SpaceX F9 - TESS - SLC-40

[SMAlset]

Boring no way! That's the other Elon venture.

Fairing deployed (falling away on the right photo):

And Of Course I Still Love You always exciting:

Deployment of TESS

Can't wait to see what TESS reveals to us down the road.

 

[HVM]

Nasa acquired signal and TESS has deployed both its solar panels.
TESS power positive, and The Deep Space Network have also TESS in line, for long range data.

 

[e-FTW]

Anyone with the NASA replay on-hand?

 

[Grendal]

Anyone with the NASA replay on-hand?

It's here. Just play with the time until you find the launch. After the payload is released they flip through about seven different angles on the launch. Very cool.

 

[Nikxice]

We'll all take booring, because a boring SpaceX is a safe SpaceX. Prior to yesterday's launch I read about the TESS mission on Spaceflight Now. One sentence struck me as a bit off, SpaceX would be attempting to land the Falcon 9 booster on OCISLY. Maybe it's hangover from the FH core miss, but 'attempting' seems out of step with F9 landings in 2018. I'm pretty sure SpaceX dropped the term 'experimental' when referencing F9 booster landings about two years ago. Refining might be a better description. It'll probably take a few more years for a cultural shift to evolve that accepts rockets that the average Joe would be willing to fly. I think SpaceX is working to effect this change with proven hardware and given time the aviation media will follow. Otherwise, in the future I wonder who might be interested in purchasing those BFR/BFS tickets for flights that only make landing attempts?

 

[Cosmacelf]

We'll all take booring, because a boring SpaceX is a safe SpaceX. Prior to yesterday's launch I read about the TESS mission on Spaceflight Now. One sentence struck me as a bit off, SpaceX would be attempting to land the Falcon 9 booster on OCISLY. Maybe it's hangover from the FH core miss, but 'attempting' seems out of step with F9 landings in 2018. I'm pretty sure SpaceX dropped the term 'experimental' when referencing F9 booster landings about two years ago. Refining might be a better description. It'll probably take a few more years for a cultural shift to evolve that accepts rockets that the average Joe would be willing to fly. I think SpaceX is working to effect this change with proven hardware and given time the aviation media will follow. Otherwise, in the future I wonder who might be interested in purchasing those BFR/BFS tickets for flights that only make landing attempts?

Yes, but a BFR landing would be on a fixed permanent structure. Drone ship landings are 300 km out in the ocean on a relatively small, moveable, pitching and yawing barge. Yesterday’s landing was in incredibly smooth waters, but that’s not the norm. 6+ foot waves are more common making such endeavors, “attempts”.

 

[Nikxice]

Yes, but a BFR landing would be on a fixed permanent structure. Drone ship landings are 300 km out in the ocean on a relatively small, moveable, pitching and yawing barge. Yesterday’s landing was in incredibly smooth waters, but that’s not the norm. 6+ foot waves are more common making such endeavors, “attempts”.

Your point is well taken, but here's a quote from Spaceflight Now on 1/7/18, the day prior to the Zuma mission launch. "Falcon 9 is 9-for-9 on landing attempts at Cape Canaveral". Spaceflight Now is still referencing all F9 booster landings as "attempts", even though SpaceX has never experienced a failure when landing a booster on hardpack. I suppose a question to ask might be, when does the speculative nature of the word "attempts" get removed or at least modified in the reporting?

 

[mongo]

Your point is well taken, but here's a quote from Spaceflight Now on 1/7/18, the day prior to the Zuma mission launch. "Falcon 9 is 9-for-9 on landing attempts at Cape Canaveral". Spaceflight Now is still referencing all F9 booster landings as "attempts", even though SpaceX has never experienced a failure when landing a booster on hardpack. I suppose a question to ask might be, when does the speculative nature of the word "attempts" get removed or at least modified in the reporting?

Wild speculation: there is no mission requirement for the landing to happen, so they can abort to the ocean for any reason. Once there is a BFS with people, then it could still be an attempt if the ship can abort, gain altitude, and then retry. Otherwise, there will be a landing. Even then, they could still keep the 'attempt' wording due to the concept that you don't know if it will be a landing until after it occurs, as it could turn into a crash.

Interestingly, the Shuttle had landing attempts also, but the landing extended all the way to de-orbit so that is less relevant...
NASA Skips First Space Shuttle Landing Attempt Today

 

[Nikxice]

Interestingly, the Shuttle had landing attempts also, but the landing extended all the way to de-orbit so that is less relevant...
NASA Skips First Space Shuttle Landing Attempt Today

Yes, the entire approach should also be reflected. Considering the fate of Columbia in 2003, once de-orbiting is commenced, continuing through the landing phase, this process would likely never have qualified STS landing descriptions as anything other than attempts.

 

[ecarfan]

Yes, but a BFR landing would be on a fixed permanent structure. Drone ship landings are 300 km out in the ocean on a relatively small, moveable, pitching and yawing barge. Yesterday’s landing was in incredibly smooth waters, but that’s not the norm. 6+ foot waves are more common making such endeavors, “attempts”.

Agreed, and I believe in the SpaceX webcast for this mission Laura Lyons used the word “attempt” when referring to the stage landing on OCISLY.

Too bad that the OCISLY onboard video cam feed failed a moment before touchdown. But at least we saw the view from the stage as it kissed the deck, in the bullseye!

24 successful stage landings. They still blow me away when I watch one happen.

 

[Electroman]

In fact I think this is the best bulls eye landing. Perhaps +- 1 meter or even less.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Was it just me, or did the grid fins seem to be operating at about double speed compared to previous landing attempts? There were a lot of very fast corrections....

 

[Grendal]

For those that enjoy fun conversation about the launch, here is the Everyday Astronaut (ex)livestream of the launch:

 

[Grendal]

TESS booster landing:

 

[ecarfan]

Love the high speed version. And the venting at the end.

TESS booster landing:

 

[Grendal]

The TESS booster has arrived back in port this morning. It came into port with the Octograbber holding the booster stable on the ASDS. So this is the first confirmed use of the octograbber.

 

[Grendal]

10 minute video showing the B1045 booster in port. It's in fantastic shape. Octograbber and fairing shown.

 

[Nikxice]

10 minute video showing the B1045 booster in port. It's in fantastic shape. Octograbber and fairing shown.

I see the fairing on the deck, but does anyone know for sure that the Octograbber technique actually worked? It seems odd that there's been no confirmation from Elon. A few weeks ago he posted a running commentary of the attempted capture event on Twitter during the Iridium-5 mission.

 

[ecarfan]

Interesting article in Ars Technica explaining the TESS “lunar resonant” orbit. NASA’s new planet finder is in space. Now what?

 

[scaesare]

I see the fairing on the deck, but does anyone know for sure that the Octograbber technique actually worked? It seems odd that there's been no confirmation from Elon. A few weeks ago he posted a running commentary of the attempted capture event on Twitter during the Iridium-5 mission.

I believe the octograbber=Roomba... The booster securing robot aboard the ASDS's.

Are you thinking of Mr. Steven, the giant claw/net boat trying to catch fairings?