SpaceX Dragon 9 launch is being webcasted live.

"Chris Clarke" (shiftsandgiggles)
11/25/2013 at 17:18 • Filed to: spacex

Launching at 5:37 pm EST if anyone is interested. A little background on this launch, the rocket is delivering a telecommunications satellite to geo sync orbit at approximately 50,000 miles from Earth, which is 1/4 the distance to the moon. This will be the first SpaceX launch to geo sync orbit.

http://www.spacex.com/webcast/

DISCUSSION (13)

ddavidn > Chris Clarke
11/25/2013 at 17:23

Launches are so cool after dark.

Chris Clarke > ddavidn
11/25/2013 at 17:33

I've seen the shuttle launch at night. It was fantastic. Too bad my kids will never get a chance to see that.

ddavidn > Chris Clarke
11/25/2013 at 17:34

I think never is a strong assumption...

Chris Clarke > ddavidn
11/25/2013 at 17:38

I think I can safely assume there won't be any more shuttle launches, considering all the space shuttles have been decommissioned. On the other hand, I still hold out hope to one day see some other sort of manned mission launch.

leicester > Chris Clarke
11/25/2013 at 17:40

slight postpone - 15 minutes as of 17:39

ddavidn > Chris Clarke
11/25/2013 at 17:40

I think it will happen. I still won't be anywhere near the launch site, though, so it won't matter much to me.

Porsche924GTR > Chris Clarke
11/25/2013 at 17:47

17:54 launch time as of 17:46 EDT

desertdog5051 > Chris Clarke
11/25/2013 at 17:58

Always some problem comes up and causes delays. They are no different than NASA.

Porsche924GTR > ddavidn
11/25/2013 at 17:59

Ddavin - "The Orbiters" have been retired and will NEVER be used again. If they were in maintenance and pre-flight the cost is enormous. Now all critical flight components have been removed - they are no longer in continuous maintenance and would be in no condition to fly at this time. Mothballing a space vehicle is not the same as an airplane. The "orbiter" will never fly again.

However, it is a certainty that some sort of manned vehicles will enter service. Both via private companies and government agencies. There are already vehicles that are in proposal that are designed around controlled flight returns (but not with a payload bay that greatly complicates the entire vehicle).

So S&G can safely say the Shuttle (Orbiter + SRB + ET) will never fly again - it won't. There will be other vehicles in use in the future.

Porsche924GTR > Porsche924GTR
11/25/2013 at 18:03

Clock reset to T-13:00 with a hold while Telemetry reset. New T-0 time will be announced soon.

ddavidn > Porsche924GTR
11/25/2013 at 18:15

All right, clearly I didn't understand what "Shuttle" meant. Little behind on the space junk.

Just wear your damn mask... > Chris Clarke
11/26/2013 at 03:54

I witnessed a night shuttle launch when I was a kid. Thanksgiving week, 1985, we were in Orlando for my sister's graduation from Naval basic training. My father found out about the scheduled shuttle launch, so on launch day (evening), we took the rental Buick Regal for ride down the Beeline to Titusville, and watched. We have pictures somewhere that I will get around to digging out some day.

Porsche924GTR > Just wear your damn mask...
11/26/2013 at 14:12

I grew up on the Indian River - just across from the KSC. It never gets old...day or night...but you can "See" how much energy is being produced at night. It is astounding.