It is now confirmed that a helium leak caused the scrub of the Falcon 9 May 10 launch.
It is now confirmed that a helium leak caused the scrub of the Falcon 9 May 10 launch.
According to reports, no damage occurred, but tracing the leak has apparently taken longer than expected, which explains the slip in the announced schedule.
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It is now confirmed that a helium leak caused the scrub of the Falcon 9 May 10 launch.
According to reports, no damage occurred, but tracing the leak has apparently taken longer than expected, which explains the slip in the announced schedule.
I must unfortunately ask you for your financial support because I do not depend on ads and rely entirely on the generosity of readers to keep Behind the Black running. You can either make a one time donation for whatever amount you wish, or you sign up for a monthly subscription ranging from $2 to $15 through Paypal or $3 to $50 through Patreon.
Your support will allow me to continue covering science and culture as I have for the past twenty years, independent and free from any outside influence.
Your support is even more essential to me because I not only keep this site free from advertisements, I do not use the corrupt social media companies like Google, Twitter, and Facebook to promote my work. I depend wholly on the direct support of my readers.
You can provide that support to Behind The Black with a contribution via Patreon or PayPal. To use Patreon, go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation. For PayPal click one of the following buttons:
If Patreon or Paypal don't work for you, you can support Behind The Black directly by sending your donation by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman, to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
Or you can donate by using Zelle through your bank. You will need to give my name and email address (found at the bottom of the "About" page). The best part of this electronic option is that no fees will be deducted! What you donate will be what I receive.
FAA Experimental permit for DragonFly vehicle at McGregor,TX site:
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/20140513_DragonFly_DraftEA%28Public%29.pdf#page=2&zoom=auto,-12,214
I preferred the notional DragonRider vs DragonFly due to the Pern reference, (And an endless series of available names, Ramoth, Mnemneth, Ruth, etc)
Highlights:
– up to four steel landing legs
– weighs 14000 lbs unfueled
– maximum proplellant load is 400 gallons
Four kinds of test flights expected:
– propulsive assist landing (dropped from helicopter with chutes)
– fully propulsive landing (dropped from helicopter)
– propulsive assist hop (self launched, parachute deploys)
– fully propulsive hop (like Grasshopper)
This is gonna be totally AWESOME! The cows at McGregor are in for a series of scary days. (Or else they will be the most jaded cattle on the planet).
Faster please! (As Glenn Reynolds likes to say).
Great thread on this topic at NasaSpaceflight.com
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=34800.0
Calling out the high points. This is going to be so much fun!
I can’t wait until they have launches backed up. Launches every week or two.
Then if something like this happens they can just role the rocket off the launch pad and role the next one on for a minimal delay between launches. They are only making money of things fly.