SpaceX launches an Inmarsat communications satellite
SpaceX tonight used its Falcon 9 rocket to launch an Inmarsat communications satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
This was SpaceX’s second launch today. The first stage successfully landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic, completing its third flight. Both fairings were also previously flown.
The 2023 launch race:
12 SpaceX
5 China
2 Russia
1 Rocket Lab
1 Japan
1 India
American private enterprise now leads China 13 to 5 in the national rankings, and the entire world combined 13 to 9. By itself SpaceX leads the world combined 12 to 9.
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 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
SpaceX tonight used its Falcon 9 rocket to launch an Inmarsat communications satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
This was SpaceX’s second launch today. The first stage successfully landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic, completing its third flight. Both fairings were also previously flown.
The 2023 launch race:
12 SpaceX
5 China
2 Russia
1 Rocket Lab
1 Japan
1 India
American private enterprise now leads China 13 to 5 in the national rankings, and the entire world combined 13 to 9. By itself SpaceX leads the world combined 12 to 9.
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 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
Robert, thanks for taking up my suggestion of including this new comparison. I’m not sure if you were considering it anyway but it’s great to see it. I believe the comparison should be 12 to 10 (Got to at least give everyone else a chance of matching SpaceX ;) ).
->Amazing stuff. This never gets old!
They’re on pace for 91 launches for the year now, without even counting in any possible Starship launches.
Just amazing. They make it look so easy.
99 consecutive landings… it’s incredible!
Nothing succeeds like success!
Techie question:
At staging, approximately how far apart are the 1st & 2nd stages when the 2nd stage lights up?
And what is the actual time between 1st stage cut off and 2nd stage start?
“SpaceX rocket staging seen in awesome tracking camera view.”
January 31, 2022 Launch
https://youtu.be/LU1yMzMxatc?t=33
(this is very good film, and includes fairing jettison at approximately the 4:10 mark)
Just took a look at the LabPadre site and it notes “possible” road closures Feb 21-24. Sometimes a signal for major activity.
Imar…..no immer…In-Mar-sat…whew.
Its been a long time since we sent up Telstar Explorer 1 discovered the Van Alan Radiation around the Earth and Vanguard is still up there
The Tornados
“Telstar” (1962)
https://youtu.be/WPDvsLSnUGc
3:26