SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon updates: launch date/time

[Dr Mordrid]

After a delay for range issues the Falcon 9 hotfire test is counting down for a 1PM Eastern Time firing today (Tuesday March 9, 2010).

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/001/status.html

1522 GMT (10:22 a.m. EST)
Safety officials are establishing road blocks around Complex 40 as fueling is about to begin for the Falcon 9's static fire, which remains scheduled for around 1 p.m. EST.

The engines will only fire for 3.5 seconds, just enough time to register full thrust and then a bit more. Also being tested are the procedures and links between SpaceX's control centers and those at the Kennedy Space Center. At full throttle F9 will generate >1.1 million lb/f of thrust (4.94 MN). During a real launch ~15 seconds before 1st stage cutoff 2 of its 9 engines will have to be shut down; with most of the fuel mass gone it would otherwise accelerate so fast as to exceed the specs for G loads.

Pic of the preparations from a KSC webcam. The rocket has been erected and the strongback (carrier/erector/launch tower) has been moved to the launch position. The live feed shows fueling has begun (venting of GOX - evaporated LOX) and the countdown is proceeding.

UPDATE: time now changed to 1:30 pm.

[SitFlyer]

1906 GMT (2:06 p.m. EST)
Replays of the brief engine firing show the countdown was aborted just as the rocket was ignited.


1910 GMT (2:10 p.m. EST)
The Falcon 9 engine test is apparently scrubbed for the day.

[Dr Mordrid]

Hotfire aborted at ignition. There was some smoke, which is typical. Usually the computer catches a pressure or fuel temp problem and shuts it down. Not sure if they'll recycle today (if its minor) or go for tomorrow.

[Dr Mordrid]

UPDATE:

the abort was caused by the engine turbo-pumps not getting up to full speed. These are spun up by pressurized helium just before engine start, so the problem is likely due to either low helium pressure or flow or a bad sensor. At the same time 2 chemicals are introduced that ignite when they hit air to fire the kerosene/LOX mix, which today was never deployed. The igniters did cause some flames though. Next attempt in 3-4 days - after SpaceX checks all their data.

[Fat Tone]

Looks like the problem was due to a valve not on the rocket itself.

Elson Musk:

Elon Musk, SpaceX's founder and CEO, has provided the following update on the cause of Tuesday's aborted launch pad engine test:
"The valve that didn't actuate is the ground side isolation valve to release ground supplied high pressure helium to start the first stage engine turbopumps spinning at several thousand rpm. Once that happens it generates enough pressure to start the gas generator, which is a small rocket engine that powers the turbopump. There are no vehicle side valves actuated for spin start (just check valves), so it is an all engines or none situation.

The problem was pretty simple: our autostart sequence didn't issue the command to the normally closed ground side isolation valve. We had tested everything on the vehicle side exhaustively in Texas, but didn't have this iso valve on our test stand there. Definitely a lesson learned to make sure that *everything* is the same between test stand and launch pad on the ground side, not just on the vehicle side.

Ignition fluid (TEA-TEB) flowed nominally to all engines creating the green flame and the main valves opened, but no engines actually started and the system automatically aborted on lack of spin. The fire generated was from flushing the system of fuel and LOX from the open mains. No damage to the vehicle or ground systems and no other anomalies that need to be addressed. If all goes well, we will try the static fire again in the next few days. Right now, we are holding due to extreme weather. It is raining sideways at 46 mph and tornados have been spotted just north of the Cape.

It is important for readers to appreciate that what we are going through right now is the equivalent of "beta testing." Problems are expected to occur, as they have throughout the development phase. The beta phase only ends when a rocket has done at least one, but arguably two or three consecutive flights to orbit."

[Dr Mordrid]

Test fire of the 1st stage successful - video link.....(QT)

[Dr Mordrid]

Delay in launch until at least May 8th: the range safety officers have to certify the flight termination system (FTS). The FTS consists of sensors, remote triggers and linear shaped charge explosives along the fuel tanks that destroy the rocket in case of a system failure. This is something that they often take their own sweet time doing.

Rumor is the real launch date target is May 22.

[Fat Tone]

Is this a surprise to any one?

[Dr Mordrid]

Not really for 2 reasons;

1. with non-NASA launches the range safety officers take longer to certify the destruct system, and especially with a new design. With a familiar design it can take a week or two, but with a new one....

2. a LOT is riding on this launch and not just for SpaceX, so the pressure is on from several fronts to make it work as well as possible and that takes time.

This launch, even though its a test flight and the first launch of any design often has troubles, is a huge deal to the entire industry. A lot of this pressure came on after SpaceX had made up their original schedule; all of a sudden Obama canceled Constellation (the Ares I and V rockets, the Orion spacecraft and Altair lunar lander) and almost overnight Dragon's manned capability became a front page story. They had not planned on anything like that happening before Falcon 9 Flight 2 or 3 was in the books, at least.

A short list of dependencies;

NASA is planning heavily on the Falcon 9 and Dragon for manned missions to ISS and LEO; there are 3 NASA COTS Dragon flights and 12 ISS cargo flights after this goes up; the DoD wants DragonLab for its own purposes (interception, investigation and..... because it will have an optional larger "trunk" (cargo bay) and manipulator arm), international launch customers; Bigelow Aerospace wants to launch its first manned space station module, Sundancer, on the F9; commercial satellite launches (including Loral, the largest satellite maker in the US) with more being added almost weekly; Falcon 9 Heavy is a potential launcher for Bigelow's Orion Lite, etc. etc. etc.

'Huge deal' might even be an understatement.

[Dr Mordrid]

HUGE update - LOTS of tech info

Too much to post here

http://spacex.com/updates.php

[Dr Mordrid]

US Air Force launch operations has approved a May 23 launch date with a 1:00 PM EST for T=0.