Elon says the SES-9 launch parameters won't leave the vehicle with enough smash to get back to land, but they intend to try barge recovery on this one.
Payload is 5300 kg, and the launch vehicle has to get it to a geosynchronous injection orbit, so I'm mildly surprised it has enough surplus for a barge recovery.
In turn that raises (considerably) my guess as to what fraction of the launches in the manifest might turn out to allow recovery.
Regarding the SES-9 launch there is a longish discussion thread over at nsf SES-9 thread The "700" at the end of the URL as I've provided it here prompts your browser to display the current page of the thread as of the moment I am posting. Some of these guys are serious propeller-heads on some pretty minor details, and not all postings are right, but you can pick up quite a bit if you have the patience to read along.
A JAR (just a reminder): Feb 24th is not that far off for the next launch. I don't believe the date has changed.
Yep. Got a launch window of 18:46:14-20:23 local time for me, bro. Have 60+ keen teens planning to come back to the youth centre to watch it. Exciting science and engineering times for youngsters these days :-)
Several posts on the nasaspaceflight.com SES-9 thread assert that this is a very high performance launch for the current Falcon 9, making a recovery attempt marginal to the point of not being expected to succeed.
The barge apparently will be much farther downrange than before, there not being enough propellant to boostback much closer.
Not that far off. I looked
)
Not that far off. I looked but could not find info on if this will be another attempt at a land based recovery.
Elon says the SES-9 launch
)
Elon says the SES-9 launch parameters won't leave the vehicle with enough smash to get back to land, but they intend to try barge recovery on this one.
Payload is 5300 kg, and the launch vehicle has to get it to a geosynchronous injection orbit, so I'm mildly surprised it has enough surplus for a barge recovery.
In turn that raises (considerably) my guess as to what fraction of the launches in the manifest might turn out to allow recovery.
Regarding the SES-9 launch
)
Regarding the SES-9 launch there is a longish discussion thread over at nsf SES-9 thread The "700" at the end of the URL as I've provided it here prompts your browser to display the current page of the thread as of the moment I am posting. Some of these guys are serious propeller-heads on some pretty minor details, and not all postings are right, but you can pick up quite a bit if you have the patience to read along.
A JAR (just a reminder): Feb
)
A JAR (just a reminder): Feb 24th is not that far off for the next launch. I don't believe the date has changed.
RE: A JAR (just a
)
Yep. Got a launch window of 18:46:14-20:23 local time for me, bro. Have 60+ keen teens planning to come back to the youth centre to watch it. Exciting science and engineering times for youngsters these days :-)
RE: Exciting science and
)
Absolutely!!! I can't imagine what is around the corner. When I was a kid the smallest computer filled the Pentagon.
I see where Branson has
)
I see where Branson has unveiled Spaceship II.
Don't forget: tonight at
)
Don't forget: tonight at 6:46 Eastern Time (New York). Watch it here.
Solid overcast as of now: 06:55.
Several posts on the
)
Several posts on the nasaspaceflight.com SES-9 thread assert that this is a very high performance launch for the current Falcon 9, making a recovery attempt marginal to the point of not being expected to succeed.
The barge apparently will be much farther downrange than before, there not being enough propellant to boostback much closer.
as of now: 2:52 til launch
)
as of now: 2:52 til launch