Launch News SpaceX Falcon Heavy Demo Mission (1330-1630 EST 6th Feb. 2018)

[Pipcard]

But it makes sense considering the CoG of a typical 4WD sports car.

I was wondering why it wasn't oriented perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal axis, but I guess it's because it couldn't fit in the fairing if it was perpendicular, and it wasn't designed to take the longitudinal loads if it was parallel.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

There's also the Top Gear upper stage idea. Also fails miserably, but even more spectacularly. I really want to know how you get a permit to do this, this is freaking awesome.

For many things it is much easier to ask for forgiveness afterwards rather than permission beforehand. :dry:

 

[Andy44]

For many things it is much easier to ask for forgiveness afterwards rather than permission beforehand. :dry:

Not when going to prison for building and flying a guided missile is the thing you are asking to be forgiven for LOL.

 

[Nicholas Kang]

It's OUT now! Finally, photos from SpaceX!

Any word if launch date set...?

Also remember reading article that Musk was planning a manned circumlunar flight using a Dragon capsule for late 2018 - in time for 50 th Anniversary of
Apollo 8.

Launch date has not been set. (I will update this thread's title with the correct launch date/time when released.) However, there are rumors that static fire might be delayed to January 2018. For the circumlunar flight, r/SpaceX Reddit and some online sources claim that it would happen in 2019 instead of the previous date (2018).

 

[dman]

They should have hired the Mythbusters to build the upper stage....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHUsGFGhfmk
...or not... :rofl:

Tried to do it several times - each time ended in epic fail

Myth was busted.......

 

[Kyle]

Vertical on LC-39A

 

[Kyle]

Static fire: 1/6/18

Launch NET: 1/15/18

 

[Andy44]

Wow, coming up fast!

 

[Thunder Chicken]

That's pretty ambitious. I'd bet on a slip for the launch date based on results of the static fire as this is probably the first time the entire stack has been fired together. Vibration analysis, ground service equipment integration checks, etc..

But maybe things will go well?

 

[RisingFury]

Is it close enough to the new year to count as fireworks if it explodes?

 

[Fabri91]

I just hope it doesn't blow up the pad.

 

[RisingFury]

Why is everyone always so worried about the pad? :lol:

 

[Linguofreak]

If a malfunctioning rocket destroys a pad on the first launch from that pad, it's cryptographically useful: a one-time pad.

 

[Kyle]

Plus it's LC-39A. Every space fan will cry if LC-39A gets blown up.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Plus it's LC-39A. Every space fan will cry if LC-39A gets blown up.

LC-39A can take care of itself. It handled Saturn Vs and several dozen shuttle launches. SpaceX doesn't utilize the crawler which would be quite the loss if that got blown up. The rest of it is a lot of steel and concrete civil work. It would be unfortunate if it got blown up but it's not alien technology that is irreplaceable. If it knocked the remainder of the RSS off it might actually be a win. :lol:

 

[GLS]

LC-39A can take care of itself. It handled Saturn Vs and several dozen shuttle launches. SpaceX doesn't utilize the crawler which would be quite the loss if that got blown up. The rest of it is a lot of steel and concrete civil work. It would be unfortunate if it got blown up but it's not alien technology that is irreplaceable. If it knocked the remainder of the RSS off it might actually be a win. :lol:

Even if they used the Crawler, it wouldn't be near the pad by launch time.

 

[Urwumpe]

I didn't count yet how often Russia had to repair the first launch pad... its still the first. Even if some parts are newer than the train that transports the rocket to the pad...

 

[Andy44]

Launch pads are built far away from other valuable stuff for good reasons.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Launch pads are built far away from other valuable stuff for good reasons.

NASA knows this, but I'm damned if I know why SpaceX put their hangar right on the crawler way next to the pad. The VAB is way over there for a reason Elon!

Even still, that hangar isn't hard to replace, but better siting might mean that they don't have to gamble whether it will be taken out or not.

 

[kerlix]

They're probably hoping it'll make it far enough into the sky and slightly out to sea before turning into a runaway bomb.

As for the test fire...well. Cross your fingers.

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