SpaceX launch live coverage

[mechanical_robot]

Look at this if you want to see a launch or SpacX's Falcon 9 rocket. They are transporting a communication satellite to geosynchronous orbit. It will be there first rocket launch to this kind of orbit.

Heres the link

http://www.spacex.com/webcast/

[billbo911]

T minus six minutes. Count hold at T-3:30.

Bummer, no launch today. Next attempt will be Thanksgiving.

[Jacob Bendicksen]

This must be a first... someone posting a link to a stream of something that ISN'T spam!

but also I'm watching and it's awesome. Our lead programmer is down there and apparently it's even cooler. (duh)

[mechanical_robot]

Theystopped the timer at 3:40? wonder why

[coalhot]

This is the third time they've stopped and restarted, however this is the longest they've let it go before stopping.

Interesting though, I remember watching the NASA launch a few days ago, and them not halting and restarting...

Getting close to the end of the launch window...

EDIT: Scrubbed...

[mechanical_robot]

Nooooooo they canceled it:(:eek: :(

[IndySam]

Bummer launch scrubbed, try again Thursday.

[BBray_T1296]

Though disappointing, I support any reason to abort a launch.
Though this satellite is unmanned, we all remember the infamous should-have-been-scrubbed Shuttle launch

[its da PAT!!!]

Theystopped the timer at 3:40? wonder why


Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk
Saw pressure fluctuations on Falcon boost stage liquid oxygen tank. Want to be super careful, so pushing launch to Thurs.

[Jacob Bendicksen]

Though this satellite is unmanned, we all remember the infamous should-have-been-scrubbed Shuttle launch

#toosoon

[BBray_T1296]

#toosoon

1. I was not being funny, I was being serious

2. The disaster happened nearly 28 years ago

3. This is Chief Delphi. Hashtags (or octothorps as I call them) do not work here (and I hope they never EVER will)

[Jacob Bendicksen]

I was poking fun at the overwhelming use of hashtags these days (anywhere and everywhere), and didn't mean to offend you or anyone. Sorry if you took it that way.

[Dr Theta]

One of our former team members has been interning at SpaceX as a flight software engineer. We are very proud of him. Andy, you're doing great things!

[Gdeaver]

Unlike First, space stuff is critical engineering. You only get 0ne shot and everything has to be perfect. You don't get a second chance to fix your mistake. One of the best things I did was do high power rocketry with my son. Instilled that gota be right discipline and mind set.

[seg9585]

I have close to a dozen friends/contacts that work at SpaceX here in Hawthorne, and they work tirelessly (16+ hour days) to get things done there. Basically imagine an FRC Build Season but year-round.
All around very impressive group. Waiting to see if they will compete with ULA.

Interesting fact about this launch, is it's using a bielliptical transfer orbit to GEO. In other words, the rocket is launching SES-8 well past geosynchronous altitude. This minimizes delta-V on the part of the satellite for orbit raising, to save prop and extend the satellite's life to 15+ years (wherein most Altas/Delta rockets deliver via a Hohmann transfer).

[Barry Bonzack]

My family is in town, we were dissapointed the launch was moved, but still enjoyed the time waiting for it. We will be having thanksgiving dinner at Port Canaveral. Food, Family, Rocket Launch.... I Love the holidays.

[seg9585]

My family is in town, we were dissapointed the launch was moved, but still enjoyed the time waiting for it. We will be having thanksgiving dinner at Port Canaveral. Food, Family, Rocket Launch.... I Love the holidays.

Make sure you try the shark kabobs at Grill's seafood bar at the port. They are fantastic!

[DonRotolo]

Scheduled to go off at 5:39 EST tonight, space.com is carrying the webcast

[EricH]

Scheduled to go off at 5:39 EST tonight, space.com is carrying the webcast

There's also one at www.spacex.com/webcast. If I didn't have other stuff to do, though, I'd be heading for work to watch from near Mission Control. :D

[IndySam]

Lets try this again. (http://www.spacex.com/webcast/)

[Jacob Bendicksen]

This rocket... it's cursed.

[IndySam]

Abort abort abort, $@#$@#$@#$@#

[coalhot]

http://www.sadtrombone.com

[EricH]

Here we go again... I might actually make it into work next launch attempt, whenever that is.

[mechanical_robot]

I'm kindof actually glad the launch was cancelled today because I planning on watching it but I got distracted watching a movie and forgot all about the launch. Well now have another chance to watch it live

[wireties]

They stopped the timer at 3:40? wonder why

FYI - the countdown is not supposed to be a linear temporal scale. It is more of a reverse progress indicator (lower number = more progress towards lift-off) . Certain activities occur at each point in the countdown and there is little correlation to clock time. At least that is how NASA did things.

[EricH]

FYI - the countdown is not supposed to be a linear temporal scale. It is more of a reverse progress indicator (lower number = more progress towards lift-off) . Certain activities occur at each point in the countdown and there is little correlation to clock time. At least that is how NASA did things.The timer stop at 3:40 was actually when they scrubbed the 3rd attempt on Monday. It's just that nobody reset the clock. Although SpaceX definitely seems to prefer a running clock most of the time, when they do stop it goes back to whenever they need it to go back to. I've seen 18 and 16 minutes in a couple of the 3 holds they've applied so far (not counting the two scrubs).

FYI, per the webcast page, they're taking a look at the engines, and it could be a few days. Not my department, so I know nothing. I'm sure it'll be announced when the launch crew goes for it again.

[seg9585]

FYI - the countdown is not supposed to be a linear temporal scale. It is more of a reverse progress indicator (lower number = more progress towards lift-off) . Certain activities occur at each point in the countdown and there is little correlation to clock time. At least that is how NASA did things.

You are thinking of the "T-" clock vs the "L-" clock. NASA, ULA, etc use both clocks and use T- is the context you describe with built-in holds. However the L- clock represents time from planned engine ignition.
SpaceX did away with the T- clock and uses only the L- (and calls it T-). Although events are sequenced based on clock times, there's no scheduled clock holds and the clock really should be treated like time left until nominal ignition.

[EricH]

Just to wrap this one up: This launch attempt succeeded in delivering its payload to its target orbit.


And yes, I was "stuck at work" during launch... so of course I watched it! (If you didn't figure it out yet, I work at SpaceX.)

[dcarr]

Livestream was having some serious issues for me but I managed to catch the launch.

Check out Elon's twitter (and SpaceX's) for some details and cool shots

https://twitter.com/elonmusk

[Barry Bonzack]

couldn't drive out to the coast last night, but even from 50 miles away that launch was breathtaking. Launches just after sunset are the best.