Falcon 9 and Dragon Updates

[rodsky]

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(With the most recent successful launch of the Falcon 9, I will now turn this thread into a continuous update thread for any Falcon-related launches and missions)

Falcon 9, SpaceX's rocket that could replace the space shuttle in transporting astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station, has just performed what techs are calling a "bullseye" test--successfully launching from Cape Kennedy, June 4, 2010, and hitting all the targeted parameters for a low-earth orbit insertion.

Story here:

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches - CNN.com

Here is a replay of a live feed of the launch. The media was not informed of the exact time of the launch, so all the TV coverage was in a "wait and see mode" during the event:

YouTube - Launch Of Falcon 9 At Cape Kennedy

This milestone comes two years after SpaceX's first milestone was achieved, and I posted that story here in iStorya.net... https://www.istorya.net/forums/politi...spacecorp.html

Elon Musk (founder of PayPal and owner of SpaceX) has a big smile on his face right now


Some infographics about the Falcon 9:


-RODION

[aztecrevolution]

pagka ngilngiga..

[lomotel]

the Russian Soyuz rocket is still by far the most reliable launch vehicle today

[rodsky]

the Russian Soyuz rocket is still by far the most reliable launch vehicle today

Mainly because of its age.

-RODION

[raven007]

wow kuyawa ani oi.....

[rodsky]

Not exactly "The Big Picture" at Boston.com, but still nice enough shots of the event:

Spaceflight Now | Falcon Launch Report | First Falcon 9 rocket blasts off

-RODION

[analog man]

kuyawa ani gud. mura'g space inquisition wars na sad ni.

[mr.a]

Naa 'sab ko screen captures kaganina... naa diri sa https://plus.google.com/u/0/10347690...ts/2SG6p87q62U

[rodsky]

[SpaceX] Launch of Falcon 9 & Dragon On Mission to International Space Station - YouTube Today's successful launch of Falcon 9 + Dragon.

[rodsky]

(from SpaceFlight Now)

Dragon is now about 100 kilometers (62 miles) behind the space station and 9.5 kilometers (5.9 miles) below the space station, mission control in Houston just radioed the crew.

Rendezvous procedures now are running about an hour late.

SpaceX and NASA are go for a height-adjustment burn at 3:58 a.m. EDT (0758 GMT). A so-called coelliptic burn will follow on the other side of the world 45 minutes later to place Dragon on course for its 1.6-mile fly-under of the space station.

The timeline calls for the communications test between the space station and Dragon to occur at 6:28 a.m. EDT (1028 GMT). The vehicles are linked via a system called the COTS UHF Communications Unit, or CUCU.

A command panel inside the space station is available for the crew to issue instructions to Dragon. Today's demo will be for the crew to command an external light on Dragon to turn on, verifying the link works. The system is required for the crew to order Dragon to hold, abort, and prepare for capture with the robotic arm.

HA burn to occur 2 minutes after I post this.

-RODION