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cameron · May 25, 2016

Update: Mission Success

Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk
Fast replay of today's rocket landing on SpaceX droneship OCISLY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jEz03Z8azc

SpaceX @SpaceX
THAICOM 8 spacecraft has been deployed into a nominal supersynch transfer orbit

SpaceX @SpaceX
Falcon 9 second stage and THAICOM 8 spacecraft in nominal orbit and coast. First stage has landed on the droneship

---------------------------

This would be the 25th Falcon 9 launch. The 5th launch this year.

~~Launch Window Opens: 5:40 pm ET. Thursday, May 26.~~
Next Launch Window: 5:39 pm ET. Friday, May 27.
Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

Webcast: http://www.spacex.com/webcast
Youtube Full Hosted Webcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBYC4f79iXc
Youtube Technical Webcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPYOtCFSLKw
Press Kit: http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/spacex_thaicom_8_press_kit.pdf

Mission Overview:

SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket will deliver THAICOM 8, a commercial communications satellite for Thaicom, to a supersynchronous transfer orbit. Thaicom is one of Asias leading Asian satellite operators, influencing and innovating communications on a global scale.

SpaceX is targeting launch of THAICOM 8 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on May 26 with a backup date of May 27. The approximately two-hour launch window opens on May 26 at 5:40 pm ET, 9:40 pm UTC. A backup launch window on May 27 opens at approximately the same time. The satellite will be deployed about 32 minutes after liftoff.

Following stage separation, the first stage of Falcon 9 will attempt an experimental landing on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship. As with other missions going to geostationary orbits, the first-stage will be subject to extreme velocities and re-entry heating, making a successful landing challenging.

Payload:

Orbital ATK was selected by Thaicom PLC to build their eighth satellite, Thaicom 8. The Thaicom 8 satellite design is based on Orbital ATKs highly successful, flight-proven, GEOStar-2 satellite platform, and will be manufactured and tested at Orbital ATKs state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Dulles, Virginia.

Thaicom 8 will be located at 78.5 degrees East Longitude and carry a Ku-band payload that will generate approximately 5 kilowatts of payload power. The Ku-band payload will be comprised of 24 active transponders providing services to Thailand, India and Africa.

SpaceX ‏@SpaceX
Tracking towards tomorrow's launch of communications satellite for Thaicom. Window opens at 5:40pm ET, 9:40pm UTC

The previous three recovered Falcon 9 first stages in a hangar at Launch Complex 39A:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/spacex/

Previous launches:
24. JCSAT-14. ASDS Landing Successful.
23. CRS-8. ASDS Landing Successful.
22. SES-9. ASDS Landing Failure.
21. Jason-3. ASDS Landing Failure.
20. Orbcomm-OG2. RTLS Landing Successful.

Par Score · May 26, 2016

Here's hoping for 3 in a row!

Abstruse Moose · May 26, 2016

I'm glad this one is during daylight hours. Hopefully another successful landing happens. Credit to SpaceX for putting on great webcasts for their launches. So much excitement and enthusiasm.

Slo · May 26, 2016

What is a droneship?

brian577 · May 26, 2016

Slo said:
What is a droneship?

Remote controlled landing platform

SpaceX_ASDS_in_position_prior_to_Falcon_9_Flight_17_carrying_CRS-6_(17127808431).jpg

Alexlf · May 26, 2016

Here's hoping on another success! I wonder if all the data they have been collecting is sufficient to increase the likelihood of landing by any significant amount.

Disxo · May 26, 2016

Thanks for the reminder, subscribed.

Elfforkusu · May 26, 2016

Geocentric supersynchronous orbit, huh? Awesome, go big or go home.

Slo said:
What is a droneship?

It's a barge.

Slo · May 26, 2016

brian577 said:
Remote controlled landing platform

That's very Muskian. " Let's land a rocket on it's ass, oh but BTW lets also build a remote controlled landing platform to land it on in the middle of the ocean"

BTW, the platform will be on fire.

Elfforkusu · May 26, 2016

Slo said:
That's very Muskian. " Let's land a rocket on it's ass, oh but BTW lets also build a remote controlled landing platform to land it on in the middle of the ocean"

BTW, the platform will be on fire.

The gist is that the payload needs to go too high and the rocket too fast for it to turn around and land on... land. So they need a landing pad "downwind" (it's not being blown by the wind, but youknowwhatimean) of the launch.

_woLf · May 26, 2016

Third daytime landing attempt in a row that I've had a meeting smack dot in the middle of.

maybe i need a long bathroom break...

Chittagong · May 26, 2016

Just going to quote myself from just over two weeks ago when they last launched

Chittagong said:
Goddam, these ~~guys~~ Elon launching rockets every other week now?!

RageWaffles · May 26, 2016

Thanks for posting this, cameron! Love watching these, and it's great that this one will be in daylight.

Pristine_Condition · May 26, 2016

Livestream starting in ~30 minutes...

Pristine_Condition · May 26, 2016

Status update: No Livestream yet. Launch indicators green across the board. Weather looks good. Propellant loading in progress.

HellBlazer · May 26, 2016

Thanks for the thread, Cameron. I'm hoping they can nail the third landing in a row.

Pristine_Condition · May 26, 2016

Update: Launch is going ahead (as of now) but will be delayed. No word yet on how long.

hamauzu kaito · May 26, 2016

Pristine_Condition said:
Update: Launch is going ahead (as of now) but will be delayed. No word yet on how long.

What's causing the delay?

cameron · May 26, 2016

hamauzu kaito said:
What's causing the delay?

They didn't specify.

SpaceX ‏@SpaceX
Launch team finalizing review of vehicle data and check outs. Will move T-0 into the 2 hour window

Lunar FC · May 26, 2016

Who else wants to take a shot every time they say supersynchronous transfer orbit?

Elfforkusu · May 26, 2016

hamauzu kaito said:
What's causing the delay?

They're waiting until I get home from work.

hamauzu kaito · May 26, 2016

Elfforkusu said:
They're waiting until I get home from work.

Well hurry it up! We don't have all day.

On topic, I hope today goes smoothly. I get so hyped for these launches. This along with that dude who fell asleep with his Tesla in Autopilot would make a pretty amazing week.

MogCakes · May 26, 2016

I hope I can make it home from work in time to view this.

msv · May 26, 2016

The links on youtube to the cast says its live now, but when you go to it, it says 'live stream is starting soon', what gives?

NeoRausch · May 26, 2016

brian577 said:
Remote controlled landing platform

That text!

Pristine_Condition · May 26, 2016

New launch T-0 is 23:40 Zulu (7:40 pm EDT)

Lunar FC · May 26, 2016

Pristine_Condition said:
New launch T-0 is 23:40 Zulu (7:40 pm EDT)

Waaaack. Going to miss it now. :/

cebri.one · May 26, 2016

Pristine_Condition said:
New launch T-0 is 23:40 Zulu (7:40 pm EDT)

They moved it to the end of the launch window which pretty much means they are having a problem which needs to be solved by then. If not, it will be scrubbed for tomorrow probably.

Pristine_Condition · May 26, 2016

elite09 said:
They moved it to the end of the launch window which pretty much means they are having a problem which needs to be solved by then. If not, it will be scrubbed for tomorrow probably.

Yep. Because of the need for every possible drop of LOX to be as cold as possible, especially on a high mission like this, they don't have a lot of options other than a detank if something goes wrong that isn't immediately clearable. So they'll take as much time as the window allows to keep the LOX in the chilling tank before loading back up.

cebri.one · May 26, 2016

Well it's official, we wont have a launch today.

Volimar · May 26, 2016

Following stage separation, the first stage of Falcon 9 will attempt an experimental landing on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship.

cameron · May 26, 2016

SpaceX ‏@SpaceX
Out of an abundance of caution, launch postponed until no earlier than tomorrow for addtl data review - Falcon 9 & spacecraft remain healthy

Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk
@SpaceX There was a tiny glitch in the motion of an upper stage engine actuator. Probably not a flight risk, but still worth investigating.

.

RageWaffles · May 26, 2016

Bummer. I won't be able to watch the launch and landing live tomorrow.

Volimar said:

Musk has been naming the drone ships after the sentient, self-named space ships in Iain M. Banks's Culture book series.
http://www.space.com/28445-spacex-elon-musk-drone-ships-names.html

Pristine_Condition · May 26, 2016

Bummer. Seeing reports that weather might be tricky tomorrow, not so bad for the launch, (though not as good as it was today) but potentially bad for landing on the droneship.

HellBlazer · May 27, 2016

Same time tomorrow?

cameron · May 27, 2016

HellBlazer said:
Same time tomorrow?

I believe so. Backup launch window is at the same time tomorrow.

hamauzu kaito · May 27, 2016

Whats up with the counter in the OP?

Elfforkusu · May 27, 2016

Boooo

Mindlog · May 27, 2016

hamauzu kaito said:
Whats up with the counter in the OP?

It's still on the first launch window.
Updated.
*gah hour off*

cameron · May 27, 2016

Mindlog said:
It's still on the first launch window.
Updated.
http://secondapps.com/countdown/t1464388800z1.png

Thanks. Swapped out the old countdown timer in the OP.

Launch operations weather forecast:

http://www.patrick.af.mil/Portals/1...t 27 May Launch.pdf?ver=2016-05-26-193656-387

Abstruse Moose · May 27, 2016

Is this happening today, or are we looking at another delay?

Jezbollah · May 27, 2016

Nice OP Cameron. Again. New launch window and attempt in 2hrs then.

I'm in Italy with a bad internet connection. Will probably cost the price of a F9FT launch to watch tonight via cellular

Enjoy, folks.

cebri.one · May 27, 2016

1h 25m to launch. Weather 60% favorable.

jett · May 27, 2016

elite09 said:
1h 25m to launch. Weather 60% favorable.

Suspicious weather is suspicious.

cameron · May 27, 2016

SpaceX ‏@SpaceX
Rocket now being fueled and Launch Director confirms go for launch.
35 minutes and counting http://www.spacex.com/webcast

.

blu · May 27, 2016

jett said:
Suspicious weather is suspicious.

Come on, why such negativity? : )

Mindlog · May 27, 2016

What a coincidence. I am also being fueled for launch.

luoapp · May 27, 2016

Mindlog said:
What a coincidence. I am also being fueled for launch.

I sincerely hope you don't land on a barge.

cameron · May 27, 2016

Streams are live.

cebri.one · May 27, 2016

Nice 20% probability of violation. Go away cumulus.

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