SpaceX plans ocean platform landing

[hockeythug]

Wind shears over the Cape according to Musk on twitter.

 

[zbarni]

Wind shears over the Cape according to Musk on twitter.

Now it'll be truly like balancing a broomstick in the middle of a windstorm

 

[Pollux]

@chickensevil,

Why no legs?

Thanks,
Alan

Also in case anyone was curious the next launch (scheduled for the end of the month currently) will *not* have a landing attempt. There are no legs on that rocket.

 

[hockeythug]

@chickensevil,

Why no legs?

Thanks,
Alan

I believe its a pretty heavy payload.

 

[zbarni]

@chickensevil,

Why no legs?

Thanks,
Alan

As I know the rocket will have to carry so much weight that there wouldn't be any fuel to return so they won't install landing legs if it has no sense.

 

[chickensevil]

@chickensevil,

Why no legs?

Thanks,
Alan

Yeah sorry for the cliffhanger. It was a comment made during the NASA press event for this launch. Someone asked Hanz (I think that's his name) about the next launch and if they would get another landing attempt and I vaguely remember some comment about the payload being too heavy but distinctly remember his saying there wouldn't even be landing legs. So it is either payload size or the target orbit (or both) that is going to keep them from doing the landing attempts.

 

[Cosmacelf]

No legs due to payload being a pair of geosynchronous satellites, so no fuel left over for landing.

 

[JPP]

Launch scrubbed--very forceful upper atmospheric winds 150% of upper limits. Next try tomorrow Wed. same time. Note that this will coincide with TM quarterly earnings call--what will Elon do?

 

[chickensevil]

Launch scrubbed--very forceful upper atmospheric winds 150% of upper limits. Next try tomorrow Wed. same time. Note that this will coincide with TM quarterly earnings call--what will Elon do?

Elon isn't actually needed at the launch. He is needed as CEO on the ER. I think the choice is obvious.

 

[Grendal]

Elon isn't actually needed at the launch. He is needed as CEO on the ER. I think the choice is obvious.

I'd still be pretty distracted. If SpaceX nails the landing then I'd be pretty hard pressed not to give a whoop of joy over the accomplishment.

- - - Updated - - -

SpaceX, Air Force sign deal for landing pad at Cape

http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/565808/45th-space-wing-spacex-sign-first-ever-landing-pad-agreement-at-cape-canaveral.aspx

More information, straight from the Air Force.

 

[Robert.Boston]

The Tesla call has been shifted to 4:30 PST/7:30 EST, giving Elon time to be at both events.

 

[chickensevil]

The Tesla call has been shifted to 4:30 PST/7:30 EST, giving Elon time to be at both events.

For what it's worth, the weather conditions are currently at around a 90% likelihood of being favorable. Assuming no crazy last second aborts today should be the day!

SpaceX plans third DSCOVR launch attempt today

 

[hockeythug]

No landing attempt today. Per SpaceX:

SpaceX is still tracking towards a 6:03pm ET liftoff of DSCOVR, but unfortunately we will not be able to attempt to recover the first stage of the Falcon 9. The drone ship was designed to operate in all but the most extreme weather. We are experiencing just such weather in the Atlantic with waves reaching up to three stories in height crashing over the decks. Also, only three of the drone ship’s four engines are functioning, making station-keeping in the face of such wave action extremely difficult. The rocket will still attempt a soft landing in the water through the storm (producing valuable landing data), but survival is highly unlikely.

http://www.spacex.com/press/2015/02/11/dscovr-launch-update

 

[aznt1217]

No landing attempt today. Per SpaceX:



http://www.spacex.com/press/2015/02/11/dscovr-launch-update

Damn these guys can't catch a break

 

[freds]

Yeah and I think the next rocket is totally expendable with two sats to GEO...

 

[AudubonB]

On to Plan C, then. As follows: :wink:

1. We know that SpaceX has just leased the old launch pad at the north(?) end of Cape Canaveral....

and

2. We have the legendary feats of Wrong-Way Corrigan enshrined in avionics lore....


3. And so.........

 

[SW2Fiddler]

3. And so.........

...PROFIT?

 

[doug]

3. And so.........

...PROFIT?

 

[ecarfan]

At +9:48 the SpaceX announcer said "Stage 1 splashdown".

 

[hockeythug]

Musk on Twitter:

Rocket soft landed in the ocean within 10m of target & nicely vertical! High probability of good droneship landing in non-stormy weather.

I think they would have nailed it on Sunday.