SpaceX launches spy satellite using new first stage
Capitalism in space: SpaceX today successfully launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base a National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite .
What made this launch unusual was that it used a new first stage, only the third time SpaceX has done so since the beginning of 2020. Last year, of 31 launches all but two used a used first stage. This new first stage landed successfully at Vandenberg.
5 SpaceX
2 China
1 Virgin Orbit
1 ULA
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Capitalism in space: SpaceX today successfully launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base a National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite .
What made this launch unusual was that it used a new first stage, only the third time SpaceX has done so since the beginning of 2020. Last year, of 31 launches all but two used a used first stage. This new first stage landed successfully at Vandenberg.
5 SpaceX
2 China
1 Virgin Orbit
1 ULA
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
They mentioned on the webcast that this booster will be used next for another NROL launch. Wonder if they are ‘booking’ a fleet of their own, for their own launches. Not sure what that would add or help, but whatever.
Bet SpaceX would paint it a custom colour if they asked for it as well.
Starlink launch today at 6:11 pm (Eastern). This will be the first ever back-to-back launches in one day, for the US. (Russians have done this three times, back in Soviet days.)
Makes me wonder what’s going on in Hawthorne. Lots of Raptor parts in the pipeline I’m sure.
I think the Starlink launch has been pushed back a day, Diane. Would have been cool, though!
OT but I’m not seeing much on the space sites about the discovery of a 1 km wide asteroid at L4. This is potentially huge.
https://phys.org/news/2022-02-team-earth-trojan-asteroid.html
The Starlink 4-7 launch has indeed been kicked back to tomorrow (Feb 3) afternoon – at 1813 GMT, looks like.
Mike you are quite right. I hope it is a nickle iron. Perfect for JASON OF STAR COMMAND!
If Space X is really going to Mars or even the Moon they will have to manufacture all the environmental support systems they will ever need.
I bet they at least have everything on paper. No final designs but good ideas being worked out.
They might do what almost all other companies have done and just buy out a smaller company that can do it already.
Sorry wrong thread
Diane E Wilson: back in the Gemini program, on more than one occasion US launched Atlas/Agena followed 90 min later by Titan/Gemini. So it’s been done before.
Still, kudos to SpaceX for rapid response!
If SpaceX can get the Starlink launch off today, it will still be 3 launches over 4 days, which is still mighty impressive by any existing standard.
Some (many?) astronomers have declared war on SpaceX and Musk
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/astronomers-create-new-global-force-to-stop-elon-musk-s-internet-satellites-hiding-killer-asteroids/ar-AATyB1U?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531
Comments online are almost universally anti-Musk (mainly objecting that his wealth allows him to do as he wants in space. Envy, much, people?)
Of course, there’s the obvious solution staring them in the face – astronomy needs to go to space. Yes, it will be disruptive and will render most ground based observatories obsolete museum pieces, but that’s the cost of progress. Sorry if it disrupts your nice comfortable life – but that’s the Tech Paradigm, “Move fast and break things” Why should you be any better than thousands upon thousands of other people (brick and mortar stores, for example) whose lives have been disrupted by tech innovation?
Col Beausabre: You remind me that I need to cover this effort by astronomers to use force and government to continue to live in the past. I will likely post today.
And Lex Luthor ain’t doin’ much better
https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/enthusiasts/nearly-3-000-dutch-people-vow-to-throw-rotten-eggs-at-jeff-bezo-s-mega-yacht/ar-AATzgxs?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531
Of course, how many people earned their pay checks from building the big floaty thing seems to be ignored. It’s also a bit odd that there’s no anger at the shipyard that bid on the contract knowing it wouldn’t fit under the bridge. It seems the ship builder thought they could steam roll the local people and government – wrongo, Buffalo Breath!
There is an obvious solution. Bezos gets his mega-yacht and it stays in Rotterdam. He can stay on board any time he visits that lovely city.