So, CRS-21 launched this morning from LC-39A, and the view from Playalinda Beach was glorious…
Category: News & Updates
Launch news and updates from the Space Coast.
Next Up: Okay, Wait, What?
As I write this, it’s 12:37 a.m. on the morning of the fifth and we don’t know yet whether SpaceX’s CRS-21 is going to launch today (ETA: it isn’t; Sunday the 6th at 11:17 am local (GMT-5), instead) and yet already I’m looking past that, because the launch schedule ’round these parts nowadays is just weird.
Next Up: CRS-21 (maybe?) 12/5
So, yeah, it’s totally not like I’ve been busy with holiday stuffs and slacking on the rocket-ish things… Anyway, as of now there’s only a 40% chance that weather will allow it, with moderate risk of upper-level winds and high risk of bad recovery weather, but if the Fates are kind, SpaceX will be launching their Cargo Dragon to the ISS on its CRS-21 mission on a Falcon 9 from pad LC-39A on Saturday, December 5th at 11:39 a.m. local time (GMT-5).
12/3 ETA: Improving weather outlooks might? increase the PGO from 40% to a better number? Keep an ear to the wind with this one; don’t make any non-refundable travel plans just yet.
Starlink L15 Now Sunday; Crew-1 Booster Returns to Port, Askew
So if you were thinking, “gee, I really don’t feel like watching a rocket launch on Saturday night,” well, guess what? You are in luck, because SpaceX’s Starlink L15 launch has now slipped to Sunday, November 22 at 9:56 p.m. local time (GMT-5). Playalinda will be closed, so U.S. 1 in Titusville is probably the best option.
Meanwhile, yesterday morning the Crew-1 booster, B1061.1, returned to Port Canaveral aboard the drone ship Just Read The Instructions (JRTI) and apparently it was practicing its ballet moves while at sea, for it danced into port nearly en pointe, one landing leg right up against the edge of the ship with another raised up in the air, holding a truly spectacular pose. According to tweets by SpaceX executive meme-lord Elon Musk, this seemingly major alignment disorder is a relatively simple fix, and will not prevent the booster’s planned reuse for Crew-2, NASA/SpaceX’s next crewed launch. No word as yet on whether Musk and/or SpaceX will be funding B1061.1’s future dance training and potential career.
Stay tuned for further Space Coast updates!
Next Up: Port Return, Starlink
Yeah, yeah, Crew-1 is awesome, but here on the Space Coast it’s always all about the next launch – which will be this Saturday, November 21, at 10:17 p.m. Nope! Sunday, November 22, at 9:56 p.m. local time (GMT-5), when SpaceX launches another batch of Starlink satellites (designated V1.0-L15) aboard a Falcon 9 from pad SLC-40 in Cape Canaveral AFS.
Before that, however, we expect to see the SpaceX ship Just Read The Instructions (JRTI) arriving at Port Canaveral with the recovered first stage from the Crew-1 launch (B1061.1) some time tomorrow (Thursday, November 19)…
Crew-1: The Morning After
So last night, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 did in fact yeet the Crew-1 Dragon capsule Resilience toward the International Space Station; it was a spectacular launch, and the photos are still rolling into social media, and all around the Space Coast, people are slowly waking up and perhaps wondering what to do with themselves now that the Big Event is past…
Crew 1: T-1 Day Roundup
Today, Saturday the 14th of November, is not Launch Day. Tomorrow… so far, so good.
As announced yesterday, the NASA/SpaceX Crew 1 launch of four astronauts to the International Space Station has moved to Sunday, November 15th at 7:27 p.m. local time (GMT-5), and so, as everyone scrambles to change their plans, here’s a few things to keep in mind:
(At One Point) Crew One (Was) Proceeding On Schedule, Somehow
UPDATE: Crew 1 has slipped one day due to weather at the recovery location – to Sunday, as noted below. If you have Gray Line tickets, check your email for important re-booking information! -WP
Despite Tropical Storm Eta bouncing around the Gulf like a pinball, plans are still proceeding apace for the Crew One mission to the International Space Station, launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 no earlier than Sunday, November 15th, at 7:27 p.m. local time (GMT-5), according to the Flight Readiness Review that concluded today.
NROL-101: Where to Watch
As per the latest news, ULA is currently scheduled to launch NROL-101 on its Atlas V rocket from SLC-41 on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, at 5:54 pm local time.
Based on the visibility map posted by ULA to Twitter for the previous launch date, the northeasterly trajectory of this launch suggests strongly that Playalinda Beach is the place to be for this launch. As for why this is so: see my previous post about watching Starlink launches from Playalinda…
Launch And A Movie at KSCVC: SpX GPS III SV04 and Hubble
Yeah, okay, that title’s a little ambiguous: SpaceX is NOT re-launching Hubble. What is happening is that Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is once again offering their Launch And A Movie package for the SpaceX GPS III SV04 launch, originally slated for September and October but now scheduled for November 5th at 6:24 p.m.
For an admission cost of $50 per vehicle, you’ll be able to watch the launch from the comfort of your car, followed by a showing of Hubble on the big screen. Snacks, souvenirs and restrooms will be available; RVs are welcome. More details (including information for those holding tickets for the previous attempts at this launch) are available at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex website.
While your view of the launch is obstructed at ground level by the treeline for this launch, you will still have a close view once it’s in the air, and the webcast & movie on the big screen, as well as the festive atmosphere, makes this an event worth checking out!