SpaceX plans ocean platform landing

[ggr]

A launch on Jan. 6 will result in a rendezvous and grapple of Dragon on Thursday, Jan. 8, at approximately 6 a.m. NASA TV coverage will begin at 4:30 a.m. Installation coverage will begin at 9 a.m.

So does the attempted "barge target" landing occur before the payload reaches ISS? How long for the up and down of the part that tries to land on the barge?

Just ballpark guesswork here, but it takes about 15 minutes to first stage separation, and it won't take a whole lot longer to come down than it did to go up. The longer it is up, the further away it gets, too. So I imagine it will be down again certainly within an hour, and probably quite a bit less.

The second stage boosts the capsule to almost the ISS orbit, but then the capsule takes quite a while to close the distance slowly.

 

[dhanson865]

Just ballpark guesswork here, but it takes about 15 minutes to first stage separation, and it won't take a whole lot longer to come down than it did to go up. The longer it is up, the further away it gets, too. So I imagine it will be down again certainly within an hour, and probably quite a bit less.

The second stage boosts the capsule to almost the ISS orbit, but then the capsule takes quite a while to close the distance slowly.

OK so the time to watch is before I wake up for work on Tuesday, Jan. 6, is scheduled at about 6:18 a.m. EST. NASA TV coverage will begin at 5 a.m.

Maybe on Youtube by the time I'm eating breakfast at 9am Eastern?

 

[Grendal]

OK so the time to watch is before I wake up for work on Tuesday, Jan. 6, is scheduled at about 6:18 a.m. EST. NASA TV coverage will begin at 5 a.m.

Maybe on Youtube by the time I'm eating breakfast at 9am Eastern?

You'll get to see the launch but don't expect to see the landing quickly unless it works flawlessly. There will be no live feed of the landing since SpaceX will avoid having something go wrong splashed all over the media. If it works well then I'd expect something within a day or two. If it fails then they will just announce the failure and say they will do better next time. If it is not really bad, such as a water landing within 500 yards of the barge then we might get to see that at a later time.

That's my opinion. We'll see what they actually do.

 

[Grendal]

SpaceX six days from historic rocket landing attempt • The Register

Nothing really new here except the photograph of the barge leaving port. It's an interesting picture I hadn't seen before.

 

[dhanson865]

WATCH LIVE @ 1:30 pm ET: NASA Science Riding on SpaceX Dragon

Tuesday, January 6: Launch Day

NASA's webcast will begin at 5 a.m. EST

6:20 a.m. EST (1120 GMT): Liftoff

SpaceX will offer its own launch webcast at 6 a.m. EST (1100 GMT). You can watch that launch webcast

WATCH LIVE @ 1:30 pm ET: NASA Science Riding on SpaceX Dragon

by SPACE.com Staff | January 05, 2014 11:00am ET

The private spaceflight company SpaceX is scheduled to launch its fifth official robotic resupply mission to the International Space Station Tuesday (Jan. 6), with NASA and SpaceX hosting a series of news conferences one day earlier on Monday, Jan. 5, to discuss the mission beforehand. You can watch the first briefing, a prelaunch conference, live in the window below starting at 12 p.m. EST (1700 GMT) on Thursday:

Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream

Tuesday, January 6: Launch Day

NASA's webcast will begin at 5 a.m. EST (1000 GMT).

6:20 a.m. EST (1120 GMT): Liftoff

SpaceX will offer its own launch webcast at 6 a.m. EST (1100 GMT). You can watch that launch webcast here:

Post-launch News Conference

NASA and SpaceX plan to host a post-launch news conference approximately 90 minutes after launch. Participants in the post-launch news conference will be:

• Mike Suffredini, International Space Station Program manager, NASA
• Hans Koenigsmann, VP of Mission Assurance, SpaceX

 

[chickensevil]

Does the post launch press conference get to include fantastic landing footage? Eh? Eh? Oh man do I hope so! Even if it is a spectacular failure, I hope they still show the footage!

 

[hockeythug]

If I haven't felt so tired as of late I would try and wake up and watch live.

 

[Bgarret]

Interesting comment by Elon on tonight's Reddit chat (can't believe he would choose to do this the night before, but if the Turkey is in the oven, then why not open up the wine). When asked about the 50/50 conjecture for the success of landing on the platform and what went into that analysis, he essentially said he just "made it up". Hilarious. Great stuff on Reddit chat, link here:

comments by ElonMuskOfficial

 

[Cosmacelf]

Yeah, great answer. I mean, why bother doing a rigorous analysis of that?

 

[Matias]

Launch attemp aborted.

 

[StephenM]

damn... only 2 minutes to launch too. Better safe than sorry. Actuator drift they say

 

[Rheazombi]

Woke up while it's still dark out, to watch Had my space snacks and everything! Hope Fri goes smoothly. Scheduled for 5:09 am.

 

[Morristhecat]

Now pushed to 4:47am est Saturday . Not to great a time for viewing.
NASA on Twitter:

 

[c041v]

This is great news! Mostly because I now won't need to wake up several hours earlier than I normally do for work.

 

[Bgarret]

Now pushed to 4:47am est Saturday . Not to great a time for viewing.
NASA on Twitter:

Convenient for me as I have a 6:30 est flight home. Wake up, get coffee, watch launch, go to airport....what more could you ask for a Saturday morning?

 

[Rheazombi]

I kinda wish they would bring back those panel intros that they did for CRS-1, 2, and 3. With Jessica Jensen and 2 other ppl. They were awesomely nerdy but super fun. Their excitement was palpable!

 

[efusco]

Some pictures starting to come in of the platform from a Reddit user.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/spacexgroup/10153062540806318/?notif_t=group_comment_reply

 

[Dutchie]

Well, looks like damage is not too bad. I just see a few damaged containers on the rear.

 

[ecarfan]

Damage seems minor. I assume after the first stage hit the deck (maybe at the upper right in that photo?) it then tilted and went over the side and was lost.

Just the fact that the first stage managed to guide itself to hit the deck at all is amazing tome. A few more attempts and they'll get it right.

 

[scaesare]

Please Tesla release video...