Also, would fulfil AFRL Rocket Cargo objectives (rocket cargo transportation in the Pacific). There Starship could be relaunched on suborbital trajectory for cargo supply missions to remote access locations.
(not yet again adding the GIF).
 
What would be the advantage of bringing Starship down off Australia? Lack of any population anywhere nearby? Could not Starship simply complete an orbit and recover in or around Texas/Florida (though it would reenter over populated areas)?
No, it would be Baja Mexico. Australia is just a little further than the last mission in the Indian Ocean.

That or SpaceX considers it a better divert point then California like the shuttle could.

That could be do to anything from taxes, safety/NIMBY considerations, or orbital mechanics. Hell the Government may even be paying him to bring experience there as well.

Orbital mechanics, doesn't reach California. And no, the Aussies can't pay him to do it.
 
Also, would fulfil AFRL Rocket Cargo objectives (rocket cargo transportation in the Pacific). There Starship could be relaunched on suborbital trajectory for cargo supply missions to remote access locations.
(not yet again adding the GIF).

No, it is still landing in the ocean
 
What would be the advantage of bringing Starship down off Australia? Lack of any population anywhere nearby? Could not Starship simply complete an orbit and recover in or around Texas/Florida (though it would reenter over populated areas)?
It's big and empty and "friendly". And if they eventually build a facility there to refurbish and launch, there are some potential advantages to launches.

Launches from Arnhem are closer to the equator than any of the continental US launch locations. So slightly lower delta-v requirements for geostationary and other equatorial orbits.
Depending on where they ultimately launch from in Australia, they might head south into polar or near-polar orbits over Antarctica and not overfly populated land for a very, very long time. Low-population density in general would also be a plus.
 
No, it would be Baja Mexico. Australia is just a little further than the last mission in the Indian Ocean.

Well how about off the Cali coast? Recovery in Australia IMO really only makes sense if you eventually want to launch from there.

Come to think of it, does SpaceX have a published recovery plan for the first starship?
 
Well how about off the Cali coast? Recovery in Australia IMO really only makes sense if you eventually want to launch from there.

Come to think of it, does SpaceX have a published recovery plan for the first starship?
Can't from Boca Chica on the first orbit

]ust a water landing.
 
Last edited:
View: https://twitter.com/vast/status/1818980378255806823


Today, we unveiled plans for Haven-1 Lab: the world's first microgravity R&D and manufacturing platform on a commercial space station. Excited to have @RedwireSpace and @yurigravity as our inaugural payload partners. Stay tuned for updates on this groundbreaking journey!

 
Its Alive
View: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1819551225504768286



GUBc9AKWYAAjeo8
 
Hi, is there a more comphrehensive report on the launch failure of July 12 second stage?
 
I always thought Cygnus is launched using Antares .... did not realise this was the second time a Falcon 9 was used ...
The source for the Antares first stage is currently at war with Russia and the factory was a target.
 
I always thought Cygnus is launched using Antares
Antares 302 first stage was build in Ukraine and got engines from Russia.
Currently the factory in Ukraine is destroy, Russia under embargo.

for moment Northrop Grumman build the Antares 303 with engines build by Firefly Aerospace
during that time SpaceX will launch 4 Cygnus to ISS
 
Antares 302 first stage was build in Ukraine and got engines from Russia.
Currently the factory in Ukraine is destroy, Russia under embargo.

for moment Northrop Grumman build the Antares 303 with engines build by Firefly Aerospace
during that time SpaceX will launch 4 Cygnus to ISS
The source for the Antares first stage is currently at war with Russia and the factory was a target.

Thanks! ..... :)
 
https://www.spacex.com/updates/#fram2

August 12, 2024
First Human Spaceflight to Fly Over Earth’s Polar Regions
In the past four years, SpaceX has launched thirteen human spaceflight missions, safely flying 50 crewmembers to and from Earth’s orbit and creating new opportunities for humanity to live, work, and explore what is possible in space. Dragon’s 46 missions overall to orbit have delivered critical supplies, scientific research, and astronauts to the International Space Station, while also opening the door for commercial astronauts to explore Earth’s orbit.

As early as this year, Falcon 9 will launch Dragon’s sixth commercial astronaut mission, Fram2, which will be the first human spaceflight mission to explore Earth from a polar orbit and fly over the Earth’s polar regions for the first time. Named in honor of the ship that helped explorers first reach Earth’s Arctic and Antarctic regions, Fram2 will be commanded by Chun Wang, an entrepreneur and adventurer from Malta. Wang aims to use the mission to highlight the crew’s explorational spirit, bring a sense of wonder and curiosity to the larger public, and highlight how technology can help push the boundaries of exploration of Earth and through the mission’s research.

Joining Wang on the mission is a crew of international adventurers: Norway’s Jannicke Mikkelsen, vehicle commander; Australia’s Eric Philips, vehicle pilot; and Germany’s Rabea Rogge, mission specialist. This will be the first spaceflight for each of the crewmembers.

Throughout the 3-to-5-day mission, the crew plans to observe Earth’s polar regions through Dragon’s cupola at an altitude of 425 – 450 km, leveraging insight from space physicists and citizen scientists to study unusual light emissions resembling auroras. The crew will study green fragments and mauve ribbons of continuous emissions comparable to the phenomenon known as STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement), which has been measured at an altitude of approximately 400 - 500 km above Earth’s atmosphere. The crew will also work with SpaceX to conduct a variety of research to better understand the effects of spaceflight on the human body, which includes capturing the first human x-ray images in space, Just-in-Time training tools, and studying the effects of spaceflight on behavioral health, all of which will help in the development of tools needed to prepare humanity for future long-duration spaceflight.

Falcon 9 will launch Fram2 to a polar orbit from Florida no earlier than late 2024.
 
View: https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1823089849597116881


This looks like a cool & well thought out mission. I wish the @framonauts the best on this epic exploration adventure!

Polaris Program, Inspiration4, Axiom, & now Fram2 showcase what commercial missions can achieve thanks to @SpaceX's reusability and NASA's vision with the commercial crew program. All just small steps towards unlocking the last great frontier.
 
It’s great to see the number of private manned missions gradually increasing. If the various private space stations become operational, by the end of the decade we may see a decent expansion in the number of people in orbit. Little of it would have been possible without SpaceX, and more indirectly, NASA funding them so long ago.
 
View: https://twitter.com/kiddpoteet/status/1823851125919113715


The @polarisprogram crew are big fans of the Olympics and what they represent; "Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together". One of our primary objectives is to go higher than anyone has traveled since Apollo 17 in 1972. In honor of the @olympics we are flying a brick of silver to the highest earth orbit ever flown that will be donated to @teamusa @usopmuseum upon our return .

View: https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1823852348675961162


Our Mission Pilot @KiddPoteet, a 15x Ironman, had a stellar idea—flying this bar of silver on Polaris Dawn. This silver will one day be part of future Olympic medals.
 
View: https://twitter.com/polarisprogram/status/1824476639561928919


The Polaris Dawn crew has completed training and is certified for spaceflight ✅ headed to Florida this weekend for launch, slated for no earlier than August 26

View: https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1824481500420829312


First time we put our sticker on the @SpaceX Dragon simulator and signed it, there were 8 names on it.. now, there are over 50. One day, SpaceX aims for thousands. It’s an honor to be on this journey with so many incredible people striving to change the world.
 
I watched the press conference. In this Jared said that the suite would be really stiff when pressurized. According to the conference this suite will need several iterations to make it a really usable EVA suite that could be used on Mars or Moon.

View: https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1825972898613391513


The EVA suits are night and day from the original IVA suits. They contain more than a dozen layers of MLI, redundancy on seals, vents/valves, new visor, lots of rotators and joints, HUD, camera. They are very rigid when pressurized as are all EVA suits. We have rotator joints and stitching throughout the suit for mobility and the primary purpose of the EVA operation is to gather data on suit performance. It is definitely not a suit for Mars, but at least the journey has begun to make it that way.

At yesterday's press conference, @rookisaacman mentioned that there were two different nitrogen and oxygen systems for the @PolarisProgram space walk. Does that mean that the nitrogen and oxygen systems on Dragon are double-redundant as opposed to triple-redundant?

View: https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1825971859076083784


We have redundancy with the nitrogen repress system and the oxygen system including all seals, valves and pathways.
 
Last edited:
The last module of Second launch tower is installed :D

During NSF live stream of that event, they mention that SpaceX is in talks with USSF
Seem SpaceX show interest not only on Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral SFS.
But also Space Launch Complex 6 at Vandenberg SFB,
Both were used for Delta Heavy.

SLC-6 was build for MOL program, then modified for Shuttle, then for Delta Rockets.
Is unclear it this is for Falcon 9/Heavy or Starship/Superheavy operation...
 
Re the Fram2 mission:

View: https://twitter.com/satofishi/status/1826463858887995548


One reason we prioritized Antarctica over the Arctic is that Antarctica is dry and generally has far fewer clouds over the landmass.

In contrast, I don’t often see the sun in summer or the aurora in winter while living in Longyearbyen.

We don’t orbit in 24hr sun for 3 reasons:
- For 90° inclination, it’s only achievable when launched at certain times near equinoxes
- It poses challenges to Dragon’s thermal control
- You’d always be flying along twilight line, which isn’t always a good news for Earth observation

View: https://twitter.com/satofishi/status/1826507140158390287
 
Polaris Dawn launch on the 27th August, will be 368th launch of Falcon 9 rocket

What is about that 368th launch ?
That is total number of launched Titan rockets from 1958 to 2005.
Were Titan needed 47 years Falcon 9 manage that in 14 years !
Next in 2024 Falcon 9 reach launch numbers of Delta rocket with 388, During 1960-2024.
 

Similar threads

Please donate to support the forum.

Back
Top Bottom