Falcon 9: Bangabandhu 1 commsat ( first F9 Block 5: massive upgrade, human rated)

[Dr Mordrid]

Payload: Bangabandhu 1 (BD-1) commsat
Customer: BTRC (Bangladesh)

Launch date: May 7
Launch time: 2000-2225 GMT (1600-1825 EDT)
Core: B1046.1 (Falcon 9 Block 5 #1
Pad: KSC LC-39A
Stage landing: ASDS Of CourseI Still Love You

Satellite bus: Thales Spacebus-4000B2
Orbit: Geostationary transfer orbit
GEO position: 119.1° East
Transponders: 14 C-band, 26 Ku-band
Propulsion: chemical
Mass: ~3500 kg

[Dr Mordrid]

Rolling out for the static fire test.

Behold F9 Block 5: human rated, more powerful Merlin 1D's (912 kN, 205,000 lbf), new turbopumps, COPV 2.0's, new helium system, new upper stage, black composite Interstage, titanium grid fins, bolted together Octaweb, new layered heat shields, black composite Legs 2.0 (retractable), black composite external raceway and more.

Trevor Mahlmann @TrevorMahlmann
Now we know why #BlockV took two hours to get up the ramp... photo op.
"OK now turn a little to the left please."#Falcon9 looking goooooooood

https://twitter.com/TrevorMahlmann/status/992149902921625601?s=19

[Dr Mordrid]

Static fire targeting 1800 Eastern

SpaceX is expecting the F9 B5 firststage will do up to 10 flights between refurbs, and they'll soon be flight testing second stage recovery. Payload fairing recovery is already in flight test.

[Dr Mordrid]

CONFIRMED:

Date: Thursday, May 10
Window: 1612 - 1822 ET (2012 - 2222 UT)

Long static fire data review was due to multiple stakeholders; customer, NASA for Commercial Crew program and NLS-II (NASA Launch Services 2 program), USAF for EELV (and its successor EELV2) program.

[Dr Mordrid]

Webcast

[Dr Mordrid]

SpaceX ✔ @SpaceX
Falcon 9 Block 5 and Bangabandhu Satellite-1 went vertical on Pad 39A in Florida this morning. Now targeting liftoff at 4:42 p.m. EDT, 20:42 UTC – vehicle and payload look good, completing final check outs at the pad. http://spacex.com/webcast
1:39 PM - May 10, 2018

[Dr Mordrid]

Scrub at T-00:58;00

@spacex
Standing down today due to a standard ground system auto abort at T-1 min. Rocket and payload are in good health teams are working towards tomorrows backup launch opportunity at 4:14 p.m. EDT, or 20:14 UTC.

https://twitter.com/spacex/status/994704699411460096

[Jammrock]

It ended up launching the 11th. Video below.

I've been reading about the Falcon 9 Block 5. If they can pull off a 100 flight rocket with 10 flights between maintenance checks that's going to completely change the space flight game. His BFR as an international shuttle suddenly seems more feasible.

[cjolley]

Sorry, was afk. went well?

[MultimediaMan]

Perfect flight from a payload delivery perspective. No word yet on actual Block 5 performance metrics. Successful stage one landing at sea, no fairing recovery or second stage recoveries were attempted.

[Dr Mordrid]

I couldn't get on for 2 days or I'd have posted an update.

So far the performance looked very good. Now comes a few weeks of tearing it apart to make sure all the expectations were hit, then a series of reflights.

IIRC they're down to just a few Blocks 4's due to a clearing of landed inventory.

[Dr Mordrid]

Teslarati.com photogs took some good shots of the landed F9 B5 booster.

This reentered at 2 km/sec after a Geostationary launch, which usually leaves boosters extra-crispy with a thick layer of soot.

Click on their pics for larger versions,

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-falcon-9-block-5-returns-to-port-gallery/

Block 5


Also updated is Octagrabber, the 4-armed giant robot which scoots out of its doghouse after a landing and secures Falcon 9 to the droneship so it doesn't slide or tip over in high seas. The Octagrabber's arms grab attachment points on Falcon 9's Octaweb armored engine bay.