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

[Grendal]

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.

 

[nwdiver]

Is Lightsail 2 going up on this FH launch?

 

[ecarfan]

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.

Is Lightsail 2 going up on this FH launch?

 

[ecarfan]

Info about Lightsail 2 at LightSail and LightSail 2 - Wikipedia

 

[bak_phy]

In that video Bill specifically states that is the case. Seems pretty clear. Exciting! I would guess that SpaceX is not charging the Lightsail group for the launch. They don’t have much money.

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

 

[ecarfan]

In that video Bill specifically states that is the case but he does not say when.

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...

 

[Grendal]

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.

 

[e-FTW]

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.

View attachment 267809

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?

 

[ecarfan]

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

 

[scaesare]

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

 

[morrisdl]

I would bet camera mount

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

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

Front license plate?

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

 

[scaesare]

Front license plate?

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

Camera... perfect.

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

 

[bak_phy]

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

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

 

[scaesare]

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

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

 

[bxr140]

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

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

 

[bak_phy]

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

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?

 

[bak_phy]

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

For proof in case of an accident

 

[ecarfan]

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?

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.

 

[Grendal]

Instagram photo of the roadster - official from Elon:

Instagram post by Elon Musk • Dec 22, 2017 at 6:47pm UTC