SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space station

Discussion in 'Science and Technology' started by RAMA, Apr 17, 2012.

  1. gturner

    gturner Admiral

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    I just read it in Baghdad Bob's voice and it's pretty funny. :)
     
  2. Byeman

    Byeman Lieutenant Junior Grade Red Shirt

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    Actually, it is you with his head up Griffin's ass.

    You are only second to Gaetano Marano in spreading nonsense and lies in spaceflight forums.
     
  3. Robert Maxwell

    Robert Maxwell memelord Premium Member

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    Given this and your subsequent posts, I have given you an infraction for flaming but I could have also given one for spamming. I cautioned you before about this.

    I would normally say "comments to PM," but you don't have enough posts to use private messages yet. In light of that, you can email me at gorzek (at) gmail (dot) com if you wish to discuss further.

    Everyone else: stop the dogpiling or I'll hand out more infractions. Discuss the topic of the thread, not individual posters.
     
  4. Crazy Eddie

    Crazy Eddie Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    So was I.
     
  5. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

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  6. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    Yep, got my webcast feeds already to go.
     
  7. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    Well, the launch was perfect, but there's something wrong with the Dragon capsule. No word on whether it's a mission failure at this point or the nature of the problem. Press conference in a couple hours should reveal more.
     
  8. YellowSubmarine

    YellowSubmarine Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    That sucks. I hope it recovers. Solar array deployment trouble?
     
  9. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    3 of 4 thrusters are being inhibited by the flight computer for some reason. the byproduct is that solar arrays won't deploy until at least 2 thruster units are operational. The solar arrays aren't much of an issue, they have 18 hours of battery life on board.

    So the issue is getting the thrusters online before they miss critical maneuvers needed to rendezvous with ISS.
     
  10. YellowSubmarine

    YellowSubmarine Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    Ah. Anyway, the solar arrays were deployed. I think they got a second thruster pod online, judging by Elon's tweets, but I can't tell.

    Edit: Apparently they did. Two more to go.
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2013
  11. gturner

    gturner Admiral

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    "Initializing thrusters..."

    * a little hour-glass just sits there, occassionally turning over. *

    * Elon right-clicks on the task bar, pulls up task manager, kills the thruster processes, and then goes to Control Panel-> Administrative Tools-> Services -> Thrusters, right-clicks and selects "Start". *

    All better now.
     
  12. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    ^hehe.

    They use Linux on board though.
     
  13. gturner

    gturner Admiral

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    Well, that's why the fix worked.

    If they used Windows the Dragon's orbit would decay and it would crash into the ocean months before Microsoft technical support would admit they had an issue.
     
  14. Crazy Eddie

    Crazy Eddie Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    As of 30 minutes ago, all four thruster pods operating normally. Pretty sure they made the window for transfer to station rendezvous orbit, so they should still be on schedule.

    If so, this is the second time in a row they've had a major glitch in the flight and the second time in a row they have managed to correct it without so much as a minor delay.
     
  15. Mark_Nguyen

    Mark_Nguyen Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    Not quite - space.com is reporting that they may have to move the scheduled docking from tomorrow to Sunday. Not a HUGE problem, but there's fresh fruit on board! :P

    Mark
     
  16. YellowSubmarine

    YellowSubmarine Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    They let the fruit spoil? Next up Wikipedia designates the mission a partial failure. Serves SpaceX right for their sloppy performance.
     
  17. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    Yeah, the fix came way too late for rendevous tomorrow. That was off the table pretty early in. Sunday is a good bet if NASA and SpaceX are comfortable that the issue is settled as far as safety is concerned..
     
  18. Mark_Nguyen

    Mark_Nguyen Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    In any case, I didn't know they could get to the ISS in a day now? The Shuttle and Soyuz are usually a two-day trip to get there...

    Mark
     
  19. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    Technically, with the right timing and accuracy, you could get there in hours. Caution would prohibit such a rapid approach though for just such a reason as we saw today.
     
  20. YellowSubmarine

    YellowSubmarine Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: SpaceX is a go for April 30th: 1st commercial launch to space stat

    Then again, if you were trying to get there in hours the thrusters would attempt to go online even when the computer tells you not to, possibly by defaulting to cycling the oxidizer valves or something, because risking the cargo is less important than risking the station, and there would be a dumb emergency source of thrust to get you out of the orbit as quick as possible should the need arise.