News & Updates

Welcome to the Space Coast, JRTI!

posted on 11th December, 2019 11:50 am by
Photo by @baserunner0723

Space Coast launch life isn’t just about rockets and space – in fact, for the past few days, our focus has been fixed on the water.

Yesterday, on a bright sunny Florida winter day, the SpaceX drone ship Just Read The Instructions (JRTI) was brought into Port Canaveral to join sister ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) for the first time since their shipyard days 4+ years ago.

(Featured Image by @baserunner0723.)

Since their acquisition by SpaceX, these ships have been supporting first-stage landings at sea on opposite sides of the United States – OCISLY on the east coast, JRTI on the west coast. Recently, however, the frequency of west coast launches from Vandenberg AFB has waned, while the cadence on the east coast has increased, due in part to SpaceX’s launches of satellites for their Starlink constellation. Presumably, this is the reason for moving JRTI to Port Canaveral.

For some months, JRTI had been undergoing repairs and/or upgrades in Louisiana – until the day when sharp-eyed onlookers reported that the drone ship was no longer there:

Diligent ship trackers soon confirmed that the tug Alice C was towing JRTI toward Port Canaveral, and anticipation grew as we awaited their arrival.

By Monday, it was confirmed that Alice C and JRTI were sitting outside the entrance to Port Canaveral. Naturally, the usual Space Coast crew headed to Port – to wait, and hypothesize, and take lots of pictures.

Savvy onlookers like Julia quickly deduced that SpaceX’s two fairing-catcher boats, Ms. Tree and Ms. Chief, would have to relocate to make room for JRTI.

In order to berth JRTI, a dock wedge needed to be installed – essentially, a bumper, to allow the ship to be moored without scraping anything.

While this work was done, Alice C and JRTI waited patiently outside Port Canaveral. Their proximity inspired new speculation, as to what else (besides the dock wedge) they might be bringing.

Meanwhile, the booster from CRS-19 – remember the booster? ‘cuz there was a booster – serenely waited for its ride to arrive.

Alas, the day’s work could not be completed before the arrival of several scheduled cruise ships (you know, those big fancy boats that don’t haul rockets) and so the ship stalkers had to take their leave of Port Canaveral, and await the next morning – a day which would be free of such issues.

Tuesday dawned bright and sunny, as the ship-stalkers once again assembled in Port Canaveral to keep watch for JRTI:

Heck, I even made it down there myself for awhile!

Logistics and maneuvering proceeded apace, as workers made room for all their kids at the dock.

Finally, at around 2:30 pm, it happened: JRTI and company made their way into the port!

Upon entry into the Port, onlookers were finally able to catch a glimpse of that cargo JRTI was carrying: among other things, six thrusters, to help JRTI (or perhaps OCISLY) with their booster-catching shenanigans.

I bet you wish you could’ve been there, huh? Fortunately, Julia was gracious enough to stream the arrival, and so you can relive those moments from the comfort of your easy chair, and without having to spend two days in the sun to do it:

Whether it’s at the space port, or the ship port, or out on the beaches, launch life on the Space Coast is always an adventure!

News & Updates

Slip-sliding away: JCSAT 18, Starliner OFT

posted on 7th December, 2019 7:41 pm by

As is not-at-all unusual, the next two launches scheduled for the Space Coast have slipped to later dates.

SpaceX’s JCSAT 18/Kacific 1 launch on a Falcon 9 rocket, originally scheduled to launch on the 15th, is now slated to launch from Pad SLC-40 on Monday, December 16th. The launch window opens at 7:10 pm EST, and remains open until 8:38 pm. As the payload is being launched to geostationary orbit, the booster is expected to land on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You, and thus will not be visible from shore. Due to the time of this launch, best viewing locations are probably Jetty Park in Port Canaveral, the beaches of Port Canaveral and the parks along U.S. 1 in Titusville.

The CST-100 Starliner Orbital Test Flight to the ISS, launching on a ULA Atlas 5 rocket, formerly scheduled to launch on the 19th, is now set to launch from Pad SLC-41 on Friday, December 20th. As is usual for ISS launches, this one has an instantaneous launch window, starting and ending at 6:36 am EST. This launch is the penultimate step before Boeing/ULA’s entry to NASA’s Commercial Crew program can begin sending astronauts to the ISS from American soil. As it is occurring just before sunrise, it’s possible that the noctilucent effect will cause a unique and spectacular visual effect on the plume of the launching rocket, making it a sight not to be missed! Again, due to the time of this launch, preferred viewing locations are probably Jetty Park, Port Canaveral beaches, and the parks along U.S. 1 in Titusville.

There is still a SpaceX Starlink 2 launch on the schedule for “late December”, but no further details have been specified, and this launch may well slip to January.

Stay tuned for further details!

News & Updates

CRS-19 Booster Returns to Port Canaveral

posted on 7th December, 2019 9:13 am by

While much of the Space Coast was sipping coffee, an intrepid band of photographers lurked at Port Canaveral, waiting to capture B1059-1, the booster used for SpaceX’s CRS-19 launch, as it returned to port on the ASDS Of Course I Still Love You:

Make sure to follow all these great photographers for more fantastic Space Coast & rocket pics!

News & Updates

Starliner OFT Slips; Date Set for SpaceX IFA

posted on 6th December, 2019 7:12 pm by

As per a tweet from Boeing, the Starliner OFT launch has slipped by a day, to December 20th, 6:36 am EST:

And in a tweet from NASA’s Commercial Crew account, confirmation that the In-Flight Abort test for SpaceX’s Crew Dragon is now NET January 4th:

News & Updates

Next Up: More Savory Launch Goodness from ULA/Boeing

posted on 6th December, 2019 12:09 pm by

Over at Space Launch Complex 41 in Cape Canaveral, United Launch Alliance has begun their first Integrated Day of Launch Test (IDOLT) for the CST-100 Starliner Orbital Flight Test, currently scheduled to take place on December 19th.

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner is one of two spacecraft taking part in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which will provide human transportation to and from low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station from the United States for the first time since the last flight of the space shuttle in July 2011. In this uncrewed Orbital Flight Test, the Starliner capsule will launch to the ISS, dock there, and then return to Earth after an orbital shakedown cruise, providing data necessary for the next step in the process: the first crewed test flight.

While the Starliner has been built to be compatible with multiple rockets, this initial test flight will launch on ULA’s Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V will fly with two solid rocket boosters and a dual-engine Centaur upper stage, providing plenty of thrust to escape that pesky Earth atmosphere and optimize the ascent to the ISS.

Yesterday, as eager spectators awaited SpaceX’s CRS-19 cargo to the ISS, we were treated to a rare sight: two spacecraft on their pads, readying for launch. Astronaut Sunita Williams, scheduled to command the first Starliner crewed mission, captured the spectacle:

Currently, the Atlas V is fully fueled, as the dress rehearsal proceeds. Pending successful conclusion, the launch is scheduled for December 19th at 6:59 am – a launch time which increases the potential for the noctilucent effect, wherein the rays of the not-yet-risen sun illuminate the rocket’s plume to great visual effect. Good vantage points for viewing include the beaches of Port Canaveral and the parks along U.S. 1 in Titusville. You won’t want to miss this historic launch!

(Update: As of 2:00 pm, the dress rehearsal has been completed successfully. Onward to launch day!)

News & Updates

CRS-19: Better Late Than Never

posted on 5th December, 2019 7:48 pm by

After weather conditions forced a postponement of the launch originally scheduled for yesterday, SpaceX successfully launched their Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from SLC-40 to the International Space Station today at 12:29 pm EST.

Yesterday’s weather was unseasonably cold for those brave souls who ventured out to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and elsewhere to watch the launch, but the low temperature wasn’t the cause of the scrub. Rather, it was upper-level winds – everyone’s least-favorite launch party guest – that were responsible for the delay.

Even when wind conditions near the ground seem mild, high winds in the upper atmosphere can cause control problems for a rocket in flight, making launches a Very Bad Idea. Despite the delay, prospective launch viewers remained undaunted, showing a strong attendance at Kennedy Space Center’s Banana Creek viewing area for the rescheduled launch today.

Following a liftoff accompanied by enthusiastic cheers, SpaceX brought the Falcon 9’s first stage to a landing on its drone ship Of Course I Still Love You, as the Dragon capsule hurtled onward toward the ISS. While normally an ISS launch would be accompanied by a RTLS landing at LZ-1 in Cape Canaveral, testing of a 6-hour coast using stage 2 required the use of more fuel, thereby necessitating a landing at sea. This, of course, means there will eventually be a booster return at Port Canaveral, so stay tuned for more news of that.

When the Dragon arrives at the ISS, it will be the fourth spacecraft docked there (sharing parking space with Cygnus-12 and Soyuz MS-13 and MS-15) and deliver more than 5,700 pounds of NASA cargo and science investigations, including a next-generation imaging system called HISUI, experiments testing the malting of barley in microgravity, and a new group of intrepid mousetronauts to investigate methods of preventing muscle and bone loss during spaceflight. Unlike CRS-16, which coincidentally launched a year ago today, moldy mouse food was not a factor in today’s launch.

The Dragon capture will be handled by Expedition 61 Commander Luca Parmitano of ESA, with NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan acting as backup, and NASA’s Jessica Meir monitoring telemetry. Coverage of the Dragon capture will begin on Sunday, December 8th at 4:30 am on NASA TV and at NASA Live, to be followed by coverage of robotic installation to the Harmony module at 8:00 am. Be there! or be… asleep, probably.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Upcoming Space Coast Launches

Falcon Heavy on pad LC-39A the day before its historic debut, poised for flight. Photo by Lupi.

Falcon Heavy on pad LC-39A the day before its historic debut, poised for flight. Photo by Lupi.

At this time, we recommend that you consult the following resource for the most up-to-date launch information available: