Falcon 1 Flight 3 Launch Thread

[to be]

Aborting fuel topping, and fuel offloading does not sound particularly promising.

 

[Quick_Nick]

So it's a restart or what? And this isn't the first time this has happened either, is it?

 

[GregBurch]

No -- they recycled the second launch in something like 2 hours.

 

[DaveS]

Sounds like they have not scrubbed, they're just recycling the clocks. They were doing the final Helium chill to cryo temps when the clocks went into an unplanned hold so something went wrong with that procedure.

 

[Andy44]

I wish they would turn up the volume. I have to crank my computer speakers just to hear what they're saying.

 

[Quick_Nick]

I guess I'll be back every 16 minutes to see if the hold has ended! :lol:
I don't really want to sit here for hours just to see a scrub.

I wish they would turn up the volume. I have to crank my computer speakers just to hear what they're saying.

And they are using both channels of audio too. (I'm hearing talking from just the right channel) Seems a little unnecessary.

 

[to be]

It sounds like they are powering down the FDS, which seems to me to indicate that a launch is unlikely.


-----Double Post Auto-Merged 2/8/2008 at 08 : 04 : 01-----


"when we step back into the procedure" ok, i take that back

 

[DaveS]

It sounds like they are powering down the FDS, which seems to me to indicate that a launch is unlikely.

It's FTS. They just need more time to prep the Helium system. They have not scrubbed!

 

[to be]

Ah, I misheard, glad to hear that. They say they expect to resume in 30mins.

 

[Andy44]

30 minute break. Well, we shall see.

 

[DaveS]

Not official yet, but based on reports from Kwaj, expected T-Zero is around 7pm PDT.

http://kwajrockets.blogspot.com/

 

[spcefrk]

I suspect you guys have seen this video of another Falcon 1 launch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CwuIQ9d5D8&eurl=http://kwajrockets.blogspot.com/

If you skip to the end, what's going on with the rapid gyration of the nozzle? I expected a little for thrust vectoring, but Near the end I started fearing the nozzle would snap off.

The heating is pretty wild too, but without coolant around the nozzle it seems pretty normal.

 

[DaveS]

I suspect you guys have seen this video of another Falcon 1 launch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CwuIQ9d5D8&eurl=http://kwajrockets.blogspot.com/

If you skip to the end, what's going on with the rapid gyration of the nozzle. I expected a little for thrust vectoring, but Near the end I started fearing the nozzle would snap off.

That's from Flight 2 last year.

The second stage Guidance, Navigation and Control(GN&C) tried to combat a severe sloshing effect of the LOX induced by a recontact of the Kestrel nozzle with the first stage interstage adapter during separation.

 

[Quick_Nick]

Webcast resumes!
EDIT: Webcast holding once again

 

[thomasantony]

Webcast to resume at 02:30 UTC

 

[Andy44]

induced by a recontact of the Kestrel nozzle with the first stage interstage adapter during separation

"Recontact" being a euphemism for "banged into".

Most of us watched that launch live whiel sitting on a thread in M6 just like this.

 

[spcefrk]

"Recontact" being a euphemism for "banged into".

Most of us watched that launch live whiel sitting on a thread in M6 just like this.

lol. Well, here's to hoping they have a better launch...

 

[DaveS]

The clock is holding at T-16 minutes. We are loaded to 97% and it is taking longer than expected to load the final 3%. To prevent fuel from getting too cold, we are detanking. Max will be back on-air at 7:00 PDT / 10:00 EDT / 02:00 UTC with further information. Updates will be posted here as available.

 

[ozone]

I didn't realize fuel could get too cold; how so?

 

[Quick_Nick]

Webcast hasn't 'resumed' yet.
And interestingly the hold is now for 55 minutes, not 16. I guess they're taking a big step back.