Just saw the Dragon docking sequence. Amazing especially when you consider it was done using the Dragon's automation system. No "bottle rocket" controls involved :>)
The expected user terminal configuration for the SpaceX Starlink system has been foreshadowed by Elon for a long time as using a pizza box sized antenna, and more recently as resembling a UFO on a stick in configuration.
Reddit user darkpenguin22 has recently posted photos stated to have been taken of antennas at a test facility in Merrilan Wisconsin including this one.
I don't know where the prototype stops and the test fixture begins, but I imagine the black shaft and antenna are the current version of the intended product for end users. The white label expressly designates it as prototype hardware.
As by all accounts this will use a phased array antenna to allow tracking rapidly changing angles to the current satellite without rapid antenna movement, I'm a bit surprised that it is not flat.
Credit: While I've linked the Imgur posting of this image, I became aware of it from a post by participant su27k at NASASpaceflight.com, who in turn got it from a Reddit posting by participant darkpenguin22.
Elon Musk tweated that in yesterday's launch both of the fairing catch boats succeeded in catching their fairing in the air. Until now the success rate has been very, very low, so maybe they have got some improvement activated.
SpaceX got in a static fire of the single Raptor engine currently installed on the SN5 Starship Prototype.
After a sequence in which just pressurizing their prototypes seemed more likely than not to lead to destruction, this is a bit of a milestone.
Elon tweeted this picture, which I'm posting mostly to point out how remarkably close SpaceEx puts ground support such as LoX, LN2, and methane tanks to their launch pedestal.
With the Static Fire done, in theory they might fly to a few hundred feet within a very few days.
SpaceX got in a static fire of the single Raptor engine currently installed on the SN5 Starship Prototype.
After a sequence in which just pressurizing their prototypes seemed more likely than not to lead to destruction, this is a bit of a milestone.
Elon tweeted this picture, which I'm posting mostly to point out how remarkably close SpaceEx puts ground support such as LoX, LN2, and methane tanks to their launch pedestal.
With the Static Fire done, in theory they might fly to a few hundred feet within a very few days.
They do seem close meaning any problems could go REALLY badly in a hurry!!
Even without the launch nearby, just having fuel and oxidiser stored close to each other is enough of a risk ! Maybe they don't have any neighbours nearby. Or are we missing something ? Presumably there's a bunker somewhere to control things from. I still can't get the cartoon style appearance of the rocket out of my head .....
Cheers, Mike.
I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...
... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal
Just awesome
)
Just awesome
Just saw the Dragon docking
)
Just saw the Dragon docking sequence. Amazing especially when you consider it was done using the Dragon's automation system. No "bottle rocket" controls involved :>)
The expected user terminal
)
The expected user terminal configuration for the SpaceX Starlink system has been foreshadowed by Elon for a long time as using a pizza box sized antenna, and more recently as resembling a UFO on a stick in configuration.
Reddit user darkpenguin22 has recently posted photos stated to have been taken of antennas at a test facility in Merrilan Wisconsin including this one.
I don't know where the prototype stops and the test fixture begins, but I imagine the black shaft and antenna are the current version of the intended product for end users. The white label expressly designates it as prototype hardware.
As by all accounts this will use a phased array antenna to allow tracking rapidly changing angles to the current satellite without rapid antenna movement, I'm a bit surprised that it is not flat.
Credit: While I've linked the Imgur posting of this image, I became aware of it from a post by participant su27k at NASASpaceflight.com, who in turn got it from a Reddit posting by participant darkpenguin22.
Elon Musk tweated that
)
Elon Musk tweated that in yesterday's launch both of the fairing catch boats succeeded in catching their fairing in the air. Until now the success rate has been very, very low, so maybe they have got some improvement activated.
https://spaceflightnow.com/20
)
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/07/21/spacex-shares-video-of-first-double-fairing-catch/
Richard
today's flight: mach 1 in 35
)
today's flight: mach 1 in 35 seconds. Daytona sorry to disappoint!!!!
SpaceX got in a static fire
)
SpaceX got in a static fire of the single Raptor engine currently installed on the SN5 Starship Prototype.
After a sequence in which just pressurizing their prototypes seemed more likely than not to lead to destruction, this is a bit of a milestone.
Elon tweeted this picture, which I'm posting mostly to point out how remarkably close SpaceEx puts ground support such as LoX, LN2, and methane tanks to their launch pedestal.
With the Static Fire done, in theory they might fly to a few hundred feet within a very few days.
archae86 wrote: SpaceX got
)
They do seem close meaning any problems could go REALLY badly in a hurry!!
Did they lose the keys to the
)
Did they lose the keys to the hatch?
The capsule sure looks like a baked egg shell.
NTO Dinitrogen tetroxide
Even without the launch
)
Even without the launch nearby, just having fuel and oxidiser stored close to each other is enough of a risk ! Maybe they don't have any neighbours nearby. Or are we missing something ? Presumably there's a bunker somewhere to control things from. I still can't get the cartoon style appearance of the rocket out of my head .....
Cheers, Mike.
I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...
... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal