SpaceX

Автор igorvs, 14.08.2013 21:08:38

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tnt22

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-mr-steven-helicopter-drop-test-practice/
ЦитироватьSpaceX's Mr. Steven returns with Falcon fairing half in net after drop test practice

By Eric Ralph
Posted on October 11, 2018

Captured in a series of photos taken by Teslarati photographers Pauline Acalin and Tom Cross over several days, SpaceX Falcon fairing recovery vessel Mr. Steven and recovery technicians and engineers have been preparing and practicing for a campaign of controlled fairing drop tests.
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By using a helicopter to lift and drop a fairing into Mr. Steven's net, SpaceX will be able to gather an unprecedented amount of data and control far more variables that might impact the success of recoveries. If the fairing is not destroyed in the process, this test series could be as long-lived as SpaceX's Grasshopper program, used to work the largest up-front kinks out of Falcon 9 booster recovery.
ЦитироватьPauline Acalin‏ @w00ki33 20:45 - Oct 6, 2018

Mr Steven looks ready. Should be leaving port at some point today ahead of SAOCOM-1A launch scheduled for Sunday, Oct 7, 7:21pm PT #mrsteven #SpaceX

Although SpaceX technicians managed to reassemble and install Mr. Steven's net and arm fairing recovery mechanisms in just a handful of days, finishing less than 48 hours before the West Coast launch of SAOCOM 1A, the ship remained in port for the mission, passing up its fifth opportunity to attempt recovery of one of Falcon 9's two fairings halves. Why exactly Mr. Steven never left port is unclear and unconfirmed, although SpaceX did mention that recovery would not be attempted this time around during its official launch webcast.

The most likely explanation is mundane – sea states with average swells as large as 4m (13ft) were forecasted (and later recorded) at and around the optimal fairing recovery zone. As a Fast Supply Vessel (FSV) explicitly designed to rapidly and reliably resupply oil rigs and other maritime work areas almost regardless of weather conditions, 4m waves would normally be a tiny pittance for ships as large and heavy as Mr. Steven and would be a nonsensical reason to halt deep-sea operations.


Thanks to their relatively high angle of attack, Mr. Steven's newest arms should not seriously impact his stability, but there is a chance that they limit his operational envelope in high sea-states. (Chuck Bennett)


Mr. Steven seen listing roughly 5 degrees to port during arm installation, July 10th. (Pauline Acalin)


A few-degree list seen during fairing recovery practice, August 13th. (Pauline Acalin)
 
On the other hand, Mr. Steven is without a doubt the most unusual FSV in existence thanks to his massive arms and net, stretching at least 60m by 60m. Based on photos of the arm installation process, significant lists of 5+ degrees are not uncommon when arms are unbalanced during normal staggered (one-at-a-time) installations, and SpaceX quite clearly installs the first two arms on opposite sides and orientations in order to minimize installation-related listing. This indicates that his newest arms have significant mass and thus leverage over the boat's roll characteristics, perhaps explaining why Mr. Steven has performed anywhere fr om 5-10 high-speed trials at sea both with and without arms installed.

Most recently, however, Mr. Steven spent a solid six weeks armless at Berth 240 while some sort of maintenance, analysis, or upgrade was undertaken with those four arms and their eight shock-absorbing booms. It's hard to know for sure, but there are no obvious visual changes between the arms installed in July and August and those now present on his deck, and the net also looks almost identical.

FAIRING DROP TESTS?

What's less familiar these days is an oddly arranged Falcon 9 payload fairing half that has been floating around SpaceX's Port of Los Angeles berths for the last two or so weeks. Up until October 4th, the purpose of that single half was almost entirely unclear. On October 4th, Teslarati's entire space team (Tom, Pauline, and I) coincidentally arrived at the same time as 5-10 SpaceX technicians were working on the fairing, attaching a series of guylines and harnesses and inspecting a number of actuating mechanisms on the half.


First spotted at Berth 52 (JRTI's home), the particular fairing half appears to both be significantly unfinished and potentially cobbled together fr om hardware not meant for flight. Note the writing on the leftmost port: "NOT FOR FLIGHT ... SCRAP". (Pauline Acalin)

Just minutes after we arrived, a worker called out a short countdown and a wholly unexpected crashing noise sounded, followed immediately by several loud clangs as the harness connection mechanisms swung back and connected with metallic parts of the fairing. After the adrenaline wore off, the initial crashing noise was almost certainly the sound of the same mechanical jettison mechanism used to separate fairing halves ~3 minutes after the rocket lifts off.

Once photos of the event could be examined more carefully, that was exactly what we found – the six harness connections were attached to the fairing by way of the same mechanical interface that allows two halves to safely attach to each other. What we had witnessed was a harness separation test, using pressurized gas stored in COPVs (the gold striped cylinders) to rapidly actuate a latch, allowing the metal harness connectors to fall away. This is further evidenced by the presence of neon orange zip-ties connecting the ends of those harnesses to any sturdy fairing structure near the connection port, an easy and (presumably) affordable way to prevent those heavy connectors from swinging down and damaging sensitive piping and components.


An overview of the weird fairing test article just before the harnesses were jettisoned. (Pauline Acalin)


Note the taut, yellow ropes connected to the fairing at its original serparation connector ports. (Pauline Acalin)


Zip-ties prevented the harness connectors from smashing (too hard) into the fairing's innards. (Pauline Acalin)


A Falcon 9 fairing during encapsulation, when a launch payload is sealed inside the fairing's two halves. This small satellite is NASA's TESS, launched in April 2018. (NASA)
 
According to someone familiar with these activities, the purpose of that testing is to prepare for true fairing drop tests from a helicopter. The jettisonable harness would be a necessity for easy drop testing, allowing the helicopter to carry a basic cargo hook and line while technicians inside communicate with the fairing to engage its built-in separation mechanism, all while ensuring that it immediately begins a stable glide or free-fall after dropping.

Observed on October 4th, it was at least moderately disappointing to see Mr. Steven remain in port during the spectacular Falcon 9 launch of SAOCOM 1A, October 7th. Reasons aside, roughly 12 hours after launch, Mr. Steven left on a 10+ hour cruise ~100 miles off the coast, wh ere he repeatedly met up with tugboat Tommy and circled Santa Catalina Island once before heading back to port. Just 24 hours before launch (Oct. 6), the test fairing seen above was placed in Mr. Steven's net for communications and harness testing – 24 hours after launch, Mr. Steven returned to Port of San Pedro after his 10-hour cruise with the same fairing half resting in his net.
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Mr. Steven returned to Port of San Pedro around 7pm on October 8th after a day spent at sea, apparently with a Falcon fairing half in tow. This is the second known time that a fairing has been in Mr. Steven's net. The fairing was eventually lifted off around noon the following day. (Pauline Acalin)


An overlay of the paths of travel of a test-related helicopter and Mr. Steven, both on Oct. 8. The yellow plane is the heli at the beginning of a hover, while the gap between blue triangles in the lower left is wh ere Mr. Steven was during that hover. (MarineTraffic + Flightradar24)
 
How and why it got there is unknown, as is the purpose of half a day spent boating around with the half in his net. However, a helicopter known to be involved in fairing drop tests was seen hovering and flying around Mr. Steven at the same time. Perhaps the two were practicing for real drop attempts, or perhaps the helicopter actually dropped a Falcon fairing (from > 2000 feet) and Mr. Steven successful caught it.

What is clear is that SpaceX is just getting started with efforts to perfect fairing recovery and eventually make the practice as (relatively) routine as Falcon 9 booster recovery and reuse is today. The latter was hardwon and the former will clearly be no easier.

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На постепенно строящемся космодроме SpaceX в Boca Chica, Texas, продолжаются земляные работы и постепенное наполнение его различной инфраструктурой.


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tnt22

ЦитироватьSpaceX SAOCOM 1A - Launching & Landing pads at SLC-4 comparison in sizes - 4K

Jay DeShetler

Опубликовано: 14 окт. 2018 г.

SpaceX SAOCOM 1A - Vandenberg SLC-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TRjpibvmDghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TRjpibvmDg (0:32)

tnt22

ЦитироватьMichael Baylor‏ @nextspaceflight 12 мин. назад

SpaceX's Falcon Heavy manifest:
- Arabsat 6A (NET early 2019)
- STP-2 (NET 2019)
- AFSPC-52 (NET September 2020)
- Ovzon (NET Q4 2020)

Pending confirmed payloads:
- Viasat
- Inmarsat

tnt22

ЦитироватьMichael Baylor‏ @nextspaceflight 41 мин. назад

SpaceX will conduct another fairing drop test between 19:00 UTC on October 17th and 00:01 UTC on October 18th. Mr Steven is enroute to the drop zone.


tnt22

ЦитироватьPauline Acalin‏ @w00ki33 3 ч. назад

After an apparent fairing drop test out at sea today, Mr Steven arrived back at port with the fairing half on deck, but no net, at 1:15am PT.
#mrsteven #spacex


tnt22


tnt22

ЦитироватьJeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 1 ч. назад

Lars Hoffman, SpaceX: five more Falcon 9 launches this year. Falcon Heavy set for a couple launches in 2019. #vonBraun18

кукушка

https://vk.com/spacex?w=wall-41152133_88098
На строящийся космодром в Бока Чика, штат Техас, прибыл второй резервуар для жидкого метана объёмом примерно 100,000 галлонов 

Пользователь с форума NASASpaceflight "bocachicagal" сделал фото, на котором видно, что ёмкость завезли на территорию комплекса и расположили рядом с уже установленным летом этого года таким же резервуаром. 
Таким образом (если бы это было возможно), в данные ёмкости легко уместился бы жидкий кислород для заправки как минимум двух ракет Falcon 9, и осталось бы ещё более 100 тонн.
Напомним, что для BFR (версии 2017 года) необходимо около 230 тонн жидкого метана и 860 тонн жидкого кислорода. 

По подсчетам Teslarati, для полной заправки космического корабля BFR (BFS) потребуется минимум четыре больших резервуара: два для кислорода (800 т) и два для метана (300 т ). Впрочем для тестов, вероятнее всего, такого количества резервуаров не потребуется.
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Размещение уже второй ёмкости под топливо и ускорение работ на площадке будущего космодрома позволяют сделать вывод, что работы по кораблю BFR (BFS) идут по плану, а это значит, что в 2019 году нас ожидают тестовые "прыжки" нового детища компании SpaceX.



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tnt22

ЦитироватьMichael Baylor‏ @nextspaceflight 57 мин. назад

SpaceX's updated Falcon Heavy manifest:
- Arabsat 6A (NET early 2019)
- STP-2 (NET 2019)
- AFSPC-52 (NET September 2020)
- Ovzon (NET Q4 2020)
- Viasat-3 (2020-2022)

Pending confirmed payload:
- Inmarsat

tnt22

ЦитироватьMichael Baylor‏ @nextspaceflight 23 мин. назад

Today, SpaceX filed for their launch and recovery license with the FCC to support the DM-1 mission. The start date is December 10th, 2018 – a good sign that SpaceX is almost ready. Of course, NASA schedule stills says no earlier than January, 2019.

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На полигоне SpaceX в Макгрегоре, штат Техас, проведён успешный тестовый статический прожиг первой ступени Falcon 9 B1051 

Именно она запустит первую демонстрационную (беспилотную) миссию для Commercial Crew Program - на один шаг ближе к полёту астронавтов на МКС!

Напомним, запуск SpaceX Demonstration Mission - 1 запланирован на январь 2019 года.

us2-star

Из комментариев в vk.com/spacex



чуть-чуть устарело  :oops:
"В России надо жить долго.." (с)
"Вы рисуйте, вы рисуйте, вам зачтётся.." (с)

кукушка

В флотилии SpaceX изменения - GO Searcher недавно был переоборудован в судно экстренной эвакуации экипажа, в случае возникновения аварийных ситуаций в рамках полетов кораблей Crew Dragon по программе Commercial Crew. 


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triage

Цитироватьhttps://www.reuters.com/article/us-symantec-m-a-thomabravo-exclusive/exclusive-buyout-firm-thoma-bravo-approaches-symantec-about-acquisition-sources-idUSKCN1NB26O

NOVEMBER 6, 2018 / 10:17 PM /

SpaceX seeks $750 million leveraged loan

Jonathan Schwarzberg, Kristen Haunss

NEW YORK (LPC) - Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies Corp, known as SpaceX, is looking to line up a $750 million leveraged loan, sources said.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch is leading the transaction. A lenders presentation will be held by the SpaceX management team on November 7.

SpaceX makes rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded by Elon Musk in 2002 as a way to help humans live on other planets.

The Hawthorne, Calif.-based company now employs more than 6,000 people, according to its website. Elon Musk is also the chief executive of luxury electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc.

BAML and SpaceX did not immediately return requests for comment.

tnt22

ЦитироватьSpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell speaks to the AOPA High School Aviation STEM Symposium
Доступ по ссылке

AOPALive

Опубликовано: 7 нояб. 2018 г.

SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell talks about successes and failures in their rocket program, encouraging girls to pursue technical and scientific careers and "build big machines. She tells teachers at the AOPA High School Aviation STEM Symposium about the need for kids with training in science, technology, engineering and math.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjpAep8BWMwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjpAep8BWMw (1:03:37)

tnt22

ЦитироватьJeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 8 мин. назад

SpaceX announces that NASA's Launch Services Program has given Category 3 certification to the Falcon 9, making it eligible for "NASA's highest cost and most complex scientific missions," according to its statement.

tnt22

ЦитироватьChris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight 3 мин. назад

Here's the LSP qualification by Cat. A bit like Falcon 9 studying hard and earning a PhD. Dr. Falcon 9


Pirat5

ЦитироватьChris B -НФС @NASASpaceflight
Это будет первый из четырех запусков Falcon 9, чтобы закрыть год для SpaceX.
 Кто же не попал в эту четвёрку?
ЦитироватьNovember 15  Es'hail 2 (AMSAT P4A) - Falcon 9 - Kennedy LC-39A
 November 19  SSO-A - Falcon 9 (B1048.3) - Vand SLC-4E
NET Dec 4   Dragon SpX-16 (CRS-16), IDA3 - Falcon 9 - Canaveral SLC-40
 December 15   GPS III SV01 (Vespucci) - Falcon 9 (B1054) - Canaveral SLC-40
 December 30   Iridium Next Flight 8 (x10) - Falcon 9 (B1049.2) - Vandenberg SLC-4E
может Iridium ?

Apollo13

Он потом исправился

ЦитироватьChris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight 20h20 hours ago

Correction, too busy looking at East Coast after SSO-A. Iridium's final SpaceX launch (VandyLand) set for December 30, so five more to go in total for 2018. Thanks for @ToastmasternX for pointing that out.