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SpaceX Flight 4 Launch Postponed

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the better-safe-than-exploded dept.

Matt_dk noted that yesterday's launch plans for SpaceX have hit some turbulence. He says "SpaceX Flight 4 Launch has been postponed. The static fire took place on Saturday [20 Sep 2008, CA time], as expected, and no major issues came up. However, after a detailed analysis of data, we decided to replace a component in the 2nd stage engine LOX supply line. There is a good chance we would be ok flying as is, but we are being extremely cautious. This adds a few extra days to the schedule, so the updated launch window estimate is now Sept 28th through Oct 1st [CA time]."

11 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. More Wasteful then NASA? by aussie_a · · Score: 4, Funny

    With such wastefulness as replacing good parts, is privatising the space industry really the answer? After all, I don't think even NASA replaces perfectly good parts.

    1. Re:More Wasteful then NASA? by Ritz_Just_Ritz · · Score: 5, Funny

      "I don't think even NASA replaces perfectly good parts."

      Yeah, better to just wait until they explode. Then you KNOW they needed to be replaced.

    2. Re:More Wasteful then NASA? by Teancum · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'm assuming this is a joke, intended to get a few funny mod points here.

      If this were serious, of course some occasional parts that are likely to be good but have a question of doubt that they may be bad are replaced. Heck, I do that when I'm repairing my automobile... for exactly the very same reason. If I'm digging into the timing belt and I know the water pump has 50,000 miles on it, I'll change it (the water pump) out even if it is presumably working just fine... just to give an example.

      This is good maintenance practice, and how you keep things flying. It is also called rocket science here.

    3. Re:More Wasteful then NASA? by aussie_a · · Score: 5, Funny

      So how many miles did this part have on it? I thought they hadn't actually gotten into space.

    4. Re:More Wasteful then NASA? by marco.antonio.costa · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Let me put it this way; if SpaceX gets to orbit successfully in Flight 98 it still will have spent 20 million dollars less than one Space Shuttle flight. ONE.

      There's just no way private enterprise can compete with government when it comes to wasting money. We'd have to see private central banks emitting fiat money to have even a remote chance of seeing this kind of a dispute.

      --
      Send your spendthrift head of state this
  2. Live Webcast? by Nit+Picker · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Will this launch have a live webcast like flight 3? If so, does anyone have the details?

    1. Re:Live Webcast? by Teancum · · Score: 3, Informative

      Assuming that they need the video telemetry anyway, and that they have been making some rather public announcements about this launch... I would say it is quite likely.

      If you don't want to miss the webcast, make sure you look at the "main page" of the SpaceX website... where they've had links to the webcast on each of the previous launches.

      http://spacex.com/

  3. LOX is liquid oxygen by QuietRiot · · Score: 3, Informative

    If you're wondering, LOX is "Liquified Oxygen"

    1. Re:LOX is liquid oxygen by Usquebaugh · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's salmon and cream cheese

    2. Re:LOX is liquid oxygen by marco.antonio.costa · · Score: 3, Informative

      Karma whore. :-P

      Lemme see if I can get some too: In case you're wondering, SpaceX actually means Space Exploration Technologies Corp.

      --
      Send your spendthrift head of state this
  4. Re:Put it in the documentary after you suceed by Teancum · · Score: 5, Informative

    In fairness to SpaceX.... they have been able to make it into space before. They did that on the previous two attempts. Their main problem was one of not being able to stay up there due to crazy problems with their second stage.

    I hope that they finally have figured that one out... and the last issue (having the rocket crash into itself and destroy the 2nd stage nozzle as a result) is something they are kicking themselves over even now.

    The rocket they have built is certainly more than capable of getting up to space and maintaining orbital velocities.