Launch News SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.2 with EchoStar-23 - NET March 12, 2017

[Kyle]

SpaceX's first launch from LC39A, as well as the first launch from LC39A since STS-135, has been set for January 15, 2017 with the EchoStar 23 satellite!

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Static fire date scheduled for Jan 10th. Launch window for the 15th is 23:50-02:20L. Night launch/ASDS landing!

 

[Frilock]

Oh man, I have personally been at that launch site, and I have to say its so weird to see it like in that picture.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Oh man, I'm actually going to be at sea somewhere around Puerto Rico at that time, might get to see it to the north. :thumbup:

I'll have to figure out how to get updates of launch status - I won't have internet but I'll have satellite email service.

 

[Kyle]

Per NSF, this mission is unlikely to launch on the 15th. Later in the month is much more likely. Given we haven't seen a F9 go up LC39A yet, this seems to make sense.

 

[Kyle]

Looking at a NET of January 26, 2017.

 

[Kyle]

New photos of LC-39A construction! RSS looks gutted.

http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/SpaceKSCBlog/media/LC39/170115_spacex18_lg_zpsvlj8ornb.jpg.html

 

[Kyle]

No ASDS landing for this mission! Falcon 9 will fly without legs or grid-fins!

Elon Musk‏ @elonmusk
@gdoehne Expendable. Future flights will go on Falcon Heavy or the upgraded Falcon 9.

 

[Kyle]

Delayed to NET February 3 due to continued work on LC39A.

 

[Kyle]

Mission swap! CRS-10 is moving in front of EchoStar-23 and will be the first LC39A launch.

 

[Kyle]

This one's up next again. Static fire scheduled for NET 2/24 but will almost 100% be delayed. How much so depends on the state of LC-39A after the CRS-10 launch.

 

[Kyle]

Aiming to static fire (hopefully) today. Launch NET March 14.

 

[C3PO]

Wow! I wondered how you could make March 14 even better. :lol:

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Wow! I wondered how you could make March 14 even better. :lol:

If they launched at 1:59.

 

[Donamy]

... but, beware 'the ides of March'.

 

[Linguofreak]

... but, beware 'the ides of March'.

Personally, I have it in for the kalends.

 

[Kyle]

If they launched at 1:59.

Could actually happen. They'd have to launch March 14 01:59am EDT, which is within the launch window.

 

[Nicholas Kang]

ECHOSTAR XXIII MISSION webcast and press kit out! Plus static-fire videos

Static-fire videos and pictures

(Blur images but near the launch pad)

(Sharp images but far from the launch pad)

Mission Patch

Webcast

Hosted webcast

Mission Press Kit

http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/echostarxxiiifinal.pdf

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will deliver EchoStar XXIII, a commercial communications satellite for EchoStar Corporation, to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). SpaceX is targeting launch of EchoStar XXIII from historic Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The two and a half hour launch window opens on Tuesday, March 14, at 1:34 a.m. EDT or 5:34 a.m. UTC. The satellite will be deployed approximately 34 minutes after launch.

A backup launch window opens on Thursday, March 16, at 1:35 a.m. EDT or 5:35 a.m. UTC. SpaceX will not attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage after launch due to mission requirements.

Payload image

F9 vertical, with payload!

 

[Kyle]

Weather has degraded to 40%* go for launch; 90% go Wednesday.

 

[Kyle]

SpaceX is pressing ahead with a launch tomorrow morning at 01:35am EST (05:35am UTC). Weather is observed 90% go.

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Aiming for a new T-0 at 2:00am EDT (6:00am UTC). Into prop loading.

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L-60 minutes to the new T-0.

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Under T-30, funky SpaceX music starting.

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Under L-20 minutes now.

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L-13, webcast has started.

 

[Andy44]

I see the SpaceX hipster club is still around.

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SECO-1

I'm going to sleep. Nice job, SpaceX.