Post: #1

This will start live streaming coverage in about a couple of hours at 5:50 EST with the actual launch attempt at 6:10 EST.

http://new.livestream.com/spacex/events/3783845

Routine science mission launch (DSCOVR = Deep Space Climate Observatory), with the added excitement of attempted recovery of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle's first stage booster on a remote drone platform ship in the Atlantic ocean. They tried recovering one during the space station cargo resupply last month, and came close to landing the first stage on the ship, but failed because they needed a bit more hydraulic fluid for the grid-fin actuators that maneuver it in the upper atmosphere:

http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/01/16/elo...h-landing/

Expect initial confirmation of first stage recovery on Elon Musk's twitter:

https://twitter.com/elonmusk

He mentioned this will be a more difficult reentry (2x forces, 4x heat loads) than the low earth orbit missions because of the different orbit that DSCOVR goes to (L1).

Post: #2

Thanks for this! I thought I missed it.

Post: #3

(02-08-2015 04:14 PM)Old Fritz Wrote:  Thanks for this! I thought I missed it.

Was going to launch last month but got delayed. Not sure why but rumor was to refine the F9 first stage landing process.

Forgot to mention, interesting history, DSCOVR used to be Gore-Sat and was cancelled by Bush, mothballed for a long time, and refreshed for this launch.

Post: #4

Scrubbed due to avionics telemetry issue and an air force radar outage impacting range safety. Next attempt tomorrow 6:07pm EST.

Post: #5

(02-08-2015 04:14 PM)Old Fritz Wrote:  Thanks for this! I thought I missed it.

Brian Williams is already on the scene.



   

Post: #6

(02-08-2015 06:22 PM)Engineer Wrote:  Scrubbed due to avionics telemetry issue and an air force radar outage impacting range safety. Next attempt tomorrow 6:07pm EST.

Safety first. Let's see what they can do tomorrow.