 126811 times)

WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2425 on: May 23, 2023, 10:41:57 PM »
Quote
SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, May 23 for Falcon 9’s launch of the ARABSAT BADR-8 mission to a geosynchronous transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The 127-minute launch window opens at 11:25 p.m. ET (03:25 UTC on May 24). If needed, there is a backup opportunity available on Wednesday, May 24 with the same window.

The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, OneWeb Launch 17, and seven Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about fifteen minutes prior to liftoff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q-0eD5s-sk
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2426 on: May 24, 2023, 07:57:44 AM »
Weather scrub
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2427 on: May 24, 2023, 08:22:55 AM »
Quote
Progress MS-23 (84P)
Soyuz 2.1a
Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)

Launch Status
Go For Launch
Wed • May 24th, 2023
8:56 AM EDT

NOW! ISS Resupply Soyuz Launch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxc00VqRBCA
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2428 on: May 24, 2023, 08:26:13 AM »
Looking at that live feed ^^^^^
30 minutes before launch and there's still a large number of people at the pad.  NASA would have a heart attack just thinking about that.
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2429 on: May 24, 2023, 08:38:47 AM »
20 minutes, still there.
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2430 on: May 24, 2023, 09:09:57 AM »
Within minutes after the launch people back at the pad. Need to get some smelling salts for NASA.
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2431 on: May 24, 2023, 09:58:09 AM »
20 minutes, still there.

I want to say that F9 takes about 40 minutes to load propellant.  I'm rather surprised that people are around the rocket during fueling.
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French G.

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2432 on: May 24, 2023, 11:22:19 AM »
Russia osha guy is about the same level as BMW turn signals installer.
AKA Navy Joe   

I'm so contrarian that I didn't respond to the thread.

WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2433 on: May 24, 2023, 11:27:22 AM »
Russia osha guy is about the same level as BMW turn signals installer.

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us".
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2434 on: May 25, 2023, 10:41:52 AM »
Live now
Window is from 10:00-18:00 EDT

Quote
After a nearly two-year pause in flights, starting after a deviation from controlled airspace during Sir Richard Branson’s flight in July 2021, the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity is being prepared to make its first powered flight since the eventful Unity 22 mission.

The Unity 25 mission, like Unity 22, will have a full crew complement of six. Two pilots and four Virgin Galactic employees will be on board. The employees will test out the customer experience prior to the beginning of commercial operations.

VSS Unity, slung underneath the VMS Eve White Knight Two mothership, is scheduled to take off from the Spaceport America complex near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico Thursday. After takeoff, VMS Eve will climb to an altitude of approximately 14,325 meters (47,000 feet) before releasing VSS Unity

Unity 25 - Virgin Galactic Return to Flight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bQQ5lxfKGU
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2435 on: May 25, 2023, 10:45:11 AM »
NASA ER-2 (U-2) in the air

Edit: I was looking at Edwards not White Sands. Nevermind.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2023, 11:12:56 AM by WLJ »
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2436 on: May 25, 2023, 12:46:00 PM »
Stratolaunch bought VO's 747 (Cosmic Girl)
Not sure what this means for ROC

Stratolaunch Expands Fleet with Virgin Orbit's Modified Boeing 747
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stratolaunch-expands-fleet-with-virgin-orbits-modified-boeing-747-301834904.html?tc=eml_cleartime
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2437 on: May 26, 2023, 11:19:37 AM »
SpaceX investment in Starship approaches $5 billion
https://spacenews.com/spacex-investment-in-starship-approaches-5-billion/

Article include info on the current lawsuit but of note about what it says about the cost of Starship so far.

Quote
The statement did not break out the investment between the launch vehicle itself and infrastructure. SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk, in an April 29 online discussion on Twitter, the social media network he also owns, estimated that the company would spend about $2 billion on Starship this year.

“It’ll probably be a couple billion dollars this year, two billion dollars-ish, all in on Starship,” he said, adding that he did not expect to have to raise funding to finance that work. He also said in that conversation that he expected Starship to launch four to five more times this year and “would be surprised” if the company didn’t achieve orbit by the end of the year.

Note 4 or 5 more launches this year  =)


for comparisons

Quote
In all, the total cost of developing SLS and Orion, as well as a failed rocket predecessor called Ares, is somewhere around $50 billion.

Veteran space watchers wonder if SLS will have a long life now that New Space is nimbly competing with older contractors. SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy costs well north of $100 million per launch. The SLS? About $4 billion per launch, some sources say. And according to veteran space reporter Eric Berger, it’s at least $2 billion per launch.

SLS - $50 billion spent so far and $4 billion per launch  :O Yes you read that right. Yes that $50B figure includes Orion and the cancelled Aries but still.

By the numbers: The Space Launch System, NASA’s next Moon rocket
https://www.astronomy.com/space-exploration/by-the-numbers-the-space-launch-system-nasas-next-moon-rocket/
« Last Edit: May 26, 2023, 11:42:21 AM by WLJ »
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2438 on: May 26, 2023, 03:59:18 PM »
NASA still not happy with Starliner

NASA safety panel skeptical of Starliner readiness for crewed flight
https://spacenews.com/nasa-safety-panel-skeptical-of-starliner-readiness-for-crewed-flight/
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dogmush

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2439 on: May 26, 2023, 07:53:02 PM »
^^^^

I wonder if that $5Bn number includes Raptor development. That engine is really impressive.  Even if $5bn is only the Starship and Super Heavy vehicles it's impressive, if it includes 3 generations of Rapror, it's astonishing.

WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2440 on: May 26, 2023, 08:34:42 PM »
^^^^

I wonder if that $5Bn number includes Raptor development. That engine is really impressive.  Even if $5bn is only the Starship and Super Heavy vehicles it's impressive, if it includes 3 generations of Rapror, it's astonishing.

To be clear that $5B figure will be what they estimate they will have spent by end of year. Says they have spent a bit over $3B so far.

Not sure if  the $3B includes Raptor dev but the article clearly states the $3B figure includes both Starship AND Starbase.

Quote
He specifically noted that since a 2014 “record of decision” by the FAA, allowing SpaceX to develop launch facilities at Boca Chica (originally for the Falcon family of launch vehicles), “SpaceX has invested more than $3 billion into developing the Boca Chica launch facility and Starship/Super Heavy launch system.”

Way that reads to me the $3b figure could include Raptor development since Raptor engines are an integral part of Starship.

Doubt NASA could have had the paper study done for Starship and Starbase for $3B
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2441 on: May 26, 2023, 09:17:42 PM »
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Major launchpad upgrades should be complete in about a month, then another month of rocket testing on pad, then flight 2 of Starship
9:05 PM · May 26, 2023
·
109.4K
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2442 on: May 26, 2023, 09:19:43 PM »
Chris Bergin - NSF
@NASASpaceflight
·
51m
Epic vid and some extra footage.

ALSO: Ship 25 is finally confirmed as flying with Booster 9 on the next test flight.
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2443 on: May 26, 2023, 09:29:21 PM »
More info on HAKUTO-R M1 lander, they found a software bug

Quote
The Tokyo-based company said its investigation into the failed landing of its HAKUTO-R M1 lander April 25 concluded that the onboard computer disregarded altitude information from a laser rangefinder on the lander as it passed over a crater rim, leading the lander to conclude it was on the surface when it was still five kilometers above it.
Software problem blamed for ispace lunar lander crash
https://spacenews.com/software-problem-blamed-for-ispace-lunar-lander-crash/

Link includes image of the crash site.


Scott Manley put out a video.

Why Japan's Moon Lander Crashed Due to An Unbelievable Computer Bug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JlUnOAiMm4



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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2444 on: May 26, 2023, 10:56:44 PM »
Quote
Falcon 9 is launching the Arabsat 7B mission. Liftoff is scheduled for 11:25 PM EDT (03:25 UTC) from SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The first stage is B1062, which will attempt a landing on Just Read The Instructions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXrtjnN0mdI
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2445 on: May 29, 2023, 11:47:43 AM »
More SLS news with another set of $ numbers

Quote
NASA's spending on the Artemis Moon Program is expected to reach $93 billion by 2025, including $23.8 billion already spent on the SLS system through 2022. That sum represents "$6 billion in cost increases and over six years in schedule delays above NASA’s original projections," the report states.

The $50B figure in the post above included Orion and Aries so IF this article is correct $23.8 has been spend on SLS alone or we have another case of government fiance tracking

NASA's SLS rocket is $6 billion over budget and six years behind schedule
https://www.engadget.com/nasas-sls-rocket-is-6-billion-over-budget-and-six-years-behind-schedule-091432515.html
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2446 on: June 01, 2023, 07:18:33 AM »
"It must be a comet or something"

SpaceX heard around the Gulf Coast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRaiwK-GqHg
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2447 on: June 01, 2023, 10:48:58 AM »
That tilt at launch at 15:31 look familiar?

Starship vs N1... Is Starship doomed to repeat history?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgqZMK22LEk
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2448 on: June 01, 2023, 04:00:14 PM »
https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/commercial-space/ula-delays-vulcan-rocket-engine-hot-fire

Blue Origin's BE-4 engine yet again slowing down ULA's Vulcan rocket, this time with a halted static fire and a roll back to VIF for further inspection.  There was a delayed response in the booster ignition sequence that concerned launch technicians.

I really wonder if these two BE-4's attached to this Vulcan will fly.  My suspicion is that if they do, ULA will have their first launch failure ever.  But if these don't fly, then ULA will have an abysmal cadence for 2023, and will be ineligible for government launch contracts until they somehow do their 3 proof tests of Vulcan with some sort of payload.
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #2449 on: June 01, 2023, 04:24:39 PM »
Meanwhile Elon already has 3rd gen Raptors firing on the test stands.

Don't get me wrong if they get the BE-4 going it could be a great engine but right now the safe money is on SpaceX and Raptor.
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