Launch News SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 with Eutelsat 115 West B and ABS-3A, March 1/2, 2015

[HAL9001]

 

[C3PO]

Is SpaceX the first organization to show footage from inside the propellant tank during a launch?

[nitpick]I believe they might be the first to show it during the launch. The Saturn-1 footage had to be retrieved from the stage after splashdown.[/nitpick]

 

[Sky Captain]

Pretty impressive how they are ramping up their launch schedule. In 2015 Falcon 9 probably will be the most often flown US rocket.

 

[Urwumpe]

Pretty impressive how they are ramping up their launch schedule. In 2015 Falcon 9 probably will be the most often flown US rocket.

Would be more impressive, if they actually do that. Their planned launch schedule of 2014 was also pretty ambitious, but much ado about nothing in the end, with "just" six launches.

Arianespace in 2014: Six Ariane 5, one VEGA and also four Soyuz-2 launches from Kourou

Or for the US:
Atlas: 9 launches
Delta: 5 launches
Antares: 3 launches

But don't talk about the R-7 ... 22 launches in 2014.

 

[ADSWNJ]

Our thanks to the commentary lady for not speaking every number this time. Much better!

Oh and awesome job SpaceX!

 

[RGClark]

The Boeing electric thrusters are supposed to save weight over chemical propulsion on the kick stage to do the final insertion to geosynchronous orbit.
Anyone know the specs on these thrusters?

Bob Clark

 

[Astro SG Wise]

Go SpaceX

 

[C3PO]

The Boeing electric thrusters are supposed to save weight over chemical propulsion on the kick stage to do the final insertion to geosynchronous orbit.
Anyone know the specs on these thrusters?

https://directory.eoportal.org/web/...ons/content/-/article/all-electric#background

Full power is 165 mN (please don't convert that into pound-force :lol

 

[boogabooga]

What does the transfer orbit look like for this mission?

It might be interesting given the new method for circularizing the orbit.

Edit: Nevermind, super-synchronous.

I might have thought a slightly sub-synchronous orbit would allow apogee to be raised slightly with periapsis for long burn times of the ion engines.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Would be more impressive, if they actually do that. Their planned launch schedule of 2014 was also pretty ambitious, but much ado about nothing in the end, with "just" six launches.

Arianespace in 2014: Six Ariane 5, one VEGA and also four Soyuz-2 launches from Kourou

Or for the US:
Atlas: 9 launches
Delta: 5 launches
Antares: 3 launches

But don't talk about the R-7 ... 22 launches in 2014.

Well I thought I was pessimistic...until I saw your prediction! :rofl: Actually if you follow some of those other active spaceflight forums you would find that most voted somewhere between 6-8 launches for 2014, which just hit the mark (I voted 7 and held on till just before Christmas). This year most voted 10-12 launches which given their manifest should be more or less possible. That would beat any active launcher except for the Semyorka (which I think is in literally another class...and if the X-company's near term plan works right the F9/H will chase up in 5-10 years), all the Chinese rockets combined and (just maybe) Proton (which probably will be on the way down after 2015). That's almost up to the maximum flight rate of the Delta II or Ariane 4 ever attained, which I think is good!

 

[RisingFury]

If the March 21st launch goes off without significant delay, it'll be the second consecutive SpaceX launch that's less than 3 weeks removed from the previous. April 8th launch could be the third.

May is currently looking like a month with no SpaceX launches. Vacation time?