Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-04-2016 09:57 AM
SpaceX Falcon 9 with JCSAT-14 satellite
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket will deliver the JCSAT-14 communications satellite for the Japanese SKY Perfect JSAT Corp. to a geostationary transfer orbit.
JCSAT-14 is a telecommunications satellite with Ku and C-bands, and will replace JCSAT-2A at 154 degrees East longitude. It will provide Ku-band coverage over Japan and the Asia-Pacific region, and will extend coverage beyond Asia and Oceania into Russia as well as Pacific Island nations in C-band.
SpaceX is targeting an early morning launch of JCSAT-14 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The two-hour launch window opens on Friday (May 6) at 1:21 a.m. EDT (0521 GMT). The satellite will be deployed approximately 30 minutes after liftoff.
Following stage separation, the first stage of the Falcon 9 will attempt a landing on the "Of Course I Still Love You" droneship. Given this mission's GTO destination, the first-stage will be subject to extreme velocities and re-entry heating, making a successful landing unlikely.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-06-2016 12:42 AM
SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 with the JCSAT-14 satellite as scheduled at 1:21 a.m. EDT (0521 GMT) on Friday (May 6). From SpaceX on Twitter:
The Falcon 9 first stage has landed on the droneship.
Woohoo!! — Elon Musk
Landing confirmed. Second stage continuing to carry JCSAT-14 to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
May need to increase size of rocket storage hangar.
Yeah, this was a three engine landing burn, so triple deceleration of last flight. That's important to minimize gravity losses.
— Elon Musk
Second stage and JCSAT-14 now in coast phase.
Successful satellite deploy confirmed. The Falcon 9 second stage delivered JCSAT-14 to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
SkyMan1958 Member
Posts: 867 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011
posted 05-06-2016 02:15 AM
Congratulations SpaceX!!!
Headshot Member
Posts: 864 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 05-06-2016 07:48 AM
Has SpaceX announced when they intend to refly one of their used first stages? They have three of them now.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-06-2016 08:32 AM
After the first droneship landing in April, Elon Musk said that the company was looking at June for its first re-flight.
Of the three stages SpaceX has recovered, two can be, in theory, launched again. The third — the first one recovered at Landing Zone 1 — will soon be on permanent display outside of SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, California.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-06-2016 08:44 AM
Here is the recorded webcast of the launch and landing (the latter takes place around 29:40 into the video):
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-07-2016 10:23 PM
SpaceX photos
First landed booster from a GTO-class mission (final spacecraft altitude will be about 36,000 km).
Headshot Member
Posts: 864 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 05-09-2016 06:51 AM
Does anyone know when the first stage/droneship gets into Port Canaveral?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-09-2016 07:51 AM
This unofficial map tracking the dronship's location projects the arrival at the port early Tuesday (May 10) morning.
Headshot Member
Posts: 864 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 05-09-2016 09:05 AM
So cool! Thank you Robert.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-09-2016 11:07 PM
SpaceX photo
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-09-2016 11:07 PM
SpaceX video
Three different views of last week's Falcon 9 first stage landing after sending JCSAT-14 satellite on to Geostationary Transfer Orbit. Hottest and fastest landing yet.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-09-2016 11:11 PM
The droneship is at shore, as can be seen live on the Port Canaveral webcam.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-10-2016 05:39 AM
The view this morning, as can be seen live on the Port Canaveral webcam.
SkyMan1958 Member
Posts: 867 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011
posted 05-10-2016 10:55 AM
In the three camera angle video(s), is it just me, or does it look like, very briefly, the underside of the landing struts are on fire?
Headshot Member
Posts: 864 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 05-10-2016 11:43 AM
I noticed that too.
I also thought one of the actuators that extended a strut also seemed to burn noticeably longer than the others.
dabolton Member
Posts: 419 From: Seneca, IL, US Registered: Jan 2009
posted 05-13-2016 11:12 AM
Elon is saying the hangar is getting full; well three in the hanger equals a Falcon heavy test.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-14-2016 11:38 AM
The recovered first stage was rolled back over to SpaceX's horizontal integration facility at Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A on Saturday (May 14).
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-16-2016 06:04 AM
SpaceX photos
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-16-2016 06:11 AM
Per Elon Musk on Twitter:
Most recent rocket took max damage, due to v[ery] high entry velocity. Will be our life leader for ground tests to confirm others are good.
Replying to a question, he confirmed that future Falcon 9 rockets be built more resilient so that they can survive recovery with less damage. Musk also confirmed that SpaceX is working to recover the fairings as well.
David Carey Member
Posts: 782 From: Registered: Mar 2009
posted 05-16-2016 12:59 PM
Great photos and great accomplishment.
It looks like the two outmost boosters have undergone some deconstruction compared to the new addition in the center. The lander legs are removed from all.
An interesting Aviation Week post from May 2014 discusses some of the tradeoffs and questions around reusability.
"The most fundamental breakthrough is a rapidly and fully reusable rocket," Musk said in February (2014). "It doesn't help if it's partially reusable."
A December 2015 Spaceflight Now article is also a good read, including some of the comments.
Despite Musk's 2014 comment, it seems like there must be some overhaul cost threshold below which real savings are still achieved.
I understand the shuttle experience with high refurb costs and the tradeoff of better production costs with 'use-and-toss' volumes, but if turnaround is cheap enough surely the idea is still a win.
Perhaps it is closely held or I missed it (or it's just too soon) but has SpaceX discussed any particular reusability learnings from the now-recovered boosters?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-29-2016 02:44 AM
SpaceX video
Falcon 9 first stage from May JCSAT mission was test fired, full duration, at our Texas rocket development facility today (July 28).
posted 05-04-2016 09:57 AM
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