SpaceX launches

Formosat 5 video

Really interesting video footage

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Love those SpaceX videos. Beautiful technology, and their PR is really slick. They narrate these space missions like they’re talking about a little trip to the supermarket for a case of beer.

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Elon Musk did it, SpaceX is really commercially viable now.

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This is so cool. Now everyone can develop space technology and use it without the cost of having a space program. What a genius.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPfHHls50-w

That’s not live. Are they re-streaming the launch of Arabsat-6A mission from 18 days ago?

Not sure what they’re doing! Not live though.

You can see all Spacex launches from their official YouTube channel.

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CRS-17 Mission

Great booster landing on the drone ship.

Incredible stuff. How the hell does that second-stage engine function with the bell white-hot? Come to think of it, why doesn’t it melt completely in the vacuum, with nothing to take the heat away? I assume they flow propellant through the bell?

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First big launch of SpaceX Space Internet Satellites

:rocket: Launch is approximately 10:30 pm CST on Friday, May 17

SpaceX is targeting Thursday, May 17 for the launch of 60 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. SpaceX’s Starlink is a next-generation satellite network capable of connecting the globe, especially reaching those who are not yet connected, with reliable and affordable broadband internet services.

With a flat-panel design featuring multiple high-throughput antennas and a single solar array, each Starlink satellite weighs approximately 227kg, allowing SpaceX to maximize mass production and take full advantage of Falcon 9’s launch capabilities. To adjust position on orbit, maintain intended altitude, and deorbit, Starlink satellites feature Hall thrusters powered by krypton. Designed and built upon the heritage of Dragon, each spacecraft is equipped with a Startracker navigation system that allows SpaceX to point the satellites with precision. Importantly, Starlink satellites are capable of tracking on-orbit debris and autonomously avoiding collision. Additionally, 95 percent of all components of this design will quickly burn in Earth’s atmosphere at the end of each satellite’s lifecycle—exceeding all current safety standards—with future iterative designs moving to complete disintegration.

Mission Starlink 1
Static fire completed on: May 13th
Payload: 60 Starlink Satellites
Payload mass: 227 kg * 60 ~ 13620 kg
Destination orbit: 440km
Vehicle: Falcon 9 v1.2 (71^st launch of F9, 51^st of F9 v1.2 15th of F9 v1.2 Block 5)
Core: B1049
Previous flights on this core: 2
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Landing: Yes
Landing Site: OCISLY (GTO-Distance)
Mission success criteria: Successful separation & deployment of the Starlink Satellites.

Google Maps updated and now shows the locations of the initial base stations.

60 satellites is pretty crazy.

It will be thousands of satellites in the coming years

It is supposed to be SpaceX’s cash cow to get funds for mars base.

They can’t get through it to fly to Mars!

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There goes earth, Superman is useless now!

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Hope they don’t wreck space with all those satellites.

The launch has been postponed for another week.

It’s happening!

:heavy_check_mark: Deployed 1558668855221

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