The SpaceX News Thread

SpaceX delays manned flight tests.

I think it's good they're advising of a 6 month delay 3 months prior to a milestone. It sounds like good management.

Pad test for the Falcon Heavy later today. http://fortune.com/2018/01/15/spacex-falcon-heavy-engine-test/

mmmmmmaybe Friday.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/space-news/spacex-falcon-heavy-test-fire-moves-again

Looks like the 6th will be the day for the Falcon Heavy launch. https://electrek.co/2018/01/27/tesla-roadster-launch-space-spacex-falcon-heavy-feb-6/

Yeah I wouldn't want to stand under or anywhere near these babies when they light off.

If you want to kill something with fire just use this thing.

Oh and we should rename this thread to just Space X since it concerns more than the barge landing.

Done.

Pics of the roadster and "passenger" being prepped for launch.

Pics at the link.

yeah but in space no one will hear Bowie croon.

Well that went well. Elon has outdone himself in camera work, apparently flying a drone Falcon to take pictures enroute.

Musk is publicly saying how he only gives the whole launch a 50% chance of success but I really hope it all goes off well. Got my alarm set for tomorrow to watch it live.

Apparently, the Falcon 9 Heavy can launch 16000 kilos of payload - to friggin' Mars. At 90 million a pop.
The Delta IV Heavy can carry 14000 kilos to geostationary orbit (8000 to Mars according to Wiki). Which will set you back 400 million.

This thing better take off safely. This rocket can certainly open new doors to space.

I admire Musk greatly and wish him well. I am not investing in any of his stocks.

Live webcast soon.

What a demonstration of what's possible with WILL behind it. Elon I want your completely synchronous babies

So the two first stage boosters stuck the tandem landing (awesome sight), but how did the core do? The camera on the barge got so smudged I couldn't tell if it landed or experienced one of those RUDs.

I'm guessing RUD for the core (third booster).

Nailing the landings of the two outer boosters was pretty damn cool.

Here's Starman live:



This is some epic shit. Especially from a PR standpoint

good ragtop weather up there today.

Might be Photo of the Year right there.

*Imagines Richard Branson inside, his mouth taped shut, trying to scream*

By pure accident I stumbled onto the live stream of the launch today. Awesome beyond words.

What would have really made the whole thing truly epic is if the left turn signal had been left on on the roadster.

Deleted shot from Star Trek 2009:

Spectacular.

I thought the whole car thing was a joke. I didn't realize he was going to do it.

Ha! Someone at Gizmodo said the car should be in the Expanse next season.

Holy hell, that was amazing!