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SpaceX F9 - DART - SLC-4E

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Grendal

SpaceX Moderator
Moderator
Jan 31, 2012
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Santa Fe, New Mexico
Launch Date: November 24
Launch Window: 10:21pm PST (1:21am EST on the 24th, 06:21 UTC also on the 24th)
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Core Booster Recovery: ASDS (OCISLY)
Booster: B1063.3
Fairings: New
Mass: 684 kg (1,511 lbs)
Orbit: Heliocentric - Powered by 6.6 kW NEXT ion thruster

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, mission. DART is NASA’s first flight demonstration for planetary defense. The mission seeks to test and validate a method to protect Earth in case of an asteroid impact threat. The mission aims to shift an asteroid’s orbit through kinetic impact — specifically, by impacting a spacecraft into the smaller member of the binary asteroid system Didymos to change its orbital speed.

 
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129th Falcon 9 launch
70th Falcon 9 flight with a flight proven booster
– 74th re-flight of a booster
– 25th re-flight of a booster in 2021
– 95th booster landing
– 26th launch for SpaceX in 2021 (same as 2020)
– 18th SpaceX launch from SLC-
4E
– 115th orbital launch attempt of 2021
 
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Dr.ThomasZ on twitter:
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  • Informative
Reactions: 808?
Launch and landing all good- wasn't sure about the landing as the video cut out just as the landing legs deployed. 2nd Engine restart and escape of earth's orbit confirmed. another 20 min or so until spacecraft deploy. They sure make it all look routine
 
Seeing this in-person blew my mind.
That condensation cloud going across the frame is from one’s agape mouth that is entirely unable to produce a sound in reaction to the event that is unfolding…
This was an amazing full-body experience, I wish it on everyone here!
 

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Ha thank you. That explains it. For 610KG they have two probes. One that will crash into the asteroid and another that will take pictures of the collision and sent it back
I was wondering why SpaceX or NASA didn't put a kick stage onto the satellite to give it extra boost. Then someone more informed about such things pointed out that a kick stage would add more mass that could instead be used as fuel. SpaceX gave the satellites an extra full minute of burn after orbit. Lots of extra boost before separation.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: EVCollies
KE=0.5MV² vs p=mv vs F=ma vs
So what weight , what velocity, what density is optimal to do what DART will try to do?
Wikipedia has a great article on stopping power and the energy contained in projectiles of different weights at different velocities. I'm sure the NASA bods read it before contacting SpaceX :)
 
Given the extra minute of burn needed to give the extra push, after separation will they have enough fuel left in 2nd stage to de-orbit for re-entry and burn up?

How does the 2nd stage slow down for re-entry? do they do a flip maneuver before firing the engines?