Newt Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Apollo technically started as soon as NASA started... At least the concept.Well, debatable, but I will grant that the were very much involved for their early existence.As for the Orion/SLS/Future of Space Exploration, I will say, if and when SLS starts going, there will be some great potential for unmanned missions as well as manned ones. We can already go to Mars with robots, but with SLS we could send truly massive spacecraft, fleets of spacecraft, just about anywhere in the Solar System. Humans to Mars would be neat, and probably good for publicity, but it would be a bit of a pity to do as we did with Saturn V, and only launch manned spacecraft (Skylab was not manned yet, but was part of the manned program). There is just so much heavy lifters can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tristonwilson12 Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Its a MPCV it can do anything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibb31 Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 (edited) As for the Orion/SLS/Future of Space Exploration, I will say, if and when SLS starts going, there will be some great potential for unmanned missions as well as manned ones. We can already go to Mars with robots, but with SLS we could send truly massive spacecraft, fleets of spacecraft, just about anywhere in the Solar System. Humans to Mars would be neat, and probably good for publicity, but it would be a bit of a pity to do as we did with Saturn V, and only launch manned spacecraft (Skylab was not manned yet, but was part of the manned program). There is just so much heavy lifters can do.True. The problem for that is that the payloads should be in the pipeline now if they want to be available for SLS in the 2022 or 2024. But they aren't.Science institutions simply don't have the budget to build >70t payloads. Even if they did, they can't really commit to that size because SLS is the only rocket that can launch them, and SLS's future is too uncertain. They risk building a several-billion dollar mission and losing their ride. It's much safer to them to stick to put their eggs into the 10-20t payload size where they can easily switch to another rocket if necessary.The lack of missions is what makes SLS unsustainable. NASA can't afford to maintain a launch site and logistics infrastructure for a launcher that only flies every 2 years, which is the intended flight rate. With no payloads or missions actually planned or funded at this stage, they will have to struggle to achieve a rate of 1 flight every 4 or 5 years. My guess is that somebody will finally realize this and put Congress in front their responsabilities, and SLS will be cancelled after 2 flights.- - - Updated - - -Its a MPCV it can do anythingAnything within its specifications, which are: maintain 4 crew members alive for 21-days.The question is, what can you do in space in 21-days without any additional mission hardware? Except fly around the Moon, not much. Edited January 25, 2015 by Nibb31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motokid600 Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 So is the next launch the 8th or the 9th of February? I keep seeing both and for some reason the information is hard to find. I'm planning a trip to Florida next week I wanna try and catch this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwind Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 The 8th is probably a NET date: "no earlier than". The 9th might be when the actual launch attempt is scheduled to happen. But don't take it from me, better look at the launch countdown on spacexstats.com. It has it down to the second Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aethon Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 Test of a 2% scale model of the SLS RS-25 core. http://www.nasa.gov/sls/base-heating-tests.html#.VMwf52jF-Yd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airlock Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 SpaceX Conducts Static Fire Test Ahead of DSCOVR Missionhttp://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/01/spacex-static-fire-test-dscovr-mission/SpaceX has conducted a Static Fire test on its latest Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket Saturday, paving the way for a February 8 launch attempt to loft the DSCOVR spacecraft uphill from Cape Canaveral’s SLC-40. The launch will also mark the second attempt to conduct a propulsive landing of the core stage on to the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship (ASDS).Liftoff set for this Sunday at 6:10 PM EST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B787_300 Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Airlock is correct launch is scheduled for this weekend. Just some notes, This is a really light payload, there should be plenty of fuel left in the tanks, they stocked the ship with more hydraulic fluid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airlock Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Updated the OP with links for webcast, countdown, landing map, weather forecast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tygoo7 Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Ooooo this is exciting! Hopefully they succeed with this launch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frida Space Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Now less than 50 hours to launch! Weather is 90% 'GO'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocketPilot573 Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I'm happy that the launch is not in the middle of the night this time. Good luck, Falcon and ASDS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozen_Heart Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Guys I'm able to watch the launch. I'm afraid that means it will be scrubbed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motokid600 Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Usually that's how my luck goes Frozen_Heart, lol. I'm sure it'll be fine the weather looks good tomorrow night. Enjoy that show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astropapi1 Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Wait a second, is it launching today?!Damn you, social needs! I agreed to spend the afternoon with my entire class... while SpaceX is casually making history. There's no going back now, I guess I'll see pictures after I get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralathon Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Wait a second, is it launching today?!Damn you, social needs! I agreed to spend the afternoon with my entire class... while SpaceX is casually making history. There's no going back now, I guess I'll see pictures after I get home. Nah, it's tomorrow. Check the countdown timer on the first page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman703 Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Anyone know if SpaceX will be live streaming their half of the launch, or keeping it under wraps like last time? The boostback and landing on the barge is the part I'm looking forward to, not necessarily another satellite launch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralathon Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Anyone know if SpaceX will be live streaming their half of the launch, or keeping it under wraps like last time? The boostback and landing on the barge is the part I'm looking forward to, not necessarily another satellite launch.Depends on how it goes. If it worked we'll probably have video footage within the hour. If it failed they'll want to keep it under wraps for a few days so the media calms down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codepoet Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I just got the livestream notification for this launch tomorrow. I am so excited about this that I would not be surprised if a little bit of wee comes out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman703 Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I'm with yah. Haven't been this excited for a launch since I got to see one of the shuttles lift off in person when I was a weee boy. SpaceX is life. SpaceX is love. All hail Elon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotius Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Thanks for the updated info.Go SpaceX! Good luck, and get the cigar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris_T_Roach Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk said the new launcher for Sunday’s flight carries “way more†hydraulic fluid to remedy the problem. At least it should explode for a different reason, Musk quipped on Twitter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgey Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Hmm, nine hours to the launch and it's almost 12:30 at night, guess I'm going to be tired tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airlock Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 From the webcast page: Falcon 9 went vertical early this morning in advance of tonight’s launch of the DSCOVR satellite. Liftoff is targeted for 6:10pm EST – live launch webcast will begin here at 5:50pm EST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainDreamer Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 going to be 5am for me here. Ugh. I guess I will watch the recap. But live launch is always much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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