{"id":38396,"date":"2018-06-23T23:41:52","date_gmt":"2018-06-23T15:41:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/falcon-9-conducts-static-fire-test-ahead-of-crs-15-mission\/"},"modified":"2018-06-23T23:41:52","modified_gmt":"2018-06-23T15:41:52","slug":"falcon-9-conducts-static-fire-test-ahead-of-crs-15-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/falcon-9-conducts-static-fire-test-ahead-of-crs-15-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"Falcon 9 conducts Static Fire test ahead of CRS-15 mission"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>SpaceX is preparing to return to launch action with the CRS-15 Dragon mission to the International Space Station (ISS). A key milestone towards next Thursday\u2019s launch was the Static Fire test, that took place on Saturday at Cape Canaveral\u2019s SLC-40.<br \/>\nThis latest mission is set to take place just under a month since a Falcon 9 successfully deployed the SES-12 spacecraft.<\/p>\n<p>The CRS-15 mission will mark a return to a higher pace launch cadence, with the Telstar 19 Vantage launch from SLC-40 scheduled to follow on July 19, quickly followed a day later by the Falcon 9 launch of the Iridium NEXT-7 mission from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base.<\/p>\n<p>SpaceX is expected to launch no less than two missions per month for the remainder of the year.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"widget-title penci-border-arrow\">See Also<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Falcon 9\/CRS-15 UPDATES<\/li>\n<li>SpaceX Missions Section<\/li>\n<li>L2 SpaceX Section<\/li>\n<li>Click here to Join L2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A milestone prior to each one of these launches is the Static Fire test. This is a key dress rehearsal for the rocket, pad and launch control team, allowing for any issues to be ironed out ahead of the big day.<\/p>\n<p>SpaceX does not discuss Static Fire flows until after they have completed the short firing of the nine Merlin 1D engines, which includes a small delay while engineers confirm a good test via a process known as the \u201cQuick Look\u201d review.<\/p>\n<p>The flow appears to be on track for a NET (No Earlier Than) Saturday test, with visual observations of the Transporter\/Erector\/Launch (TEL) being rolled back off SLC-40 and moved into the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) in the early hours of Friday. The booster and TEL then joined forces prior to rolling back out to the pad for the test on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>For this next mission, a flight-proven&nbsp;booster, B1045.2, will be employed. This booster successfully launched the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, or TESS, spacecraft back in April.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-56884\" class=\"size-full wp-image-56884\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-221656.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1331\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-221656.jpg 1331w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-221656-350x165.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-221656-630x297.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-221656-768x362.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-221656-1170x552.jpg 1170w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1331px) 100vw, 1331px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-56884\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">B1045 ahead of launching TESS \u2013 via Chris Gebhardt for NSF\/L2<\/p>\n<p>As such the booster will end its short career with another key NASA mission. It also marks the final Block 4 in SpaceX\u2019s inventory that is destined to launch a commercial mission.<\/p>\n<p>A final Block 4 (B1042.2) is currently understood to be preparing to loft the In-Flight Abort test as one of SpaceX\u2019s Commercial Crew Program milestones later this year.<\/p>\n<p>The transition to the Block 5 has already begun, with the first launch of the upgraded Falcon 9 taking place with the lofting of the Bangabandhu-1 satellite back in May. As such, all remaining Block 4 boosters have been expendable missions, as is the case with the CRS-15 launch, with no recovery planned.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-56878\" class=\"size-full wp-image-56878\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-134149.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1556\" height=\"789\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-134149.jpg 1556w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-134149-350x177.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-134149-630x319.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-134149-768x389.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-134149-1170x593.jpg 1170w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1556px) 100vw, 1556px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-56878\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Maiden launch of the Falcon 9 Block 5 \u2013 via Brady Kenniston for NSF\/L2<\/p>\n<p>The following two missions will be recovered, both via the use of the two SpaceX drone ships located on the East Coast (Of Course I Still Love You) for the Telstar 19 Vantage Block 5 booster and the West Coast-based (Just Read The Instructions) for the Iridium NEXT-7 Block 5 booster.<\/p>\n<p>For the CRS-15 mission, the Falcon 9 will be pushing the latest Dragon uphill with 5,900 pounds of research, crew supplies and hardware for the orbital outpost.<\/p>\n<p>She will reach the ISS on Monday, July 2 \u2013 where NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold, backed up by fellow NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, will supervise Dragon\u2019s capture.<\/p>\n<p>Dragon will be captured by the Latching End Effector (LEE) on the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) prior to installation on Node 2 of the ISS. There will be no lack of synergy with the Dragon\u2019s capture by the Canadian robotic assets given Dragon\u2019s unpressurized trunk is carrying another LEE, a spare that will replace the failed unit astronauts removed during a series of spacewalks in 2017.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-56877\" class=\"size-full wp-image-56877\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-122944.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1299\" height=\"737\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-122944.jpg 1299w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-122944-350x199.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-122944-617x350.jpg 617w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-122944-768x436.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-122944-1170x664.jpg 1170w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1299px) 100vw, 1299px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-56877\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The new LEE inside Dragon\u2019s Trunk.<\/p>\n<p>Dragon will spend around a month berthed on the Station prior to returning for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.<\/p>\n<p>There could be around 15 Falcon 9 missions \u2013 subject to natural schedule stretch \u2013 through the remainder of this year, along with the potential of a Falcon Heavy launch in November or December.<\/p>\n<p>Following on from the successful test flight of the Falcon Heavy in February, SpaceX is set to launch the&nbsp;Space Test Program Flight 2 (STP-2) mission along with a multitude of satellites.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Falcon Heavy Test Flight\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wbSwFU6tY1c?start=1287&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\" name=\"fitvid0\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-21=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>However, with just one Falcon Heavy mission in the bag, the USAF appears to have a large amount of confidence in SpaceX\u2019s big rocket after the award of a key military launch in 2020 \u2013 apparently certifying the rocket in the process, based on SpaceX\u2019s reaction to the award.<\/p>\n<p>The award of an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) launch \u2013 a 130 million firm-fixed price contract \u2013 will deliver Air Force Space Command (AFSPC)-52 satellite to the intended orbit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSpaceX is honored by the Air Force\u2019s selection of the Falcon Heavy to launch the competitively-awarded AFSPC-52 mission,\u201d noted SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell. \u201cOn behalf of all our employees, I want to thank the Air Force for certifying the Falcon Heavy, awarding us this critically important mission and for their trust and confidence in our company.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSpaceX is pleased to continue offering the American taxpayer the most cost-effective, reliable launch services for vital national security space missions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-56879\" class=\"size-full wp-image-56879\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-135120.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1464\" height=\"731\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-135120.jpg 1464w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-135120-350x175.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-135120-630x315.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-135120-768x383.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/2018-06-23-135120-1170x584.jpg 1170w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1464px) 100vw, 1464px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-56879\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Falcon Heavy\u2019s 27 Merlin 1Ds during the maiden flight, via Brady Kenniston for NSF\/L2<\/p>\n<p>SpaceX was competing with one other provider, with the assumption pointing to United Launch Alliance\u2019s Delta IV-Heavy based on the competing class with the Falcon Heavy. However, this assumption continues to be flagged by industry experts familiar with contract awards of this nature.<\/p>\n<p>Based on the Request For Proposals (RFP) document, which provided reference information for the spacecraft as being 6,350kg to a GTO of at least 35,188km X 185km, along with other factors, the other rocket was highly likely to be the Atlas V 551.<\/p>\n<p>The Atlas V has never failed and ULA often cites this mission success parameter when courting new missions, while Falcon Heavy has only launched once on a test flight that Elon Musk previewed with fears it could blow up on the pad. Thus the assumed cost differences between the two rockets likely became the major consideration in the awarding of the contract.<\/p>\n<p>Using a Falcon Heavy on this type of mission will likely provide ample margin to allow for the recovery of the boosters, although there will have been a major statement of intent if the highly capable Falcon Heavy can outbid even the Atlas V \u2013 and thus also the Delta IV-Heavy by an even greater margin \u2013 on EELV contract offerings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SpaceX is preparing to return to launch action with the CRS-15 Dragon mission to the International Space Station (ISS). A key milestone towards next Thursday\u2019s launch was the Static Fire test, that took place on Saturday at Cape Canaveral\u2019s SLC-40. This latest mission is set to take place just under a month since a Falcon [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38398,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[2304,1395,479,678,675,316],"class_list":["post-38396","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-crs","tag-dragon","tag-falcon-9","tag-falcon-heavy","tag-slc-40","tag-spacex"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38396"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38396"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38396\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38396"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}