Alpha Centauri 2

Community => Recreation Commons => Destination: Alpha Centauri => Topic started by: Buster's Uncle on January 07, 2015, 05:54:21 pm

Title: SpaceX's next launch now scheduled for Jan. 9
Post by: Buster's Uncle on January 07, 2015, 05:54:21 pm

SpaceX's next launch now scheduled for Jan. 9
Orlando Business Journal
Cindy Barth Editor-  Jan 7, 2015, 12:28pm EST


(http://media.bizj.us/view/img/113121/pg7falcon-spacexsaropfp032213*600xx309-206-0-4.jpg)
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket  File Photo / San Antonio Business Journal



SpaceX will try again on Friday to launch its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, with a 90 percent chance of favorable weather that day.

The Falcon 9's original launch was scheduled for Tuesday morning, but it was aborted with one minute and 21 seconds left on the countdown clock when a thrust vector control actuator for the rocket's second stage failed to perform as expected.

If a decision is made to launch on Friday, the liftoff time would be at 5:09 a.m. Live coverage would begin at 4 a.m.

A launch on Friday would place the Dragon capsule on a 24-hour fast-track trajectory to the International Space Station, with grapple on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 5:56 a.m.

If the Friday launch date is aborted, the next launch opportunity would be at 4:47 a.m. Saturday.

The mission is capturing a lot of attention due to its unusual goal. The Elon Musk-owned company will attempt to land the rocket standing straight up on a barge floating in the ocean — not only a new way to land, but the rocket also is landing on a moving target.

SpaceX estimates it has a 50-50 chance of pulling the landing off, but the company plans to test the landing multiple times this year.


http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2015/01/07/spacexs-next-launch-now-scheduled-for-jan-9.html?ana=yahoo (http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2015/01/07/spacexs-next-launch-now-scheduled-for-jan-9.html?ana=yahoo)