Falcon 1 Flight 3 Launch Thread

[Andy44]

DaveS linked to the following, let's get it on!

http://www.pr-inside.com/spacex-sets-august-2-for-falcon-r735413.htm

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) has scheduled the launch of the Falcon 1 Flight 3 mission for Saturday, August 2nd. The launch window will open at 4:00 p.m. (PDT) / 7:00 p.m. (EDT) and remain open for five hours. If launch is delayed for any reason, SpaceX has range availability to resume countdown through August 5.

Lift-off of the vehicle will occur from SpaceX's Falcon 1 launch site at the Kwajalein Atoll, about 2500 miles southwest of Hawaii. Falcon 1 launch facilities are situated on Omelek Island, part of the Reagan Test Site (RTS) at United States Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) in the Central Pacific.

 

[Andy44]

Video stream link is on the SpaceX homepage, but strangely there is no mention of today's launch...

http://www.spacex.com/

 

[simonpro]

Why do private space companies always schedule important demonstrations for Friday/Saturday night CEST? It's like they're purposefully trying to piss me off, so they'd better not fail this time.

Still, best of luck to them. They finally seem to have got their act together, so I'm actually fairly confident that this will be a success. Third time lucky!
I'll come in to either drunkenly congratulate or complain later.

 

[Andy44]

I'll come in to either drunkenly congratulate or complain later.

I resemble that remark. ;-)

 

[GregBurch]

Here are some links. SpaceX webcast:

http://spacex.com/webcast.php

Spaceflight Now flight center with real-time updates:

http://spacex.com/webcast.php

GO ELON!


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There's a picture on the video stream from Space-X website -- can't tell, but the image seems to indicate T-minus 1 hour, 30 minutes.


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Live feed from SpaceX website is now running, with the clock counting down from 1:30:00.

 

[DaveS]

T0 now 7:30 pm EDT/2330 ZULU.

 

[astrosammy]

And now 24:00 UTC.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

The clock is ticking! 1:28 and counting.

 

[Zatnikitelman]

Good luck to SpaceX and Mr. Musk!

 

[GregBurch]

The clock on the two feeds I've got running here were doing some pretty screwing stuff, but it looks like they've settled down now, counting down steadily to t-minus one hour.

 

[Zatnikitelman]

LOX loading has begun at 15:56 PDT

 

[DaveS]

For everyone with stream issues try this. No guarantees that it will work for everyone!


1: Right-click on the webcast window and select Settings
2: Click on the third button which has an open folder icon
3: Drag the slider all the way to the right until it says Unlimited and click close.
4: Restart the browser and head back to www.spacex.com

Now the webcast should be working pretty good.

 

[DanP]

LOX loading has begun.

T-59 minutes and counting.

Is it just me, or is the webcast terrible? There was a live feed for a couple of minutes but that's it...

 

[Zatnikitelman]

Um, anyone know if this will be on a news station? I'v egot some severe storms heading my way and my internet ususally goes [farther ] south when these things happen.

 

[DaveS]

T-55 minutes and holding.

 

[Arrowstar]

What is the planned duration of the hold?

 

[DaveS]

What is the planned duration of the hold?

Don't know. I don't think there are any planned holds during a Falcon I launch countdown.

 

[DaveS]

Pad crew has now reached the fallback area for launch.

 

[DaveS]

Second stage LOX loading at 50%. First stage LOX loading complete.

 

[DaveS]

Problem seems to be with a Helium bottle. Audio cut-off before the full transmission was heard.