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#1
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Zuma & FH launches
Hello All,
Tomorrow night (Friday, January 5th), the 2-hour launch window for the Falcon 9 carrying the mysterious Zuma satellite will open at 8:00 PM EST (that's 0100 GMT Saturday morning, for those living a few Time Zones east of Florida). Live coverage of the launch, from Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral, can be seen *here* (see: http://spaceflightnow.com/2018/01/0...tatus-center-2/ ). Because of the "sensitive" payload, the normal video coverage is expected to cease at around staging, but because the first stage will--if all goes well--return to land at LZ-1 (Landing Zone-1) at the Cape, the coverage may just be switched to the first stage. The live launch webcast will begin tomorrow evening about 15 minutes before the launch, *and*: SpaceX has released close-up photographs and video of their first Falcon Heavy vehicle on Pad 39A, which can be seen here: http://spaceflightnow.com/2018/01/0...avys-pad-debut/ . A pre-launch, on-pad static firing test--of all 27 Merlin rocket engines of the core first stage and the two boosters--is planned for this month, with the launch expected to occur soon afterward. Both events will be spectacular to watch!
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Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511 All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com. NAR #54895 SR |
#2
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Instead of launching the Zuma satellite Friday evening, SpaceX instead carried out more propellant loading tests. The latest update (see: http://spaceflightnow.com/2018/01/0...tatus-center-2/ [pictures were also uploaded here]) says:
Following the additional testing at the launch pad today, SpaceX has confirmed a new launch date of Sunday, January 7 for the Zuma mission. SpaceX ✔ @SpaceX Team at the Cape completed additional propellant loading tests today. Extreme weather slowed operations but Falcon 9 and the Zuma spacecraft are healthy and go for launch—now targeting January 7 from Pad 40 in Florida. 3:25 PM - Jan 4, 2018
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Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511 All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com. NAR #54895 SR |
#3
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Zuma's launch was apparently successful (see: http://spaceflightnow.com/2018/01/0...u-s-government/ ), with some interesting camera views (liftoff occurred ~10 seconds after 13:49 *here*, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...0&v=0PWu3BRxn60 ). The first stage returned and landed on LZ-1, which was unlit except by the engine exhaust. Much of its descent through the atmosphere, seen by a ground-based camera (they also showed the on-board view, via split-screen), was visible by what looked like "after-burning" from the engine nozzles, between the re-entry and landing burns.
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Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511 All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com. NAR #54895 SR |
#4
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Isn't it awesome that Space-X has made 1st stage return seem routine?
I hope F9H doesn't break up just so they can have the chance to drop three on the bullseyes at the same time. .
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I love sanding. |
#5
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Quote:
I'm hoping the inaugural Falcon Heavy flight later this month works better than we've been "psychologically inoculated" against, not only to see the first (non-rover) car in space, but also so that the other pending FH missions won't be further delayed--and yeah, I want to see a "double, then downrange encore" booster landing, too... :-)
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Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511 All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com. NAR #54895 SR |
#6
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So, did the ZUMA satellite fail, or is it just a DOD hush to make it look as if it did (perhaps an unintended [happy] consequence)?
SpaceX reported their rocket's flight as nominal.
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Retro-grouch |
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