SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virigin Galactic and other Private Space Companies Thread

[kevindavis007]

Yeah, I remember those "discussions" too.  Between those and Willie Greene's Choo-Choos they got to be quite entertaining. 

I kinda missed those "discussions"

[Cyber Liberty]

I kinda missed those "discussions"

Me too.  I think Willie shifted off the mortal coil, but I like to keep things alive.

[kevindavis007]

Me too.  I think Willie shifted off the mortal coil, but I like to keep things alive.

Well tomorrow is going to be very interesting.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVIs1bnIcCY

[Elderberry]

Virgin Orbit provides more details about what went right with its first launch demo

Tech Crunch by Darrell Etherington 5/27/2020

https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/27/virgin-orbit-provides-more-details-about-what-went-right-with-its-first-launch-demo/

Virgin Orbit performed a demonstration of its full launch system on Monday, and while it didn’t go quite as planned, with the mission cut short just a few seconds after Virgin’s LauncherOne separated from its Cosmic Girl carrier aircraft, the company says it still learned a lot — and a lot went right, too.

Spaceflight is tough stuff, and it’s actually pretty common for a new spacecraft to not quite get everything right on its first time out. SpaceX took four tries with its original Falcon 1 rocket to make it to space, for instance. Test flights are tests for a reason, and Virgin Orbit notes that it actually did ace a lot of the aspects of the test, including launch-vehicle release, the controlled drop after that release point, igniting the rocket on LauncherOne and even the first couple of seconds of powered flight after that — all of which it says proves out the viability of its launch model.

Meanwhile, Virgin Orbit says that this test did prove a number of important things about its approach to launching spacecraft. First, that its mobile, flexible ground operating system that can launch outside of U.S. federal ranges works as designed. Second, that its autonomous flight safety system works as designed to protect the safety of the general public. Also, this is the first time that Cosmic Girl and LauncherOne have flown with liquid oxygen fuel on board, so this is a verification that its fuel containment system works. And, as mentioned, the LauncherOne release and initial flight matched simulations perfectly, so Virgin Orbit knows that part of the system is well-designed.

More at link.

[Elderberry]

SpaceX At Two Starship Per Month Construction Rate

nextBIG Future by Brian Wang | May 27, 2020

https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2020/05/spacex-at-two-starship-per-month-construction.html

SpaceX has started building its seventh Starship prototype. This is the second Starship construction start in May. They now have four Starship prototypes under active testing or construction. SN4 is being prepared for a test flight. SN4 has passed tank pressurization tests that show it could withstand the pressures needed to fly to orbit.

SpaceX is started two Starship prototype construction in May, 2020. SN6 and SN7 had construction starts in May. SN5 was started in April.

Elon Musk indicated that SpaceX would build two Starships every week in 2021.

[Elderberry]

Starship SN4 static fire LIVE from Boca Chica

3,953 watching now

•Started streaming 35 minutes ago

NASASpaceflight
71.3K subscribers

SpaceX is set to perform another static fire test with the Starship SN4 prototype at their Boca Chica, Texas launch site. If successful, today's test would be another step forward towards the planned 150-meter hop test.


Error 404 (Not Found)!!1

[Elderberry]

SN4 Kablooey


Michael Sheetz
@thesheetztweetz
·
3m
The SpaceX Starship rocket prototype SN4 exploded after an engine test this afternoon in Texas.

https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1266442557107699718?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

[Cyber Liberty]

Ooops.

[EdinVA]

SN4 Kablooey


Michael Sheetz
@thesheetztweetz
·
3m
The SpaceX Starship rocket prototype SN4 exploded after an engine test this afternoon in Texas.

https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1266442557107699718?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Yikes... Well, that is why they test..

[Elderberry]

My son said he could feel it in the tents. I don't know how far away that is. And he said he'll be part of the crew to rebuild the test pad.

[Elderberry]

[catfish1957]

My son said he could feel it in the tents. I don't know how far away that is. And he said he'll be part of the crew to rebuild the test pad.

I can imagine.

Look at the first second of that clip.  That is one  hell of a percussive blast.

[mountaineer]

Lawyerforlaws  @lawyer4laws
Ironic . . . Listening to info about tomorrows Falcon 9 Launch . .
They "Can't Predict" if they'll Launch tomorrow because of weather . .
But somehow  . .  We're to believe "Climate Change" models can predict years and decades in advance  . . .?
 
4:03 PM · May 29, 2020

[kevindavis007]

[Elderberry]

"Funeral for a Friend"

SpaceX Boca Chica - Starship SN4 Aftermath - Successors Line Up
•May 30, 2020 NASASpaceflight

Following the loss of Starship SN4 during its fifth Static Fire test, work has begun on clearing the launch site of debris. At the production area, the successors are being prepared to take their turn at testing.


Error 404 (Not Found)!!1

[kevindavis007]

Blue Danube Docking of SpaceX Crew Dragon With Space Station

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdrXYgHanA8

[Idiot]

Blue Danube Docking of SpaceX Crew Dragon With Space Station

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdrXYgHanA8

Thanks for posting that....unreal!

[Elderberry]

SpaceX successfully launches 60 satellites from the Space Coast

WESH2 by Dan Billow 6/3/2020

https://www.wesh.com/article/spacex-to-launch-60-satellites-into-space-wednesday/32759396

Fresh off its unforgettable return of astronaut launches to Central Florida, it’s back to business Wednesday for SpaceX.

The company launched 60 satellites into space on Wednesday.

Launch pad 40 is a few miles from pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center, where SpaceX made the first commercial launch of astronauts Saturday.

Instead of a 5-ton crew capsule, the SpaceX Falcon 9 carried 15 tons of satellites. Inside the nose cone, 60 Starlink satellites were stacked in a single dispenser, waiting to be dealt out like playing cards when they get to space.

In previous launches, they could be seen from the ground, looking like a string of bright lights.

The successful launch means SpaceX has a total of 420 of the satellites in orbit, but the plan is to someday have as many as 12,000.

The satellites are intended to beam internet access to the ground, giving SpaceX a worldwide business that could be a big moneymaker.

More at link.

[Cyber Liberty]

Blue Danube Docking of SpaceX Crew Dragon With Space Station

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdrXYgHanA8

Created by our very own @pjcomix!  I liked it a lot!

[Elderberry]

SpaceX set for a swift return to testing following Starship SN4 anomaly

NASA Spaceflight by  Michael Baylor June 5, 2020

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/06/spacex-swift-testin-starship-sn4-anomaly/

Following the May 29 explosive failure of the Starship SN4 prototype during a Static Fire test, SpaceX workers have been quickly making repairs to its Boca Chica, Texas launch facility. Starship SN5 is expected to roll to the launch site in the coming days in preparation for testing to begin on June 10.

The anomaly totaled the existing test stand used to hold down the vehicle during the testing milestones. On June 3, a replacement launch stand was installed at the launch site. SpaceX had already been working on a new launch stand before the May 29 accident – a factor that accelerated the recovery process.

The new stand appears to be similar in design to the original Starship launch mount.

In the coming days, teams will continue to repair Ground Support Equipment (GSE) at the launch site. There was significant damage to GSE infrastructure due to the anomaly, but SpaceX will have the GSE repaired in time for testing to resume on June 10, per the latest notice of road closures.

More at link.

[Cyber Liberty]

SpaceX set for a swift return to testing following Starship SN4 anomaly

NASA Spaceflight by  Michael Baylor June 5, 2020

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/06/spacex-swift-testin-starship-sn4-anomaly/

This goes to show failures were expected, Musk is no fool and is prepared to push ahead to get 'er done.  This is a fellow who has obviously been dealt some problem hands, and still walks away from the table a winner.  Dare I say it...there is a lot of Donald Trump in this guy.

[Elderberry]

Don’t Stop Me Now | Electron Prelaunch Preview

June 4, 2020 In Prelaunch Preview ROCKET LAB

https://everydayastronaut.com/prelaunch-preview-electron-dont-stop-me-now/

Rocket Lab’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” mission, launching from their Launch Complex 1 situated on the serene Mahia peninsula in New Zealand, will fly five payloads into orbit atop its Electron rocket. That’s one each for NASA’s ELaNa program and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), along with three for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Despite its colourful name, this mission is somewhat sombre, having been named in memory of former Rocket Lab board member, Stanford Scott Smith – an avid fan of the iconic rock band Queen – who recently passed away.

Lift Off  Time (Subject to change)   June 11, 2020 | 04:43 — 06:32 UTC |

More at link.

[kevindavis007]

Elon Musk Tells SpaceX Workers Starship Rocket Is Top Priority: CNBC
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/06/elon-musk-tells-spacex-workers-starship.html

[Elderberry]

Virgin Galactic Stock Won’t Benefit Now From SpaceX’s Success

By Ian Bezek, InvestorPlace Contributor Jun 8, 2020

https://investorplace.com/2020/06/virgin-galactic-spce-stock-spacex-success/

Virgin Galactic (NYSE:SPCE) stock has been one of the hottest trading names of 2020. The company, which went public via a special purpose acquisition company at $10 per share, blasted off to a high of $42 in February. Shares sunk back to $10 at the depths of the March crash, but have recovered to $17. And they could soar again soon. The market is in a speculative frenzy right now. On top of that, space travel is making major headlines.

That brings us to SPCE stock. Though seemingly having a related ticker symbol, SPCE actually represents Virgin Galactic, which has no economic interest in the Crew Dragon or other SpaceX flights.

SpaceX Blasts Off

SpaceX’s successful rocket launch has had an impact on Virgin Galactic’s stock. We saw this around the Crew Dragon launch. SpaceX intended to lift off on a Wednesday. Virgin Galactic stock traded up more than 5% that day with the excitement around SpaceX.

Once the launch was delayed, however, Virgin Galactic stock gave back its gains. The SpaceX launch subsequently happened on a Saturday when the stock market was closed.

SpaceX Makes Recent Virgin Orbit Failure Look Worse

InvestorPlace’s Josh Enomoto recently highlighted how the Virgin Orbit planned launch did not live up to expectations. Virgin Orbit was supposed to demonstrate an ability to launch small payloads into space. However, the launch was a failure.

More at link.

[Elderberry]

You can watch a launch triple header from SpaceX, Rocket Lab and Japan tonight. Here's how.

Space.com By Tariq Malik 6/12/2020

https://www.space.com/spacex-rocket-lab-interstellar-technologies-launch-triple-header-webcasts.html

Be ready to stay up late (or rise super-early)!

Editor's note: Interstellar Technologies has postponed the launch of its Momo-F5 rocket to Saturday afternoon. This guide has been updated with that new launch time.

In the next 24 hours, no less than three rockets — built by Rocket Lab, SpaceX and Interstellar Technologies — will launch from three different countries in a space age triple-header. But if you want to watch them all online, you're going to need to stay up late (or rise super early).

The action will begin early Saturday (June 13) with the launch of a Rocket Lab Electron booster carrying five small satellites for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, NASA and the University of South Wales Canberra Space.

Liftoff is scheduled for 12:43 a.m. EDT (0443 GMT) from Rocket Lab's Launch Site 1 on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand. You'll be able to watch the launch live on Space.com here, courtesy of Rocket Lab. The webcast should begin about 20 minutes before launch time. However, Rocket Lab has a nearly two-hour window in which to launch the Electron booster, so the start time could change closer to liftoff.

Rocket Lab will webcast the launch here, as well as on its YouTube channel.