SpaceX Falcon 9 FT launch - Iridium Next 11-20 - SLC-4E

[landis]

Agreed. Just create a new thread titled something like, "SpaceX launch information". It doesn't have to be sticky.

I posted a summary in the existing SpaceX Manifest thread with links to the threads for the first nine launches of 2017.
Also posted a list of maybe the next five from previous posts there. One already has its own thread.

Could make a wiki so whoever is active on here can update it with the most recent launch info

That would be a great idea, how does one create a wiki thread?

If you subscribe to the SpaceX sub-forum, you can get this functionality already without having a master launch thread. Plus then you get notifications when there's any new activity in threads you read, too.

Already do, no not exactly.

As i posted earlier, I already use "What's New" | "Unread Watched Threads" to keep up with known threads, and already use "What's New" | "Unread Posts (Watched)" to pick up new threads in the forums I watch, which yes of course includes the SpaceX forum.

Maybe I watch two many (busy) forums but there are so many notifications I find them unreliable (for picking up important threads to next launches. ;-)

It could work if I explicitly visited the SpaceX forum itself looking for threads more frequently.

Sometimes I pick up a next launch thread when @Grendal posts a note or link in a recent launch thread.
For example, coming up is: Intelsat 35e

 

[hockeythug]

I posted a summary in the existing SpaceX Manifest thread with links to the threads for the first nine launches of 2017.
Also posted a list of maybe the next five from previous posts there. One already has its own thread.


That would be a great idea, how does one create a wiki thread?



Already do, no not exactly.

As i posted earlier, I already use "What's New" | "Unread Watched Threads" to keep up with known threads, and already use "What's New" | "Unread Posts (Watched)" to pick up new threads in the forums I watch, which yes of course includes the SpaceX forum.

Maybe I watch two many (busy) forums but there are so many notifications I find them unreliable (for picking up important threads to next launches. ;-)

It could work if I explicitly visited the SpaceX forum itself looking for threads more frequently.

Sometimes I pick up a next launch thread when @Grendal posts a note or link in a recent launch thread.
For example, coming up is: Intelsat 35e

I think a mod has to do it.

 

[Sparky]

The launch was awesome! Since you can't see the pad from off base some people were tracking the countdown through their phones and when it got to zero, the crowd hushed and everyone just watched and waited. For about 3 seconds nothing happened from our point of view. Then the sound started to hit us and we could hear the roar of the rocket engines. A second later the F9 appeared above the hills blasting straight up!

Great pics and commentary. Thanks.
FWIW, yesterday was coming down the 5 after charging at the Bakersfield SC. My wife was driving, I was doing work on my laptop, internet-connected through my cell. My watch dings and says SpaceX Launch!. I cue up the webcast right at liftoff and watch the video of the F9 ascent and then about 60 secs in, I look off to my right and see this freakin' perfect plume in the blue sky! Then watch the freakin' booster POV landing, also in realtime. All while cruising at warp speed in my freakin' electric car!
It ain't the freakin' 20th century anymore!
(although my wife was not quite as excited, so I thought I'd share)

 

[Ulmo]

After reading a couple of online reports, apparently SpaceX's primary restriction to having closely timed launch dates is self imposed. Approximately 48 hours after the first launch, SpaceX engineers will have proactively completed a "quick-look data analysis" before green-lighting the second launch. Good reason, to rout out any potential future anomalies. I like it, part of their culture. SpaceX will just not assume they've topped the Falcon 9 launch learning curve and are constantly striving to improve. Looking forward to this weekend!

That is obviously the right thing to do in that context and something I'm way too impatient to do.

 

[Ulmo]

Weather was rough at the point of the natural arc destination. They had to move the drone ship away from a storm requiring a boost back to shorten the arc.

That's good to know they can do that.

 

[AudubonB]

Normally, a Moderator will frown on a double post but...just this once ....I'm not going to do anything about it.

Besides, it means y'all get to see my rather Audie-acious license plate. And learn why it's in this thread - ref. Sparky's post #63!

This is what I just posted in the "Model X Trip Reports" thread:



A very quick trip report:

P100D Model X through Death Valley at 122ºF/50ºC: YES! 5-Star success

After many years, I finally was able to figure out how to get to a TMC Connect event - I had to be in Reno NV some time this summer; I coordinated it so that it was just before Connect.

En route to Reno, I managed to be at the Beatty SpC on the longest and...so far....second-hottest day of the year. Hmmmm....what to do.....:;

So I charged ChittyChittyShushShush to 100 miles more than what the Nav App said I needed to make the run across Death Valley to the Lone Pine SpC. Started across at about 4:30pm - in other words, as locals know - the hottest part of the day.

When I got down to Stovepipe Wells, the (real - moving auto temps) thermo read 122º. The prior day, it had reached 125 either here or at Furnace Ck (normally, the latter gets the hottest temps). At any rate, I had to get out and confirm that indeed, the Hinges of Hell were all about. Wow. Einstein was really concerned!

Proceeding up the western ramp of DV was interesting. I kept A/C on high and was chewing through 1100Wh each mile. Although I'm sure the cooling unit was being taxed to its utmost, all continued to perform perfectly and ChittyChittyShushShush and I made it to Lone Pine with 58 miles remaining on the range reader.

This, however, was NOT the trip's highlight!

Sunday midday, after departing a fine TMC Connect, I was drowsily making my way south on Rte 101. At 1:25 or 1:26 (I did not look at the clock!), as I was between San Miguel and Paso Robles.....what the %$#@ is THAT!

A billowing ribbon of white smoke jetted into the sky and from it emerged an elongate orange-red streak....HOLY SMOKES! It's the SpaceX launch!!!!!

I couldn't believe my luck, and scarcely my eyes, but, well rejuvenated and by no means drowsy any more, I continued on my way. Never did I think I would be seeing that!

 

[ecarfan]

Audie, hilarious story! Glad you got to see the launch, even if from a long ways off. Here is an expanded version of my launch viewing experience My First Rocket Launch: There is No Substitute for Being There!

 

[Nikxice]

Besides, it means y'all get to see my rather Audie-acious license plate.

Great road trip story! Anyone else curious to learn who snagged the California SPACEX plate? How about another potentially Audie-acious 'wiki thread'? ..... This photo was preapproved by the family pet. Only 48 more states to go!

 

[jdevo2004]

At least pick up the dead cat you ran over before you take a picture of your car.

 

[AudubonB]

I've learned there is in Arizona a "SPACE X" plate. One of the several reasons ours is "SPACEX" is that Alaska limits personalized plates to a mere six characters, and spaces count as one of them. I'm considering emplacing an appropriately-sized dot before the "X". And also am thinking of modifying that final letter so that it resembles the swooshy one used by SpaceX.

Of course, another reason for that plate is that I have an X. And it's very Spacious.

 

[VolkerP]

If spaces are allowed, you could go with " X" in Alaska

 

[Grendal]

An amazing shot of the Iridium landing from SpaceX's Flickr:

 

[ecarfan]

Beautiful image. And confirming that the stage had significant horizontal velocity at touchdown, as it ended up off to the right side of the deck (from the point of view of the camera)

 

[Grendal]

Tons of detail on the Iridium Next plans and launches:

Iridium marks new satellite network, 20 healthy satellites & 55 more to launch | NASASpaceFlight.com

 

[Nikxice]

Tons of detail on the Iridium Next plans and launches:

Iridium marks new satellite network, 20 healthy satellites & 55 more to launch | NASASpaceFlight.com

Good to know that over 20 years ago they planned for the removal of 95 pieces of space junk (and potentially a lot more with collisions). Once the SpaceX launched Iridium Next satellites are in place, "The original satellite is then taken through a series of thruster firings to lower its orbit for a destructive reentry and disposal into Earth’s atmosphere."

I'm not sure how much time the original satellites have left, but I will miss having the opportunity to take a first timer outside during twilight and showing them a spectacular Iridium flare!

 

[swaltner]

I'm not sure how much time the original satellites have left, but I will miss having the opportunity to take a first timer outside during twilight and showing them a spectacular Iridium flare!

Interesting, I had never heard of an Iridium Flare. google was my friend and I came up with How to Find an Iridium Flare. "An Iridium flare is a specific type of satellite flare (also known as satellite glint) made when the antennas of an Iridium communication satellite reflect sunlight directly onto the surface of the Earth."

I'll have to try that out. I knew you could spot the ISS, but hadn't realized smaller satellites were also visible. My favorite ISS sighting was at the 15 minutes before a pre-dawn Space Shuttle launch. 15 minutes after the ISS flew over, the Shuttle launched, chasing after the ISS for a rendezvous.

 

[bxr140]

Good to know that over 20 years ago they planned for the removal of 95 pieces of space junk (and potentially a lot more with collisions).

It is a requirement that spacecraft place in LEO are deorbited within 25 years. Some can do it passively, some need to do it actively.

 

[Doug_G]

Yes the Iridium flares can be quite spectacular. Made quite an impression on the amateur astronomy community at first - especially when they were initially trying to figure out what the heck they were. Been around so long now that people don't pay much attention to them.

 

[Grendal]