SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Dual Satellite Mission

JoeSilva writes SpaceX successfully launched two satellites towards Geosynchronous Orbit. There's already a video of one deployment. Word is the launch went very smoothly and bodes well for their next launch in three weeks, as they work to fulfill what is now a very full launch manifest. In addition Elon had one more thing to share: "Upgrades in the works to allow landing for geo missions: thrust +15%, deep cryo oxygen, upper stage tank vol +10%."

Re:

[crunchy_one]

...and the clock is running!

Excellent

[Alwin Henseler]

upper stage tank vol +10%

So it goes to 11 then!

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[K. S. Kyosuke]

Technically, it goes to 1.1. (That's the original 1 plus 10%, of course.)

Best way to watch

[Scottingham]

I've found that the best way to watch a rocket launch is at the T-10sec mark to start The Final Countdown in another tab.

Instantly epic launch.

Re:

[Applehu Akbar]

Did you get your sour grapes from California, or do they have to be flown in from Chile this time of year?

Viewing Launches

[Bruce Perens]

I was in Florida to speak at Orlando Hamcation [hamcation.com] and went to see the DISCOVR launch at Kennedy Space Center. I paid $50 to be at LC-39 [caminokid.com] for the launch, an observation tower made from a disused gantry on the Nasa Causeway between the pads and the Vehicle Assembly Building. A crawler was parked next door! A hot sandwich buffet, chips, and sodas were served. It was cold and windy! I watched for a few hours and unfortunately the launch scrubbed due to high stratospheric winds.

The next day, Delaware North Corporation, which operates tourism at KSC, decided not to open LC-39 or the Saturn 5 center for the launch. This was the third launch attempt and I guess they decided most people had left. I was annoyed.

The closest beach was going to be closed in the evening, it's a sensitive ecological area. I ended up seeing the launch from Jetty Park. This turned out not to be such a great location, the tower wasn't visible at all and the first 10 seconds of the rocket in flight were obscured before we saw it over a hill.

What's a better viewing location?

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[rfengr]

Huh, I saw the maiden Discovery launch too. My dad and I drove down from VA. I don't remember exactly where we watched from, but there was a pond near by, where the alligators were watching us. I took a few seconds to actually see it rise above the treeline. What still amazes me is how long the thrust tail was; a flame probably as long, or longer than the entire vehicle. BTW, looking forward to that open source HT. KD4HSO

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[Bruce Perens]

I saw a 'gator right at the edge of the VAB parking lot last month. In a drainage ditch, up to the fence, cars parked right on the other side.

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[trout007]

Just do what the rest of us space geeks do. Get a job there and get as close as humanly possible.

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[Bruce Perens]

With luck, they'll start incorporating our radio transceivers [algoram.com]. I hear that SpaceX flies with several USRPs now, so that's not completely unrealistic. That might be as close as I can get. Anyone who can get me a base invitation, though, would be greatly appreciated and I'd be happy to do some entertaining speeches while there. I need a base invite for Vandenberg, too. I got in to the official viewing site for the first try of the last launch (and that scrubbed too), but this next one is on Pad 6.

Ion Propulsion

[BigFire]

It was mentioned elsewhere that these two satellites uses ion propulsion instead of traditional chemical propellant for navigation. Supposedly this cuts down on the weight of the satellite as well as reduced the movable parts on the satellites themselves.

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[zr]

indeed https://twitter.com/elonmusk/s... [twitter.com]