Business, Space

Falcon 1 Status

39 Comments

This post is about a half hour before launch. I’m listening to the countdown status on the webcast.

[Update a little before 11 PM EDT]

They’re now at T minus fifteen, on a weather hold, hoping to pick it up in less than half an hour at T minus three something.

[Update just before midnight EDT]

It looks like a successful launch. Congratulations, SpaceX. This is a huge milestone — the first successful delivery of a payload into orbit. Now on to a successful Falcon 9 launch later this year.

[Morning update]

The launch seemed to be entirely successful. Clark Lindsey has some thoughts on the implications. I particularly like the last one:

Sen. Shelby should be forced to watch the launch video over and over…

I’m sure he’s seething this morning, assuming that someone had the moxie to tell him about it.

39 thoughts on “Falcon 1 Status”

  3. I’m watching as well with my seven year old son. Talking with him how this compares with him launching his models model rockets.

  18. I can’t help but see some symbolism in Falcon 1 making it on the very same day a Shuttle launch is scrubbed.

  19. Things will really get interesting when the Falcon 9 goes up. Any word on when the launch window opens up for that? I assume something in the next three months or so, but don’t know for sure.

  22. 0444 GMT (12:44 a.m. EDT)

    SPACECRAFT SEPARATION CONFIRMED! The second stage restarted and deployed RazakSAT, a SpaceX spokesperson confirms.

    story from space.com

  23. NASA has exciting launches and makes space boring. Perhaps SpaceX can have boring launches and make space exciting? Although neither will ever be boring to me.

  24. Sen. Shelby should be forced to watch the launch video over and over…

    The only video that will have any effect on Sen. Shelby is the one which explains how this helps him get re-elected. The vast majority of politicians are not public servants.

    —————-

    Congratulations to everyone at SpaceX! Awesome! This is good news for us all.

  29. How nice to see Elon/SpaceX created the “Payback” line.
    While the locals (Big 2.8) and layoff employees are still in the “Questions, comments, and complaints” line.

    Congratulations SpaceX and ATSB, Hope for a Falcon 9 flight soon, and a successful flight.

  31. Congrats to Elon Musk and Sorry and SpaceX!

    I must have missed something. What exactly did Sen. Shelby say that has everyone dumping on him just now?

  34. I found tis posted last night at T minus 8:04.

    I hung out and watched until the webcast ended. One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.

    Thanks Rand. I would have hated to miss it.

  38. Musk has recently said recovering the first stage will be an objective for the next flight. Likely not in a usuable state however. 🙂 I’d rather see him focus on improving the reliability record first.

  39. I think they were planning on reusing some of the more expensive elements of the first stage (at least at first), such as the titanium thrust structure the engine is mounted on.

Comments are closed.