Launch News SpaceX Falcon 9 F3 COTS2+ Updates

[IronRain]

Spaceflight Now:

Dragon's laser ranging instrument, called a LIDAR system, and the capsule's thermal imager appear to working as expected, but the big test won't come until Friday's final rendezvous with the International Space Station. The sensors will then be called upon to feed precise range and relative velocity data to Dragon's flight computer and guidance system.

 

[Codz]

Hopefully things go as well at berthing as they did on launch.

 

[mojoey]

Hopefully things go as well at berthing as they did on launch.

Fail the first attempt, nail the second?

 

[RisingFury]

And just a day ago, this thread couldn't shed its depression. Talk about mood swings!

 

[N_Molson]

... and its not over

 

[Donamy]

Just shows, you can't keep good people down, in spite of their politicians.

 

[Codz]

I've got to say, seeing such a successful initial launch eased some of my initial skepticism about it.

 

[orb]

Launch photos & post-launch media briefings

Launch photos from NASA:

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Click on images to enlarge​

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Media briefings:

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NASA Administrator Charles Bolden post-launch media statement:

NASA:

• RELEASE : 12-160 - SpaceX Dragon Transports Student Experiments to Space Station
  
  
• RELEASE : 12-164 - Statement by John P. Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, On Launch of Falcon 9 Rocket and Dragon Spacecraft

SPACE.com:

• Voices: Spaceflight Experts Hail SpaceX Private Capsule Launch Success
  
  
• Private Rocket Launch Vindicates Commercial Spaceflight Model
  
  
• Ashes of Star Trek's 'Scotty' Ride Private Rocket Into Space
  
  
• How to See SpaceX's Private Space Capsule in the Night Sky

collectSPACE: Pioneering astronaut's ashes ride into orbit with trailblazing private spacecraft

Florida Today: Falcon 9 carried human remains into space

Parabolic Arc: Successful Launch Kicks Off Ambitious Mission

Discovery News: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Soars on 2nd Try

Aviation Week: SpaceX ISS Resupply Mission Off To Successful Start

The Planetary Society Blog: SpaceX successfully launches Dragon into orbit

 

[N_Molson]

Those photographs are real artwork :blink:

Do you know where the "yellow-green halo" that engulfs the capsule comes from on the last pic ? Picture artifact or gases released by the ignition ?

 

[zerofay32]

Those photographs are real artwork :blink:

Do you know where the "yellow-green halo" that engulfs the capsule comes from on the last pic ? Picture artifact or gases released by the ignition ?

Judging by the location and shape, its a reflection of the light from the engines bouncing off the digital camera sensor and bouncing off the lens elements back into the sensor. A common issue with digital lowlight photography. You can see it in some of the other photos as well. The color change can be caused by coatings used on the lens elements, the shift caused from several air-glass-air transitions, or the color of the filters on the sensor itself which usually are blue green.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Well, the word "awesome" is thrown around a lot these days.

However, in this case...... :thumbup:

 

[orb]

A couple more photos from NASA:

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Universe Today: Spectacular SpaceX Launch Opens Historic New Era in Spaceflight

Spaceflight Now: Dragon circling Earth after flawless predawn blastoff

 

[orb]

NASASpaceflight: SpaceX’s Dragon already achieving key milestones following Falcon 9 ride:

Preliminary results are showing SpaceX’s Falcon 9 enjoyed a nominal ride uphill – with no issues – prior to deploying the Dragon spacecraft on orbit. So as not to let down its ride, Dragon then passed several major – and new – milestones, including the deployment of both solar arrays, and the opening of its GNC door, as the vehicle now chases its prize, a date with the ISS.

{...}

SPACE.com: SpaceX's Private Rocket Launch Just Step 1 of Tough Test Flight

 

[anemazoso]

Anybody have any info on the abort burn and pulsed burn tests?

 

[mbartley]

For a little while after 2nd stage ignition, it looked like there was some liquid dripping away from the hardware in the foreground of the main engine nozzle. Just melting ice?

Also regarding 2nd stage, in another forum someone asked what that small object in the center of the video that occasionally pivoted rapidly. I'm guessing that's a gas generator exhaust nozzle, being vectored for maneuvering?

 

[orb]

Universe Today: A Look Inside the Dragon Capsule, Now in Orbit

An automated image taken from inside SpaceX's Dragon capsule after launch. Credit: SpaceX​

 

[DanM]

! I missed the launch!

Hopefully I won't be in school during docking.

 

[astrosammy]

View from SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft looking outward at one of two solar array panels in the process of deploying.

 

[T.Neo]

Also regarding 2nd stage, in another forum someone asked what that small object in the center of the video that occasionally pivoted rapidly. I'm guessing that's a gas generator exhaust nozzle, being vectored for maneuvering?

Yup- the MVac gas generator exhaust is used for roll control of the second stage.

 

[mojoey]

For our ADD members