SpaceX (general discussion)

[publiusr]

Next in 2024 Falcon 9 reach launch numbers of Delta rocket with 388, During 1960-2024.

R-7's record looks safe--for now

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1826756427668750821

View: https://twitter.com/spacex/status/1826756427668750821

The @PolarisProgram’s Polaris Dawn mission will be the first crew to perform a spacewalk from Dragon, fly higher in Earth’s orbit than anyone since the Apollo program, test laser-based @Starlink communications, and conduct research to help provide insight on human health during long-duration spaceflight missions →

SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.

www.spacex.com

SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, August 27 at 3:38 a.m. ET for Falcon 9’s launch of Polaris Dawn to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There are two additional launch opportunities within the four-hour window at 5:23 a.m. ET and 7:09 a.m. ET. If needed, backup opportunities are available on Wednesday, August 28 at the same times.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about 3.5 hours prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX.

The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew Crew-1 to and from the International Space Station, and Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit. This will be the fourth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-8 and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

MISSION OBJECTIVES

During their multi-day mission to orbit, Dragon and the crew will endeavor to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown since the Apollo program and participate in the first-ever extravehicular activity (EVA) by commercial astronauts wearing SpaceX-developed EVA suits. They will also conduct 36 research studies and experiments from 31 partners designed to advance both human health on Earth and during long-duration spaceflight, and test Starlink laser-based communications in space.

The Polaris Dawn crew will combine their expertise, knowledge, and passion for spaceflight to further human space exploration. This will be the first human spaceflight for Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon. Mission Commander Jared Isaacman previously flew to space as commander of Inspiration4. This will also be the first time two SpaceX employees will be part of a human spaceflight crew, providing valuable insight to future missions on the road to making life multiplanetary.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1826760582399463647

View: https://x.com/djsnm/status/1826760582399463647

So, to clarify is the plan that the dragon will point the nose towards the earth during the EVA. Will the spacecraft be in free drift during this or will there be any active attitude control.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1826761659056058659

View: https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1826761659056058659

The rendering gives a solid sense of what it’ll be like. Dragon’s forward hatch should generally point towards Earth. The Dracos near the forward bulkhead will be disabled & as we cycle crew members between EV1/EV2, we’ll have opportunities to correct attitude or null rotation during the operation.

 

[Flyaway]

Is this the extent you will be out in space?

(not knocking the extremely impressive feat just curious)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1826762209172881838

View: https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1826762209172881838

Can go out a bit farther, but we won't be free floating. There will always be contact to that mobility aid. Keep in mind in that rendering the crew member should be several feet outside the hatch.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1826773170424348722

View: https://x.com/djsnm/status/1826773170424348722

So now I think about it a bit more, is the open nosecone cover going to be oriented along the direction of travel, because that would make sense as a shield to protect the astronaut from space debris? Meaning they’ll be looking backwards, opposite to the direction of travel.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1826773633702003095

View: https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1826773633702003095

Yes, we use vehicle pointing throughout the mission to mitigate MMOD risk including during the EVA. The nosecone and trunk are both good options if you had to take a hit.

When you close your eyes in the radiation zone, watch for the quick spots of light.
Some astronauts say that happened when they went to the Moon. You are all in the best hands possible. This will be pure joy.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1826773352360673320

View: https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1826773352360673320

We will be documenting it

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1826968490114261085

View: https://twitter.com/cbsmornings/status/1826968490114261085

Four astronauts are scheduled to blast off next week on a historic six-day mission to a record orbit, 870 miles above Earth — more than three times higher than the ISS.

The mission will also attempt the first-ever commercial spacewalk.

View: https://youtu.be/eER5CsuvTkc

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1827174043646153133

View: https://twitter.com/cphillips_03/status/1827174043646153133

Booster 1083-4 and Dragon Resilience is rolling out to LC-39A ahead of final walk throughs and check outs ahead of launching @PolarisProgram NET 3:38AM EDT. Tuesday August 27th.

Follow next steps with @NASASpaceflight Space Coast Live: nsf.live/spacecoastlive

 

[Flyaway]

Scott Manley’s video on the Polaris Dawn mission:

View: https://youtu.be/kG3Ngf29fUk?si=qw0Ipbv1fXfsaiVP

 

[NMaude]

The Space Bucket has just put out a new video concerning the upcoming Polaris Dawn mission which is launching in less than 12 hours:

With the final preparations underway, in less than 24 hours SpaceX will launch one of its most unique missions to date. Named Polaris Dawn, 4 humans will orbit the Earth on a Dragon spacecraft and complete the first commercial EVA or extravehicular activity among other milestones.
Right now SpaceX is preparing both the vehicle and crew after a successful static fire of the Falcon 9 along with a full launch rehearsal. Here I will go more in-depth into the mission’s initial flight profile, some of the milestones they aim to complete, what to expect over the next few days, and more.

Full article here - https://thespacebucket.com/exactly-wh...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...Q&q=https://thespacebucket.com/&v=utX3FMpyuaQ

Credit:
SpaceX - / spacex https://www.youtube.com/c/SpaceX
NASA - / @nasa https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLA_DiR1FfKNvjuUpBHmylQ

Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:30 - Flight Profile
3:35 - Spacesuit Upgrades

 

[publiusr]

A brief helium leak of their own I hear.

 

[NMaude]

A brief helium leak of their own I hear.

Has there been a hold in the launch countdown?

 

[martinbayer]

A brief helium leak of their own I hear.

What helium leak? Now that's just some extremely high pitched mickey mouse voice silly talk!

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828143112168067342

View: https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1828143112168067342

Polaris Dawn looks to be a pretty kick-ass mission.

One of the most adventurous human spaceflights since Apollo may launch tonight

Liftoff is set for 3:38 am ET in Florida.

arstechnica.com

One of the most adventurous human spaceflights since Apollo may launch tonight
Liftoff is set for 3:38 am ET in Florida.

by Eric Berger - Aug 26, 2024 6:35pm GMT

SpaceX is set to launch the 14th crewed flight on its Dragon spacecraft early on Tuesday morning—and it's an intriguing one.

 

[Flyaway]

A brief helium leak of their own I hear.

More on it here:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828226292732276952

View: https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/1828226292732276952

F9/Polaris Dawn: SpaceX says on X: "Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical. Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit. Next launch opportunity is no earlier than Wednesday, August 28"

 

[FighterJock]

What is it with Helium leaks these days?

 

[sferrin]

What is it with Helium leaks these days?

They've probably always been an issue but now "helium leak" gets clicks.

 

[FighterJock]

I can see your point sferrin, it is all just rather strange that it was first Boeing and now it is SpaceX.

 

[TomS]

They've probably always been an issue but now "helium leak" gets clicks.

Also, helium is incredibly slippery. It always leaks, the only questions are "how much" and "is it outside parameters?"

 

[FighterJock]

I did not know that Helium is incredibly slippery TomS, I am just surprised that they cannot find a way to stop it from leaking in the first place so that in the future we no longer hear of such leaks.

 

[Firefinder]

I did not know that Helium is incredibly slippery TomS, I am just surprised that they cannot find a way to stop it from leaking in the first place so that in the future we no longer hear of such leaks.

Being the second smallest element mass wise thats all but impossible.

The stuff will slip right though any hole.

Be that hole be a bad joint seal or a microscopic hole you need an electronic mircoscope to find it will find a way out ennass.

Sometimes straight through the material causing it to become brittle then you really havd issues.

Best you can do is set a standard leak rate and check if it goes bove that.

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828383489130987599

View: https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/1828383489130987599

F9/Polaris Dawn: Good morning; the Polaris Dawn Falcon 9 is still horizontal at pad 39A; no update yet from SpaceX on progress addressing a helium leak in a quick-disconnect umbilical

 

[Byeman]

I did not know that Helium is incredibly slippery TomS, I am just surprised that they cannot find a way to stop it from leaking in the first place so that in the future we no longer hear of such leaks.

It will permeate materials such as Teflon. It is also one of the reasons helium is used for leak detection.

 

[FighterJock]

Thanks for that info Byeman. I did not know that Helium was used for leak detection.

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828477810148540834

View: https://twitter.com/_jaykeegan_/status/1828477810148540834

Falcon 9 is vertical at LC-39A ahead of the launch of Polaris Dawn NET 03:38 EDT (07:38 UTC) tomorrow.

SpaceX took the vehicle horizontal yesterday to work on a helium leak on a piece of GSE.

Live views via @NASASpaceflight Space Coast Live:
nsf.live/spacecoast

 

[GTX]

Thanks for that info Byeman. I did not know that Helium was used for leak detection.

Quite common due to the small molecule size.

 

[NMaude]

Quite common due to the small molecule size.

Being totally inert it's an atom not a molecule.

Edit: Helium is monatomic whereas Hydrogen for example is diatomic.

 

[Michel Van]

bad news Booster 1062 crash on Dorne ship on 23th after landing.
There was fire ball after landing, engulf one of landing legs what collapse, tipping the booster over

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828706739023216758

View: https://twitter.com/totalspace360/status/1828706739023216758

 

[FighterJock]

A sad end Michel Van, not bad for a booster to have so many successful landings.

 

[Forest Green]

Once was a time when a booster would be lost every launch.

 

[jstar]

"After a successful ascent, Falcon 9's first stage booster tipped over following touchdown on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship," SpaceX said on the social media site X. "Teams are assessing the booster's flight data and status."

SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellites, but rocket's first stage crashes on landing barge

The landing mishap ended a string of 267 successful booster recoveries.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Josh_TN]

Was this not the booster with the most usage (23)? Perhaps we are hitting the upper bounds of reusability.

 

[FighterJock]

I would not be surprised Josh_TN, there probably has to be an upper limit on how many times that SpaceX can re-use booster rockets.

 

[TheKutKu]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828838708751282586

View: https://x.com/bccarcounters/status/1828838708751282586

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828844384126906393

View: https://x.com/joroulette/status/1828844384126906393

The FAA requires an investigation for this mishap and grounds the F9


Apparently it's because F9 is now operating under different mishap criteria:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828840665117274432

View: https://x.com/BCCarCounters/status/1828840665117274432

 

[FighterJock]

Falcon 9 grounded? That is a bit fierce.

 

[TheKutKu]

Falcon 9 grounded? That is a bit fierce.

It'll probably get the autorisation for RTF in a matter of days.

 

[Michel Van]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828727454149775500

View: https://twitter.com/slvulture/status/1828727454149775500

 

[NMaude]

It looks like one of the landing-gears collapsed.

Edit: Here's a short video about the booster loss.

Better safe than sorry! The Polaris Dawn mission is on hold after two launch delays. The first issue involved a ground-side helium leak, and last night, unfavorable weather which impacts the return splashdown.

Now we will wait for another launch window.

Plus, for the first time in over three years, SpaceX has a booster landing failure as the booster tipped over on a droneship. But let's celebrate the fact that this particular booster had 23 FLIGHTS! That's 22 more than non-F9 boosters... SpaceX is assessing the data to find out how to improve but I'd hardly call this a failure. A "failure" after 267 consecutive landings, who else can come close?

Something keep in mind is that this booster had 23 successful flights before its loss, that is remarkable in of itself.

 

[zjz]

It appears that the engine was not shutdown on touchdown on command, and the residual thrust tip over and fractures the leg/s ......

 

[publiusr]

Less an issue had this been a winged fly-back?

 

[Flyaway]

All launch dates are now up in the air including Polaris Dawn & the next Starshield launch. Plus Starlink as well.

 

[zjz]

Landing Accident Claims Falcon 9 Fleet Leader On 23rd Flight | Aviation Week Network

The rocket lifted off at 3:48 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral SFS to deliver 21 Starlink satellites into orbit.

aviationweek.com

 

[Michel Van]

speculation:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yhmUyurocE