SpaceX Dragon CRS-5 ISS resupply mission (and stage landing attempt on drone ship)

[Dr Mordrid]

SpaceX's Dragon 1 is headed to ISS again on Jan 6 at 0620. NASA TV, SpaceX's website ( http://www.spacex.com/webcast ) and the Livestream SpaceX channel will cover the launch live.

Additionally, SpaceX will attempt to land Falcon 9's first stage on their new Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship (ASDS), a heavily modified 300x170 foot heavy barge now equipped with new comm, telemetry and commsat systems, and Thrustmasters GPS stabilization thrusters.

ASDS is being accompanied by 2 tender ships: the Elsbeth III and the Go Quest.

Go Quest, Elsbeth III and ASDS have left port and on their way to the recovery zone 2 00 miles off Jacksonville, Florida where they've been berthed. Go Quest is now loaded with telemetry, communications and radar gear.

Go Quest


Elsbeth III


ASDS (from Carnival Fascination)

[Dr Mordrid]

0455 EST

propellant tanks filled. Countdown started.

@NASAKennedy: Weather improves to 90% “go,” for today's #SpaceX launch. Live TV coverage starts at 5a EST at http://t.co/bO2eQOROmh http://t.co/CtfqcEJTOg

[Dr Mordrid]

During the terminal count engineers observed drift on one of the two thrust vector actuators on the second stage that would likely have caused an automatic abort. Engineers called a hold in order to take a closer look. SpaceX is scrubbed for today and we are now targeting launch on Jan. 9th at 5:09am ET.

Most likely during 2nd stage engine chill-down (liquid oxygen run through the turbopump to prepare for ignition) the actuators that the steer the engine are tested. A sensor reported one didn't move as expected - it's center point position drifted out of spec.

In other words; the upper stage's power steering went out, or a sensor failure made it look like it did.

Since the launch window was <1 second long they couldn't stop to check it out or replace it and try again later today, so they moved it to the backup date of Friday. Meanwhile they'll check the actuator and sensors.

[cjolley]

http://www.spacex.com/webcast/

Weather 80% go for Tomorrow.

[Dr Mordrid]

Propellant loading has started.

Livestream and YouTube Event feeds should start 0430 Eastern

http://new.livestream.com/spacex/events/3665355

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p7x-SumbynI

If all goes well the landing should be ~9 minutes after launch about 200 miles off Jacksonville, Florida. The Go Quest tender ship, Elsbeth III tug and the ASDS are back on station after coming back to port to refuel.

After the landed F9 booster is safed the Go Quest crew will board ASDS, secure F9's landing feet to the ASDS deck then tow her back to Jacksonville. There it will be craned to an upright fixture, the legs removed and then trucked back to a SpaceX facility for examination.

The construction of landing pads has already started at SpaceX's Vandenberg AFB SLC-4 West, which is next to their SLC-4 East launch facility. Similar landing pads will be built at the Cape Canaveral LC-13 site, a retired Atlas pad.

[Dr Mordrid]

KSC weather is 90% GO

[Dr Mordrid]

T-57 min.

All Launch Commit Criteria: GO

[Dr Mordrid]

T-15 minutes

[Dr Mordrid]

Launch!!

[Dr Mordrid]

S2 separation and ignition

Textbook launch, S1 on the way ack down.

[Dr Mordrid]

Stage 1 reentry burn startup

[Dr Mordrid]

S1 boostback burn started and ended. Now over the horizon so KSC has lost telemetry.

[Dr Mordrid]

KSC and Hawthorne waiting for reports from the ASDS recovery crew.

[Dr Mordrid]

@elonmusk
Rocket made it to drone spaceport ship, but landed hard. Close, but no cigar this time. Bodes well for the future tho.

@elonmusk
Didn't get good landing/impact video. Pitch dark and foggy. Will piece it together from telemetry and ... actual pieces.

elonmusk
Ship itself is fine. Some of the support equipment on the deck will need to be replaced...

[cjolley]

The got to the deck, but at a really bad angle.
Actually after several viewings it looks like they missed by a few meters and the rocket tried mightily to get back into position.
Bet they make it next time.
Video of the "landing" here: https://vine.co/v/OjqeYWWpVWK