Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1937
SpaceX will attempt the launch of EchoStar 105/SES-11 at 6:53 PM EDT (10:53 PM UTC). This is SpaceX's second launch attempt in 3 days, following the successful launch of 10 satellites for Iridium on Monday:
It's the third time SpaceX has used one of its landed boosters for a second flight — and if it sticks the landing again, it'll also be the third to have come safely back to Earth for a second time. The first reused Falcon 9 flew in March, with the second one following close behind in June. It's possible we'll see more used rockets fly before the year is out: earlier this year, Musk said the company could fly as many as six used boosters in 2017. Eventually, SpaceX hopes to refly its Falcon 9s much more frequently, by making a landed booster ready to fly again in just 24 hours.
Going up on this flight is a hybrid satellite that will be used by two companies, SES and EchoStar. Called EchoStar 105/SES-11, the satellite will sit in a high orbit 22,000 miles above Earth, providing high-definition broadcasts to the US and other parts of North America. While this is the first time EchoStar is flying a payload on a used Falcon 9, this is familiar territory for SES. The company's SES-10 satellite went up on the first "re-flight" in March. And SES has made it very clear that it is eager to fly its satellites on previously flown boosters.
Update: Liftoff was successful and the first stage landed successfully on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Update 2: EchoStar 105/SES-11 successfully deployed.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday October 11 2017, @11:02PM (7 children)
Stage 1 landed successfully. 18th successful landing of the Falcon 9 first stage.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 11 2017, @11:28PM (3 children)
Congratulations to SpaceX!
It's neat how this is essentially normal now.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by bob_super on Thursday October 12 2017, @12:12AM (1 child)
Something wasn't quite right, though.
There were sparkish things on the way down, just before they cut off the booster cam, and after landing, there was an unusual glow for a long time at the bottom.
I'd guess something caught on fire in/near one of the engines during the supersonic re-entry (the thing is shaped like a cylinder, not aerodynamic at all).
Yet, they still stuck the landing. Again.
(Score: 2) by isostatic on Thursday October 12 2017, @09:28AM
Yet, they still stuck the landing. Again.
Yes, it's like trying to hit a bullet with a smaller bullet, wearing a blindfold. On a horse. Amazing stuff.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday October 12 2017, @12:16AM
I hope that Falcon 9 launches decline dramatically in price due to partial reuse, allowing universities and smaller companies to launch stuff.
If not, there's this [theverge.com].
Falcon 9's full thrust mode is fully expendable, allowing more mass to be launched but without enough fuel for landing the booster(s).
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday October 11 2017, @11:29PM (2 children)
EchoStar 105/SES-11 successfully deployed.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by rylyeh on Wednesday October 11 2017, @11:36PM (1 child)
Yay! I missed the web cast though :(
"a vast crenulate shell wherein rode the grey and awful form of primal Nodens, Lord of the Great Abyss."
(Score: 3, Informative) by martyb on Thursday October 12 2017, @03:09AM
Typically, SpaceX uploads a video of the livestream after the actual launch. This launch was no exception. You can see it on YouTube [youtube.com].
NB: The first 10 minutes of the video contains the SpaceX logo and a starfield effect reminiscent of an old screen saver.
Enjoy!
Wit is intellect, dancing.