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SpaceX Successfully Launches Falcon 9 Carrying Starlink Demo Satellites (techcrunch.com)
SpaceX has successfully launched a Falcon 9 from SLC-4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base today, its first launch since its successful Falcon Heavy test earlier this month. The launch took off early Wednesday morning, after being rescheduled a couple of times from an initial target of this past weekend. From a report: The launch was primarily designed to bring the PAZ satellite to orbit (which was deployed as planned into a low Earth, sun-synchronous polar orbit), a satellite for a Spanish customer that's designed to provide geocommunications and radar imaging for both government and private commercial customers. This launch had a secondary purpose, however, and one that might ultimately be more important to SpaceX's long-term goals. SpaceX packed two demonstration micro satellites for its planned internet broadband service (which Elon Musk confided via tweet it will call 'Starlink'). These will perform tests required before it's certified to operate the service, which it hopes to use to generate revenue by signing up subscribers to its internet service, which will hopefully be globe-spanning once complete.
SpaceX and Musk continue to push the boundaries of human exploration. With the launch of BFR we will soon have Mars in our grasp.
Thanks, I was unaware of the new fairing.
A few interestings points in the linked article :
- Falcon9 fairings have an estimated cost of about six million dollars. After a quick search, it's look like the advertised cost is 61.2 million maiking the fairing about 10% of the cost. Honestly, it's way more than I anticipaded.
- The new fairing will not only survive atmosphere reentry, but they will "reorient themselves" before the ewentry and then deploy a parachute. It's bery impressing and I'm very curious about how they did this.
- SpaceX is making a recovery boat with a big net to catch those new fairing that will come. For what I read, it's pretty similar to Of Course I Still Love You drone ship.
Can't wait to see if they succeded.
Elok
Even the fuel tanks cost a lot- everything in a rocket is subject to very high stresses. The fuel tanks are subject to the same high acceleration stresses as well as having to deal with extremely cold temperatures and a broad range of pressure conditions. The fairings are not only subject to the same high acceleration stresses, they need to also deal with a massive amount of air hitting them at a variety of different angles. Moreover, the fairing need to easily separate into two parts at just the right moment. None of this easy. There's good reason why we use "rocket science" as short-hand for something very difficult.