Author Topic: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday  (Read 2784 times)

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Online Elderberry

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Space.com By Tariq Malik 4/8/2019

SpaceX has postponed the launch of its first commercial Falcon Heavy mission from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida to no earlier than Wednesday (April 10).

"Now targeting Falcon Heavy launch of Arabsat-6A on Wednesday, April 10 – weather forecast improves to 80% favorable," SpaceX representatives wrote in a Twitter update today (April 9). Liftoff is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. EDT (2235 GMT) from NASA's historic Pad 39A at KSC. The launch window extends for just under 2 hours.

More: https://www.space.com/spacex-delays-falcon-heavy-arabsat-6a-launch.html


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https://www.inverse.com/article/54689-falcon-heavy-how-spacex-s-rocket-went-from-elon-musk-dream-to-first-launch

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It’s a breakthrough rocket that will hopefully enable more ambitious launches. It’s the most powerful in the world by far, generating over 5 million pounds of thrust to send up to 140,660 pounds to low Earth orbit. By comparison, the second-most-powerful operational rocket, the Delta IV, can only send up 49,740 pounds. Only the Saturn V, which last flew in 1973, beats the Falcon Heavy in terms of power by generating 7.6 million pounds of thrust.

For its size, the Falcon Heavy is also surprisingly economical. A single launch costs anywhere between $90 million to $150 million. That’s a fair bit pricier than the Falcon 9, which costs $67 million per launch, but buyers receive a far higher liftoff thrust to send up heavier satellites. The Delta IV, meanwhile, costs an eye-watering $350 million per launch.

Offline thackney

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Wow, $7k per pound to lift versus $1k.
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Falcon Heavy and Arabsat-6A are vertical on Launch Complex 39A. Currently targeting liftoff at 8:00 p.m. EDT; monitoring upper-level winds that could push us to the end of the window (8:32 p.m. EDT)

Offline InHeavenThereIsNoBeer

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I was wondering the other day why we launch from sea level.   I know there's advantages to getting closer to the equator and using an eastern sea coast, but the first foot of launch is the costliest, followed closely by the second.
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The countdown was reset for an 8 p.m. liftoff because of high winds aloft and then slipped to 8:32 p.m., the end of the window. But conditions did not improve enough to permit a safe launch and SpaceX scrubbed for the day. Another attempt is targeted for 6:35 p.m. Thursday, weather permitting.

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I was wondering the other day why we launch from sea level.   I know there's advantages to getting closer to the equator and using an eastern sea coast, but the first foot of launch is the costliest, followed closely by the second.

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The land at the equator is moving 1670 km per hour, and land halfway to the pole is only moving 1180 km per hour, so launching from the equator makes the spacecraft move almost 500 km/hour faster once it is launched.

You'd have to make up a whole lot of them feets to make up the velocity advantage from equatorial launches.

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Offline InHeavenThereIsNoBeer

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You'd have to make up a whole lot of them feets to make up the velocity advantage from equatorial launches.

But we don't launch from the equator.  Our launches are closer to that halfway to the pole point than they are to the equator.

Also, based on my very, very, limited knowledge of physics, I don't see how relative velocity means jack when the thick atmosphere rotating at pretty much the same speed as the earth "should" negate pretty much all of the benefits until the rocket is well off the ground and heading east.
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Offline thackney

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But we don't launch from the equator.  Our launches are closer to that halfway to the pole point than they are to the equator.

Also, based on my very, very, limited knowledge of physics, I don't see how relative velocity means jack when the thick atmosphere rotating at pretty much the same speed as the earth "should" negate pretty much all of the benefits until the rocket is well off the ground and heading east.

They are not after speed relative to atmosphere, but speed relative to the center of earth (gravity).

Also they want to not have a rocket fail over populated areas.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/why-does-nasa-launch-rockets-from-cape-canaveral-florida/70000391
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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2019, 10:29:26 pm »
T-00:12:00
« Last Edit: April 11, 2019, 10:30:24 pm by Elderberry »

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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2019, 10:45:10 pm »
My YouTube live feed went to an ad at T-0:01!   9999hair out0000

Commenters on the YouTube link are screaming mad!
« Last Edit: April 11, 2019, 10:51:23 pm by Cyber Liberty »
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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2019, 10:55:00 pm »
All 3 first stages, 2 boosters and center, landed beautifully.

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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2019, 11:01:11 pm »
My YouTube live feed went to an ad at T-0:01!   9999hair out0000

Commenters on the YouTube link are screaming mad!
@Cyber Liberty
Backup the video and watch the launch here:https://www.spacex.com/webcast

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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #14 on: April 11, 2019, 11:28:59 pm »
@Cyber Liberty
Backup the video and watch the launch here:https://www.spacex.com/webcast

Thanks!  I can't believe YouTube did that!
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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #15 on: April 11, 2019, 11:30:45 pm »
All 3 first stages, 2 boosters and center, landed beautifully.

I saw the 2 boosters land (they forgot to preempt it with ads).  That was cool as heck, I'll never get tired of watching that.
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Offline InHeavenThereIsNoBeer

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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #16 on: April 12, 2019, 12:18:00 am »
They are not after speed relative to atmosphere, but speed relative to the center of earth (gravity).

Also they want to not have a rocket fail over populated areas.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/why-does-nasa-launch-rockets-from-cape-canaveral-florida/70000391

I get those two points.

As I understand it, as a rocket gains altitude, conservation of angular momentum would dictate that it would decelerate, causing a change in the relative velocity wrt the earth, and this would increase as you approach the equator.  My comment about atmosphere is that some of the gain you get will be negated by the atmosphere causing an acceleration in the opposite direction.  Since the atmosphere is thickest near sea level, if my assumption is true then the effects would be greatest at sea level, and the effect would be at the point when you are carrying the heaviest load.

It's just idle curiousity.  I was thinking about space elevators and all the potential problems/dangers and that led to wondering about a hybrid approach for launches and that led me to wonder if launching from sea level makes (economic) sense in the first place.


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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #17 on: April 12, 2019, 12:31:45 am »
@InHeavenThereIsNoBeer  I always assumed Florida was the place for the early manned launches because it's southern-most section of the Coast where down-range is almost all ocean.   :shrug:
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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #18 on: April 12, 2019, 12:46:35 am »
I get those two points.

As I understand it, as a rocket gains altitude, conservation of angular momentum would dictate that it would decelerate, causing a change in the relative velocity wrt the earth, and this would increase as you approach the equator.  My comment about atmosphere is that some of the gain you get will be negated by the atmosphere causing an acceleration in the opposite direction.  Since the atmosphere is thickest near sea level, if my assumption is true then the effects would be greatest at sea level, and the effect would be at the point when you are carrying the heaviest load.

It's just idle curiousity.  I was thinking about space elevators and all the potential problems/dangers and that led to wondering about a hybrid approach for launches and that led me to wonder if launching from sea level makes (economic) sense in the first place.

Why Aren't Rockets Launched From Higher Altitudes?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/01/04/why-arent-rockets-launched-from-higher-altitudes/#5eed1ca83221

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Are there reasons we have not built rocket launch pads in high altitude places such as Colorado? originally appeared on Quora: the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights.

Answer by C Stuart Hardwick, Award-Winning Scifi Author, on Quora:

Are there reasons we have not built rocket launch pads in high altitude places such as Colorado?

Yes, there are.

Seems like a simple way to save a mile's worth of fuel vs. sea-level launch sites.

Indeed. Which is exactly why we don’t do it.

When launching a spacecraft, a number of challenges come into play, including but not limited to:

    Lifting it into space.
    Accelerating the payload up to orbital speed so it can stay in space.
    Fighting gravity during the time it takes to do 1 and 2.
    Fighting air resistance during the time it takes to do 1 and 2.
    What happens to anything dropped down range immediately after launch?
    Launch pad logistics (getting fuel to the pad, etc.)
    Launch vehicle transport logistics (getting the payload, stages, boosters, etc. to the launch site.)

Launching from a mountaintop—even from the summit of Everest—would cut less than 10% of the cost off what is already the cheapest item on the list—the uphill climb. In exchange for this modest boost, infrastructure and management costs would skyrocket, and rail and seaway transit would no longer be available.

Even if that weren’t the case, you have to consider what’s downrange. Downrange is usually to the east, because that way the rocket starts out moving (at our latitude) about 700 miles per hour do to the Earths rotation. The energy needed to accelerate a spacecraft by that much is far, far greater than the amount needed to merely lift it a mile or two.

More at link

Offline InHeavenThereIsNoBeer

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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #19 on: April 12, 2019, 12:50:49 am »
@InHeavenThereIsNoBeer  I always assumed Florida was the place for the early manned launches because it's southern-most section of the Coast where down-range is almost all ocean.   :shrug:

And warm weather most of the year, and within the States (since everything about launches was probably kept as a big secret during the space race, as well as many things today) and coastal property that wasn't heavily populated (A/C being relatively rare).  And now there's a lot of "institutional inertia", politics, and localized supporting industry in its favor.

I just wonder how much all of that costs ($/kg) due to launching at sea level.
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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #20 on: April 12, 2019, 12:56:49 am »
Why Aren't Rockets Launched From Higher Altitudes?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/01/04/why-arent-rockets-launched-from-higher-altitudes/#5eed1ca83221

Wow, thanks.

I always thought the biggest cost was that you were carrying fuel to lift the fuel to lift the fuel to lift the fuel... to lift the payload.
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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #21 on: April 12, 2019, 01:14:30 am »
Why Aren't Rockets Launched From Higher Altitudes?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/01/04/why-arent-rockets-launched-from-higher-altitudes/#5eed1ca83221

That's an awesome article!  I knew about minding the down-range concerns (all the 60's manned launches dropped a stage or so in the drink), but never considered the infrastructure necessary to get a loaded rocket to the launch site.
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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #22 on: April 12, 2019, 01:31:18 am »
That's an awesome article!  I knew about minding the down-range concerns (all the 60's manned launches dropped a stage or so in the drink), but never considered the infrastructure necessary to get a loaded rocket to the launch site.

I had a co-worker who worked with range safety on the Atlas-Centaur. They were blowing up rockets, launch after launch, and they coudn't understand what the failures were caused by. Until they installed a number of video cameras inside the vehicle. Then on the next launch they saw all sorts or items flying around inside. Tools, coke cans, lunch bags, who knows what.
After that discovery the Atlas-Centaur has been the most reliable vehicle since.

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Re: SpaceX Delays 1st Commercial Launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket to Wednesday
« Reply #23 on: April 12, 2019, 04:58:57 pm »
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/spacexs-falcon-heavy-to-launch-with-its-first-real-payload-2019-04-11

Quote
The satellite, Arabsat-6A, was built on a Lockheed Martin Corp platform. Arabsat-6A will deliver television, radio, Internet, and mobile communications to customers in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, SpaceX said.

SpaceX plans to launch its next Falcon Heavy later this year on a mission for the U.S. Air Force. The boosters for that flight may be recycled from this one.

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