SpaceX launches Weds 4/17 - Vandenberg off, Kennedy still on 2:26 PM PT

[Pinto]

SpaceX has postponed indefinitely the WorldView Legion mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base. New launch date and time has not been announced.

Still on the schedule for today, 4/17, is the Starlink launch from Kennedy Space Center.

SpaceX - Falcon 9 - Starlink (6-51)
Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A)
NASA's Kennedy Space Center
Florida

Wednesday, April 17, 2:26 PM PT

SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, April 17 for a Falcon 9 launch of 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA's  Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 5:26 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 9:24 p.m. ET. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Thursday, April 18 starting at 5:05 p.m. ET.

A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about five minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.

This is the 12th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I6-F2, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, NG-20, and five Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

SpaceX launch webcast will start 5 min before liftoff - https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1djxXNdmNBLGZ

[gcvt]

Yay! My Stepmom is in town from Texas and she has never seen a rocket launch. We'll be at the golf course to watch this one...maybe with some wine and cheese haha.

[gcvt]

We live!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FATmc8aW4Uk

[Apples]

 ^ ^ ^ Muchas gracias! amigo...


45 mins to go! and our host speaks of "rocket-grade kerosene"... yeah, baby! YEAH.

Then, the LOX. Come on, now! ZOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

[Apples]

Once loaded w/ propellant, that load weighs one. million. pounds.


Holy smokes. Talk about the thrust! required to lift that.

That's a Magnum load, boys! That load is for DISTANCE. lol.

[Apples]

That was neat to see.

Thanks again, Pinto, for the link.

[swalt]

Watched the replay.  The stats they show near the end are pretty crazy.  324 Falcon 9 launches.  96 launches last year.  267 booster "reflights".  Elon saving tons of money on reusing the boosters.  Lots of economies of scale there.  Are the engines reused too?

[Pinto]

Watched the replay.  The stats they show near the end are pretty crazy.  324 Falcon 9 launches.  96 launches last year.  267 booster "reflights".  Elon saving tons of money on reusing the boosters.  Lots of economies of scale there.  Are the engines reused too?

They are reused -

SpaceX designed the booster with its engines to be recovered for reuse by propulsive landing, and the first recovered booster was reused in March 2017. By 2020, only five of the 26 Falcon 9 launched that year used new boosters. By 2021, only two of the 31 Falcon 9 launches used new boosters.

On 23 February 2024, one of the nine Merlin engines powering that launch flew its 22nd mission, which was at the time the flight leading engine. It is already the most flown rocket engine to date, surpassing Space Shuttle Main Engine no. 2019's record of 19 flights.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Merlin

[swalt]

Watched the replay.  The stats they show near the end are pretty crazy.  324 Falcon 9 launches.  96 launches last year.  267 booster "reflights".  Elon saving tons of money on reusing the boosters.  Lots of economies of scale there.  Are the engines reused too?

They are reused -

SpaceX designed the booster with its engines to be recovered for reuse by propulsive landing, and the first recovered booster was reused in March 2017. By 2020, only five of the 26 Falcon 9 launched that year used new boosters. By 2021, only two of the 31 Falcon 9 launches used new boosters.

On 23 February 2024, one of the nine Merlin engines powering that launch flew its 22nd mission, which was at the time the flight leading engine. It is already the most flown rocket engine to date, surpassing Space Shuttle Main Engine no. 2019's record of 19 flights.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Merlin

Thanks!  I don't follow spacex and what they do enough to know.  Had to look up Starship, yup, reusable too.

[LBDamned]

Rocket nerds on ,org too?

Where's the smack head smiley?

[swalt]

Rocket nerds on ,org too?

Where's the smack head smiley?

[gcvt]

Rocket nerds on ,org too?

Where's the smack head smiley?

Smited!

[Pinto]

Rocket nerds on ,org too?

Where's the smack head smiley?

Commander Peter Quincy Taggart: "No! Never give up, never surrender!"