NFT: SpaceX Falcon Heavy launching today at 1:30 EST

especially since I will be able to look up to the skies from my backyard and watch :)

Or a channel on TV to watch it?

This is ridiculous if they pull this off.
Link - ( New Window )

In comment 13823339 Canton said:

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Or a channel on TV to watch it?

Spacex.com will have a link to the live stream.

... with 27 engines.

Also, is anyone else uncomfortable with SpaceX launching manned space flights as early as this year?

I'll be heading to the beach in a bit. Vantage point won't be the best with the bright sun nearly overhead, but cool nonetheless to witness. If something goes wrong, it is going to be the most expensive fireworks display. I wish it was a night launch as the photography would be awesome.

In comment 13823380 Boy Cord said:

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... with 27 engines. Also, is anyone else uncomfortable with SpaceX launching manned space flights as early as this year?

Musk owns it, the manned space "deadline" will slip.

In comment 13823380 Boy Cord said:

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... with 27 engines. Also, is anyone else uncomfortable with SpaceX launching manned space flights as early as this year?

Why is that? They are being closely monitored and regulated by NASA. Dragon will be at least four times as safe as the space shuttle, and will have a launch abort system

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Also, is anyone else uncomfortable with SpaceX launching manned space flights as early as this year?

Musk said yesteday that there will be no manned flight in Falcon Heavy

Spacex has learned that putting 3 Falcon 9 together for a mega rocket is overly complex so they putting resources into next gen rocket - the BFR
which will be the manned rocket

In comment 13823400 Sarcastic Sam said:

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In comment 13823380 Boy Cord said: Quote: ... with 27 engines. Also, is anyone else uncomfortable with SpaceX launching manned space flights as early as this year? Why is that? They are being closely monitored and regulated by NASA. Dragon will be at least four times as safe as the space shuttle, and will have a launch abort system

I'll try to find the article, but they've had more rocket disasters (boosters, not capsule) than ULA has had with the Atlas, despite far fewer flights.

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With regard to reliability though, the jury is still out, and the evidence is ambiguous. Although SpaceX was quick to assert last week that its Falcon 9 performed as advertised, the secret "Zuma" satellite is the third payload sitting on a Falcon 9 that has been lost in four years. By way of comparison, United Launch Alliance, SpaceX's sole competitor in the military launch business, hasn't lost a single payload in 12 years and 124 missions.

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A second report from NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel dated January 11 singled out two concerns about SpaceX preparations to participate in the civil space agency's commercial crew program -- the program to deliver astronauts to the space station. The first concerned a NASA-mandated redesign of helium tanks that maintain the pressure of liquid oxygen supplies during flight. Deficiencies in a "cryogenic oxygen pressure vessel" are believed to have contributed to the 2016 launchpad explosion that destroyed an Israeli satellite. The second and related issue has to do with seating astronauts aboard crewed missions before supercooled fuel is added, a deviation from accepted practice that the safety panel warned involves significant risk. SpaceX plans to use "densified" fuel to increase the energy of Falcon 9 rockets, but that must be loaded shortly before takeoff, meaning astronauts will already be onboard when the loading occurs. Normal NASA procedure is to put astronauts in their capsule only after the volatile fuel has been loaded.

And I believe SpaceX's first manned missions will use the Falcon 9 (not the Falcon 27 or the BFR).
Link - ( New Window )

In comment 13823404 giants#1 said:

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In comment 13823400 Sarcastic Sam said: Quote: In comment 13823380 Boy Cord said: Quote: ... with 27 engines. Also, is anyone else uncomfortable with SpaceX launching manned space flights as early as this year? Why is that? They are being closely monitored and regulated by NASA. Dragon will be at least four times as safe as the space shuttle, and will have a launch abort system I'll try to find the article, but they've had more rocket disasters (boosters, not capsule) than ULA has had with the Atlas, despite far fewer flights.

SpaceX has had 2 vehicle losses in the history of the falcon 9 program. SpaceX is hard. Atlas nearly had a vehicle loss (apparently one second from disaster) just last year and earlier this year ariane accidentally flew a rocket over a populated area. SpaceX has learned from its mistakes and will be certified by NASA for manned flights with the same safety requirements as Boeing (and much stricter than SLS)

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Today, Musk said as long as the BFR’s development happens on schedule, SpaceX will send people, including the two tourists, into space on the new rocket. This would save the company the trouble of getting Falcon Heavy approved for human spaceflight only to turn around and replace it with the BFR. However, if the BFR takes longer to make than expected, then it’s possible SpaceX will return to the idea of putting crews on Falcon Heavy.

Here are four things we learned from Elon Musk before the first Falcon Heavy launch - ( New Window )

The odds of this working, just like the video, is in the Buster Douglas territory.

They may get it up, without blowing up, that part is easy. To get the 3 boosters to land on pads is f-ing crazy and has zero chance of working.

I agree
I think there is a change that one or both of side boosters make it back

but the middle one all the vibrations and stress and it is new modification
if they get that one back to earth in one piece I will be seriously impressed

Back in the 80s the term "BFR" became a police code name for what we would now call a "personal audio player." For example, "The victim was walking down the street when he was attacked and his BFR was taken."

Obviously, BFR stood for "Big F'ing Radio" but I guess it's just as fitting for a Big F'ing Rocket.

And work in Orlando. Couldn't get away to watch today.

Any of you live near Cocoa Beach?

Due to wind shear. Launch window closes at 4:00pm

Flight profile posted by Musk

What channel?

In comment 13823794 mitch300 said:

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What channel?

Live stream:


YouTube - ( New Window )

Jim.

@elonmusk
Launch auto-sequence initiated (aka the holy mouse-click) for 3:45 liftoff #FalconHeavy
1:52 PM - 6 Feb 2018

.

4 minutes so excited~!!!!

I love fireworks !!!

hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.

i am reverting to a 6 year old !

amazing

.

HOLY SHIT!!!

both landing at same time was sick!!!!!!!

...

This shit is way more exciting and important than Super Bowls, for me.

Fun to watch. Shocking that those 2 boosters can actually come home and land in an upright position.

.

Landing on the pad in the ocean....

exciting.

by that. One of the coolest things I ever saw. Wonder what happened to the stage on the landing barge? The "lost" the signal right as it was landing.

And said to goto the website for confirmation

I live near the FL coast about 120 miles north of Cape. I watched the launch on TV and ran outside after about 20 sec and looked SE and easily saw the plume and then briefly the rocket (with binoc). Very cool.

Hope this is beginning of great things.

Just goosebumps the entire time.

A long time

Is that car on the way to Mars now?

I'm glad it was delayed. I was able to gather the kids around the TV and watch it together.

At is further point it will intersect with Mars' orbit, but there is no plan to actually land it on Mars. This was just a test payload.

sounds like an Onion headline.

the landing didn't look real!

was oddly emotional. What an accomplishment.