# Continuing discussion of SpaceX launches \[edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 22, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048 "2015-12-22T00:37:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 42
**Author:** ![Alex\_from\_CB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/821 "2019-04-05T18:25:41Z")
I’m seeing a 90% chance of rain here on Tuesday. May not effect the launch but been planning taking our boat up The Banana River (about 10 miles north) to see the launch and landings up close so wouldn’t break my heart if the launch takes place a day or so later. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_from\_CB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/822 "2019-04-05T18:30:10Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Looks like science fiction stuff. You want science fictiony stuff? Go here. Little past the 1 minute mark if you’re impatient. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/l5I8jaMsHYk/hqdefault.jpg "Falcon Heavy first landing") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5I8jaMsHYk) ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/823 "2019-04-05T18:32:09Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Wow. Where did they get that 10% extra thrust? Were the engines de-rated for that first flight? Or did they make improvements somewhere? The first Falcon Heavy consisted of earlier versions of the rockets (Block 2/3 IIRC). For ArabSat, all three rockets are Block 5, the latest (and final - hopefully) configuration, which included some performance increases: > [@](#): > > SpaceX announced in 2017 that Falcon 9 Block 5 version has now succeeded the transitional Block 4. The largest changes between Block 3 and Block 5 are higher thrust on all of the engines and improvements on landing legs. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon\_9\_Block\_5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9_Block_5) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/824 "2019-04-05T20:31:59Z")
Oh, right. I forgot the Block 5 booster aspect. Amazing how fast SpaceX is capable of working. I would never have thought they could build a test hopper and put a Raptor in it and get it all working by now, but yesterday they already did the first tethered test. And Musk says the full sized Starship is already under construction. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/825 "2019-04-05T20:59:55Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Oh, right. I forgot the Block 5 booster aspect. > > Amazing how fast SpaceX is capable of working. I would never have thought they could build a test hopper and put a Raptor in it and get it all working by now, but yesterday they already did the first tethered test. And Musk says the full sized Starship is already under construction. Yeah, private industry in general is a lot faster than bureaucracies, but SpaceX seems genuinely quick about things, even for a private company. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_from\_CB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2019, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/826 "2019-04-07T12:55:04Z")
Word on the street is the Falcon Heavy up on 39A became horizontal early this morning. Am thinking this position is not conducive to launching. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2019, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/827 "2019-04-07T14:51:25Z")
> [@Alex\_from\_CB](#): > > Word on the street is the Falcon Heavy up on 39A became horizontal early this morning. Am thinking this position is not conducive to launching. Depends on where you’re trying to go. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/828 "2019-04-07T14:57:48Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Depends on where you’re trying to go. 😛 Got to put the payload on first… ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_from\_CB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/829 "2019-04-08T12:13:45Z")
Weather for tomorrow is still looking bad for a launch. Would hope it could get scrubbed today or early tomorrow as Wednesday’s weather looks all… A-OK-ish. Would like to avoid 2 boat trips north, if possible. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_from\_CB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/830 "2019-04-08T14:26:46Z")
Titusville Police are saying launch has been pushed back until Wednesday. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_from\_CB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/831 "2019-04-08T14:43:23Z")
_ **Launch Reschedule Notification** _ Space X Falcon Heavy has been rescheduled to Wednesday April 10th 2019. Launch windows opens at 6:36 PM. [https://twitter.com/TitusvillePD/status/1115247006283456513/photo/1](http://pic.twitter.com/CG4h8NUYxr) — Titusville Police FL (@TitusvillePD) April 8, 2019 > ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/832 "2019-04-10T17:37:10Z")
Five hours 'til launch, Elon Musk put the odds of failure at 5-10%: > [@](#): > > [First flight for Falcon Heavy Block 5 means there is some risk of failure between 5% to 10% imo. Many good design improvements from Falcon Heavy demo, but the changes are unproven.](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1115998728878321672) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/833 "2019-04-10T19:29:27Z")
That’s called managing expectations. He did the same thing before the first Falcon Heavy launch, saying that it would likely fail and he just hoped it would clear the pad before it blew up. He says this stuff so that if there is a failure it won’t look like it came out of the blue and caught SpaceX unaware. Managed risk looks a lot better than, ‘Holy crap, we thought it would work and it didn’t!’ ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/834 "2019-04-10T19:35:11Z")
Yeah, but it’s still going to be a giant black eye for SpaceX if they blow up the Saudi’s satellite, in spite of the attempt at managing expectations. [Falcon Heavy is vertical](https://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/arab_vertical_02.jpg), but the launch has been pushed back: > [@](#): > > [Falcon Heavy and Arabsat-6A are vertical on Launch Complex 39A. Currently targeting liftoff at 8:00 p.m. EDT; monitoring upper-level winds that could push us to the end of the window (8:32 p.m. EDT)](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1116057892140998656) so, two hours later and we’re still five hours 'til launch ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_from\_CB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/835 "2019-04-10T19:36:34Z")
Am hearing launch is delayed until 8 PM. Makes for a near perfect post sundown phenomena but yikes. Makes for a tough 11 mile boat ride up and back in near dark/dark. We’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/836 "2019-04-10T23:17:53Z")
Launch may get scrubbed tonight: > [@Elon Musk](#): > > [Upper atmospheric wind shear is very high. Will have to postpone launch unless weather improves soon.](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1116110823015849985) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/837 "2019-04-10T23:39:50Z")
Spacex just Tweeted: Standing down from today’s Falcon Heavy launch attempt; next opportunity is tomorrow, April 11. ---
**Author:** ![Scoobysnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/838 "2019-04-11T20:53:22Z")
SpaceX just tweeted the following: All systems and weather are currently go ahead of tonight’s Falcon Heavy launch of Arabsat-6A from Pad 39A; launch window opens at 6:35 p.m. EDT, or 22:35 UTC → [SpaceX](http://spacex.com/webcast) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/839 "2019-04-11T22:46:31Z")
All three cores landed. Woot! ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/840 "2019-04-11T22:49:26Z")
It’s amazing watching _four different spaceships_ all doing their various things simultaneously. Of course it’s all under computer control, but I would think that would make the “mission control” (or even just “mission monitoring”) aspect of the launch substantially more complex. Anyway, looking great so far! All three first stage rockets have landed successfully, and the actual mission is apparently going well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048.md?page=41) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048.md?page=43)