Launch News SpaceX Falcon 9 Return to Flight with 11 Orbcomm-2 satellites, December 21/22, 2015

[Thunder Chicken]

Q: Why would additional chilling of LOX allow for increased performance during launch? Musk stated they were chilling the LOX to record temperatures for a launch for this reason.

I'm talking out of my hat, haven't checked on this, but I think it is to increase the propellant to structure mass ratio. The dV of the stage goes with the natural log of this ratio.

 

[kerlix]

Probably to increase the density of the LOX. Higher Density, greater performance. At least that would be my guess.

 

[Ripley]

IIRC, the colder LOX allows for loading more of it into the tanks...but I could be wrong.

 

[Urwumpe]

IIRC, the colder LOX allows for loading more of it into the tanks...but I could be wrong.

Exactly that - also it reduces boil-off. The Russians did the same with Soyuz at one point.

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20050203875.pdf

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I wonder if they named the landing pad?

I think they should name it "Stop trying to hit me and HIT ME!"

---------- Post added at 07:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:37 PM ----------

Streams are up.

http://livestream.com/spacex/events/4600161

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5bTbVbe4e4

Show's on!

 

[Urwumpe]

Sooo... livestream is up, how do you think will the landing end today?

 

[C3PO]

I'm betting it will make contact with some part of the planet.

 

[Urwumpe]

Livestream down for me.

EDIT: Back again.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Sooo... livestream is up, how do you think will the landing end today?

I think they'll get it to touch down right on the X. The only thing I sweat is those legs. They just don't see sturdy enough to accommodate any abuse. I'm 50/50 on this. If it lands, it will land right on the X. If it tips and explodes, it will do it right on the X.

That's my call.

---------- Post added at 08:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:20 PM ----------

Is being a hipster a job requirement at SpaceX?

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

So (ahem) while everyone focuses on the lower part of the F9, lemme fill in the details of the rest that absolutely no one will care, not (quite) even by the boss of the company that the satellites on board come from!

The passengers today are 11 satellites of the new 2nd generation Orbcomm satellites. One of the biggest players in the Low Earth Orbit communication constellation market around the millennium, this Orbital Sciences-spun-out company managed to withstand the market collapse (mainly due to that they target more on the ship and vehicle tracking/remote asset telemetry market than voice messages). Well, their fleet dates back to the late-1990s so the company ordered 18 new satellites from Sierra Nevada Corp. (famous for their Dreamchaser) several years ago.

Originally they went to SpaceX for buying Falcon 1 flights - well the plan changed quite a lot and the 1st of them was dumped into not quite a good orbit while piggybacked on the CRS-1 Dragon back in 2012. 7 more were launched July last year after a 2 month struggle at the pad.

:tiphat:

....and the weather:

Weather Forecast for Titusville, Florida on December 21, 2015 (9 p.m.)

Cloudy. Low around 20C. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 km/h.

Time|Temps|Dew Point|Relative Humidity|Precip|Snow|Cloud cover|Pressure|Wind|Weather
9 PM|23°C|21°C|88%|0%|0%|30%|1022 hPa|16 km/h SE|

Partly Cloudy

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Livestream down for me.

EDIT: Back again.

Youtube seems to have a really solid stream if you can access it.

 

[Andy44]

Sooo... livestream is up, how do you think will the landing end today?

I'm not overly optimistic. Hope to be proven wrong.

 

[GLS]

First stage (ascent) burn complete.

 

[Urwumpe]

Is being a hipster a job requirement at SpaceX?

Only for management. Many of my managers look the same, straight from university, passed trainee program, no clue about software development processes, project management or cost calculations.


...


T-8 Seconds and the stream is dead again. Is the NSA reading my internet traffic again? Oh no, all internet outside Germany gone, looks like something is messing with the DNS system here today.

 

[llarian]

Beautiful launch. Good Livestream throughout for me. Wonder why there doesn't seem to be a camera on the first stage? Glowing image of engine cone does get a little boring.

But ... Go BABY !!!

 

[GLS]

About 2 minutes for the 1º stage to land.

 

[Andy44]

Is being a hipster a job requirement at SpaceX?

Seriously. How about wearing a shirt and tie to represent an engineering firm on live TV? Everybody wants to adopt the Silicon Valley slacker vibe.

And while you're at it, shut those people in the lobby up. Yelling and hooting like you're at a hockey game is unprofessional. And looks bad if the thing blows up.

 

[GLS]

2º rocket landing!

 

[llarian]

What a Landing back on the landing pad!!!

Success is what it is !!!

 

[Andy44]

Holy &%$# they did it!