SpaceX DM1 & In flight abort test this fall?

[Cloakedwand72]

Will SpaceX do DM1 & In flight abort test this fall & how will they do the abort test? Where would be the best places to see these launches?

[Ultimate Steve]

On 8/13/2018 at 1:43 PM, Cloakedwand72 said:

Will SpaceX do DM1 & In flight abort test this fall & how will they do the abort test? Where would be the best places to see these launches?

@Cloakedwand72 The word that best describes aerospace is "delays." Don't expect a concrete launch date until a few weeks (if not 1 week) before hand, especially for SpaceX... and then add a few days in case of scrubs and further delays.

That being said, DM1 is currently slated for November and the abort test is scheduled for Q1 2019 sometime. These are estimates that are kept by the dedicated people who run /r/SpaceX.

As for viewing, check here: https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/wiki/faq/watching

The Crew Dragon will be launching from LC 39A and not SLC-40 or SLC-4E because that is where the crew access arm will be installed, so look at entries with a good view of 39A. And if you're going to make a long distance trip around this, don't set it in stone until a few days before in case of delays, and again spend multiple days there in case of scrubs.

[XB-70A]

About the SLC-39A I would recommend Playalinda Beach, it's giving an exceptional point of view, and it is the closest spotting site available to everybody:

Each entry is costing 10 (a yearly unlimited is available at 40), but the largest flaw being its operational hours, from 0600 to 2000 during the Summer, but only until 1800 during the Winter. Sometime the rangers can consider to slip the closure for an hour if the launch is delayed, but still I would not bet on it.

Also, it's possible to walk on the beach to reach the fence, but the last one is obviously monitored and sometimes you cannot be allowed to reach it (happened in last April for the launch of AFSPC 11)

About the parking, the first lot may seem the best, but it is not. Vegetation covering a part of your sight. Instead I would recommend the 3rd or 4th lot.

Here is how it's looking like from the 4th:

Spoiler

 

 

Otherwise, the FL-401 is also nice (and free), but the distance is pretty annoying:

Many different spots are available all along the road, but you will be forbidden to go further than the point I put on the map, one of the Air Force Station's entrance being at about 50 m East. Meanwhile, the SpaceX operations center is located at less than 100 m at the South-East, and can be approached freely (when out of operations)

Spoiler

 

 

 

However, the distance will make it pretty hard to have a good sight of the launch (excepted a big ball of fire climbing slowly), here is what a launch from the 39A is looking like from this spot:

Spoiler

 

 

But, it is the best of all when the boosters are landing back at Cape Canaveral, being the closest location:

 

 

 

Last point, if the LC-39 Observation Gantry is really awesome, it is not open to the public for the launches on the 39A...

Spoiler

About 2 km being too close in case of a catastrophic failure. 

It is also necessary to count 50 dollars to access it during launches from the 37B (Delta IV), 40 (Falcon 9), and the 41 (Atlas V), plus the cost of a regular entry at the Visitor Complex, and is not refundable if the launch is scrubbed.

Another solution could be to stand outside the Saturn V Visitor Complex, the view being pretty nice from here. However, both have the same problem: they are only available during the K.V.C. opening hours.

 

Globally the best spotting site if you don't want to take any risk or to empty your pocket pretty fast is the FL-401.

Edited August 15, 2018 by XB-70A

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

On 8/14/2018 at 9:16 PM, XB-70A said:

Many different spots are available all along the road, but you will be forbidden to go further than the point I put on the map, one of the Air Force Station's entrance being at about 50 m East. Meanwhile, the SpaceX operations center is located at less than 100 m at the South-East, and can be approached freely (when out of operations)

If you go there, make sure to look at the museum tucked away behind the operation center. It is much more dense with artifacts than the KSC, even if they're less important. They have an early atlas engine (can't remember if it was the booster or sustainer) in very good condition (not covered in 500 layers of paint) you can basically touch.

[Racescort666]

They also have a Kerosene LR 87 there.