YazataDec 24, 2017 04:32 AM (This post was last modified: Dec 24, 2017 05:13 AM by Yazata.)
It's a SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying 10 small communications satellites, launched from Vandenberg AFB, on the coast between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. This launch site is used for launches into polar orbit since it has clear ocean southwards. That means that launches are often more or less parallel to the coast off LA and San Diego.
This spectacular shot (apparently taken from Disneyland in Anaheim) shows the vehicle after stage separation. The illuminated point of light at the far left is the second stage putting out a broad exhaust plume that's catching the light of the Sun right after sunset. The point of light to its right is the first stage which wasn't recovered in this flight.
Elon Musk, hat salesman, says -- "I think last night might have been the biggest Rorschach test ever." His Twitter page has a short video taken from the SpaceX plant in Hawthorne, labeled "Nuclear alien UFO from North Korea".
He also says, "If you liked tonight's launch, you will really like Falcon Heavy next month. 3 rocket cores and 3X thrust. 2 cores return to base doing synchronized aerobatics. 3rd lands on droneship." Falcon Heavy is to launch from Cape Canaveral. His Twitter page below has photos of it being prepared for launch.
I understand that privately, they expect the first Falcon Heavy launch will probably fail. But they say that whether it explodes on ascent or succeeds, it will be a spectacular sight. The biggest payload rocket since the Saturn 5. Reports are that the only payload on this initial flight is Elon Musk's own personal Tesla, which he hopes to put into orbit.
FYI Elon Musk is an alien in human disguise coordinating the impending invasion of planet earth by the reptilians. And yes...Elon Musk is his REAL name!
YazataDec 26, 2017 06:17 PM (This post was last modified: Dec 26, 2017 08:08 PM by Yazata.)
(Dec 24, 2017 04:32 AM)Yazata Wrote: I understand that privately, they expect the first Falcon Heavy launch will probably fail.
My guess is that if it fails, it will likely fail soon after launch as the stresses rip the three Falcon 9's away from one another. leaving everything spinning crazily out of control (like me!). That would probably result in it being explosively detonated from the ground for range safety reasons. Since it will still be heavily laden with fuel, it would make the mother of all fireballs. So Elon thinks everyone should watch, if only for the spectacle. Whether it works or not, it will be exciting.
Quote:The biggest payload rocket since the Saturn 5. Reports are that the only payload on this initial flight is Elon Musk's own personal Tesla, which he hopes to put into orbit.
Apparently not Earth orbit. The idea seems to be to put it into a heliocentric Mars transfer orbit.
Here's something kind of cool. A TV station all the way away in Bakersfield, an inland location 100 miles or more from Vandenberg, got these distant video images of the whole thing. (At first it isn't very impressive, but it gets better.) It launches after sunset, and rises up into the sun. Right after the sun first hits it, you see MECO (main engine cutoff) when the exhaust plume tails off, then stage separation occurs and you see the second stage light up (all brightly illuminated by the sun). At that point you can see a second point of light inside the second stage's exhaust plume, that's the spent first stage. You can watch it putting off little puffs of vapor as it maneuvers. (Even though it wasn't recovered, it still maneuvered as if it was going to be, orienting itself for its reentry burn and so on.)
(Dec 27, 2017 03:09 AM)Yazata Wrote: Here's something kind of cool. A TV station all the way away in Bakersfield, an inland location 100 miles or more from Vandenberg, got these distant video images of the whole thing. (At first it isn't very impressive, but it gets better.) It launches after sunset, and rises up into the sun. Right after the sun first hits it, you see MECO (main engine cutoff) when the exhaust plume tails off, then stage separation occurs and you see the second stage light up (all brightly illuminated by the sun). At that point you can see a second point of light inside the second stage's exhaust plume, that's the spent first stage. You can watch it putting off little puffs of vapor as it maneuvers. (Even though it wasn't recovered, it still maneuvered as if it was going to be, orienting itself for its reentry burn and so on.)
Dec 24, 2017 04:32 AM
(This post was last modified: Dec 24, 2017 05:13 AM by Yazata.)
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