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Falcon Heavy - 7&8 Reuse - Elon's Roadster Demo - LC-39A

Discussion in 'SpaceX' started by Grendal, Nov 2, 2017.

  1. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    #1 Grendal, Nov 2, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 6, 2018
    A little early but we now have a potential launch date.

    Launch Date: NET December 29th, Friday
    Launch window: TBD
    Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
    Landing type: RTLS for Side Boosters, ASDS for Center Core

    A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch on its first demonstration flight. The heavy-lift rocket is formed of three Falcon 9 rocket cores strapped together with 27 Merlin 1D engines firing at liftoff. Delayed from 3rd Quarter of 2015 and April, September and December 2016. Delayed from 1st Quarter 2017, 2nd Quarter 2017 and 3rd Quarter 2017. Delayed from November 2017. The two side cores are reused from Thaicom 8 and CRS 9 launches. This makes the Falcon Heavy entirely made of Block 3 type boosters, though possibly upgraded.

    Lots of details here: SpaceX aims for late-December launch of Falcon Heavy | NASASpaceFlight.com
    Falcon Heavy - Wikipedia
    Falcon Heavy

    The payload for this launch is currently unknown. This is a demonstration launch so there is no known official paid for payload. It is expected to be some demonstration payload that could be a "fun" or funny item.

    The first static fire should happen on December 15th. It is possible there will be more than one static fire.

    If the rest of the year continues as expected then this will be the 21st SpaceX launch of the year.
     
    • Informative x 5
  2. nwdiver

    nwdiver Well-Known Member

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    Is Lightsail 2 going up on this FH launch?

     
  3. ecarfan

    ecarfan Well-Known Member

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    #3 ecarfan, Nov 3, 2017
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2017
    In that video Bill specifically states that is the case but he does not say when. I would guess that SpaceX is not charging the Lightsail group for the launch. They don’t have much money.
     
  4. ecarfan

    ecarfan Well-Known Member

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  5. bak_phy

    bak_phy Member

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    That's really a great idea. A fun, reasonably cheap payload.
     
  6. ecarfan

    ecarfan Well-Known Member

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    Sorry, I did not phrase my post correctly. A more accurate statement would be “In that video Bill specifically states that Lightsail 2 will launch on a Falcon Heavy but he does not say if it will be on the first launch.” So we don’t know if it will be on the first FH launch or a subsequent launch.

    On the Planetary Society website at LightSail it states “As soon as Spring 2018, LightSail 2 will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.”

    So, maybe on the first launch...
     
  7. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    This is the FH launch thread.

    Launch Date: Sometime in January
    Launch window: TBD
    Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
    Landing type: RTLS for Side Boosters, ASDS for Center Core

    Payload will be Elon's Roadster. First pictures of the assembled rocket have been seen. Static fire to likely happen in December.

    FH.jpg
     
    • Like x 3
  8. e-FTW

    e-FTW New electron smell

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    Pretty interesting to check all kinds of details on those pics. Why are the center engines strapped to the side/top of the rocket? Is that load bearing for lifting on the transporter?
    Center core still using painted aluminum grid fins?
     
  9. ecarfan

    ecarfan Well-Known Member

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    Photo released by SpaceX. Yes, this is actually happening. :cool:

    C4B7AD47-6E22-472D-BF40-6360CEC569E5.jpeg
     
    • Funny x 6
    • Love x 4
  10. scaesare

    scaesare Well-Known Member

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    What's that object that appears to be attached around the front bumper area?
     
  11. morrisdl

    morrisdl Member

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    I would bet camera mount
     
  12. ItsNotAboutTheMoney

    ItsNotAboutTheMoney Well-Known Member

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    Front license plate? :p

    Or maybe a mount for the camera. You _know_ there's going to be a RoadsterInSpace picture feed.
     
  13. scaesare

    scaesare Well-Known Member

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    Camera... perfect.

    It needs an audio feed too... for listening to the Space Oddity track playing...
     
  14. bak_phy

    bak_phy Member

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    I'm not really sure how that's actually going to happen, given the whole space is a vacuum thing.
     
  15. scaesare

    scaesare Well-Known Member

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    My assumption is that we'd see it prior/during launch.
     
  16. bxr140

    bxr140 Active Member

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    A lift point. Could also end up as a camera mount.
     
  17. bak_phy

    bak_phy Member

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    That would be a fine compromise. Having it triggered by someone or thing opening the door would also be great. How long do Li-Ion batteries keep their charge near 0 Kelvin?
     
  18. bak_phy

    bak_phy Member

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    For proof in case of an accident :)
     
  19. ecarfan

    ecarfan Well-Known Member

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    Lithium batteries of the type in the Tesla Roadster likely won’t operate at all in the temperatures of space. But they won’t have to, and in my opinion the car’s battery pack has been removed and won’t be going to space anyway.
     
  20. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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