Elon Musk tells SpaceX employees that Starship engine crisis is creating a ‘risk of bankruptcy’

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/30/elon...ankruptcy.html

Musk being Musk?

His Assburgers is acting up again.

Probably. He likes to be a bit dramatic in order to motivate his employees. Still not a great sign that they're having production issues with Raptor, but hopefully they'll get it worked out.

It's hard to believe, but there's actually a good chance that JWST gets off the ground in a few weeks. Definitely one of the highest-impact (and highest-risk) missions we've seen in a while.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The James Webb Space Telescope is on track for a launch date of Dec. 22.<br><br>Additional testing, which was conducted due to an incident in launch preparations, concluded no observatory components were damaged. Observatory fueling operations begin on Nov. 25: <a href="https://t.co/3E4UopkVZG">https://t.co/3E4UopkVZG</a> <a href="https://t.co/aPZJPIBtCQ">pic.twitter.com/aPZJPIBtCQ</a></p>&mdash; NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1463664164660994048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

https://arstechnica.com/science/2021...cember-launch/

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UdQzA0NICX8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I love this thread.

Comet Leonard looks to be the best of the year, and it's visible now

It's likely the brightest comet of 2021. You might be able to see it with binoculars before the next sunrise.

After several months of anticipation, the most promising comet for skywatchers this year is finally drawing closer and more visible.

At the beginning of 2021, researcher Greg Leonard discovered Comet C/2021 A1, now better known as Comet Leonard. At the time, it was heading in our direction from deep space, with the potential to be the brightest comet of the year.

No other superstar comets with the ability to outshine Leonard have emerged just yet, so it looks as if luminous Lenny will fulfill its potential in the coming month.

"There are chances to easily see this comet by naked eye, even if under less than optimal conditions," wrote astronomer Gianluca Masi with the Virtual Telescope Project, based in Italy.

Of course, comets are infamously fickle about their plans and can disintegrate to almost nothing at just about any time as they draw closer to the sun.

But if Leonard survives and lives up to astronomers' most optimistic predictions, the big space snowball will pass near Earth in December when it may be visible with binoculars or possibly even without them. From there it makes a close pass by the sun and heads back out to deep space in January.

A number of astrophotographers have already managed to snap some pretty impressive shots of Leonard sporting a green coma with spiffy extended tail.

It likely won't be possible to see Leonard without lenses until at least the middle of December, but you may be able to catch it with binoculars already. For the next few weeks, it's visible primarily in the early morning hours before sunrise. As the year starts to wind down, you should be able to spot it in evening skies.

To see what has at least a chance of being a once-in-a-lifetime cosmic event, I recommend putting your location into a tracking app or website like TheSkyLive to get the best times and which direction to look. For folks in North America like me, mark your calendars for Dec. 14, which is right after the comet passes by Earth and when it will become visible just above the horizon after sunset for many viewers.

While we can't say for sure just yet what kind of show Leonard will put on, we do know that this will be our only chance to see it close up: Its journey here from deep space is estimated to have taken about 35,000 years.

Comet C/2021 A1 Leonard
https://spaceweathergallery.com/full...1638307313.jpg

Anyone else watch the Neutron reveal? Thought it seemed pretty interesting. I like the idea of an enclosed 2nd stage. Kind of like just upscaling their kickstage units with massive tanks.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A0thW57QeDM" title="YouTube video player" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Starlink launch is coming up in a couple of minutes. Could be some pretty nice views if the sun hits right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=594TbXriaAk

Saw a string of starlinks overhead tonight. It's pretty entertaining listening to people, who don't know what they are looking at, speculate on what they are seeing.

Science satellite for NASA is going up in an hour.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> Falcon 9 carrying the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IXPE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IXPE</a> spacecraft is vertical on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A at <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAKennedy</a>. Launch is scheduled for 1:00 a.m. EST on Dec. 9 More [emoji328]: <a href="https://t.co/B2M5EHTJBT">https://t.co/B2M5EHTJBT</a> <a href="https://t.co/bokzegxzx7">pic.twitter.com/bokzegxzx7</a></p>— NASA HQ PHOTO (@nasahqphoto) <a href="https://twitter.com/nasahqphoto/status/1468570954267828226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Saw on the news where Michael Strahan is going on the next trip . I think it was scheduled for today but postponed to Saturday.

Ohh please let this work...

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Is Fueled for Late December Launch

After some two decades of development, the orbital observatory is set to at last reach space on December 22

The new James Webb Space Telescope is topped off and one step closer to taking flight.

Mission team members have finished fueling the James Webb Space Telescope at ahead of its planned Dec. 22 launch from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, the European Space Agency announced Monday (Dec. 6). The fueling for Webb, which is an international collaborative effort between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency, took 10 days and was completed on Dec. 3, according to the ESA statement.

After a series of delays since the development of the scope first began in 1996, Webb is still on track to finally launch Dec. 22 atop an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana.

"Webb's propellant tanks were filled separately with [21 gallons] 79.5 l of dinitrogen tetroxide oxidizer and [42 gallons] 159 l hydrazine," the ESA wrote in the announcement, adding that the oxidizer "improves the burn efficiency of the hydrazine fuel."

[...]

Webb is destined for a location in space 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) away known as L2, a Lagrange point or a stable gravitational location in space. Upon arrival, the telescope will spend six months in a "commissioning period" during which the team will ensure that it unfolded correctly and its instruments are working correctly.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Getting closer to white-knuckle time! <a href="https://twitter.com/esa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@esa</a> says the James Webb Space Telescope has been moved to the building where it will be stacked on top of the Ariane 5 rocket. Launch is still scheduled for Dec. 22.<a href="https://t.co/Bm3rqDkAxD">https://t.co/Bm3rqDkAxD</a> <a href="https://t.co/9roiCyDrFs">pic.twitter.com/9roiCyDrFs</a></p>&mdash; Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) <a href="https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1468963482376630288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It won't. They couldn't have designed a more complicated vehicle. It's an abomination of big-space funding.

Expand on this, please.

Gives me chills...

ISS Spacewalk. Spoilered for autoplay.

I agree with him on the "complicated" part, and it did require far more time and money than they were expecting.

I'm not sure they could have done better given the lofty goals, though. If it works, it will be as much of a leap forward as Hubble was.

Someone should make a VR ride out of that.

NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan getting ready to blastoff

The James Webb Telescope will have to perform a myriad of procedures before it can become fully operational.

Timeline Of Events After Launch:

After launch, the telescope will deploy on its 30-day, million-mile journey out to the second Lagrange point (L2). This video shows the deployment procedure, timeline, and location of the satellite during deployment.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RzGLKQ7_KZQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

In the first hour:
The ride to space, solar array deployment, and “free flight.” The Ariane 5 launch vehicle will provide thrust for roughly 26 minutes after a morning liftoff from French Guiana. Moments after second stage engine cut-off, Webb will separate from the Ariane, which will trigger the solar array to deploy within minutes so that Webb can start making electricity from sunshine and stop draining its battery. Webb will quickly establish its ability to orient itself and “fly” in space.

In the first day:
Mid-course correction to L2. Ariane will have sent Webb on a direct route to L2, without first orbiting Earth. During the first day, we will execute the first and most important trajectory correction maneuver using small rocket engines aboard Webb itself. We will also release and deploy the high gain antenna to enable the highest available rates of data communication as early as practical.

In the first week:
Sunshield deployment. Shortly after we execute a second trajectory correction maneuver, we will start the sequence of major deployments, beginning with the fore and aft sunshield pallets. The next step is separation of the spacecraft bus and telescope by extending the telescoping tower between them. The tower will extend about 2 meters, and it is necessary at this point in the sequence so that the rest of the sunshield deployment can proceed. Next, the sunshield membranes will be unpinned and the telescoping sunshield midbooms will extend – first the port side and then the starboard side – pulling the membranes out with them. The last sunshield deployment step is tensioning of the membranes. In the meantime, other things like radiators will be released and deployed.

In the first month:
Telescope deployment, cooldown, instrument turn-on, and insertion into orbit around L2. During the second week after launch we will finish deploying the telescope structures by unfolding and latching the secondary mirror tripod and rotating and latching the two primary mirror wings. Note that the telescope and scientific instruments will start to cool rapidly in the shade of the sunshield, but it will take several weeks for them to cool all the way down and reach stable temperatures. This cooldown will be carefully controlled with strategically-placed electric heater strips so that everything shrinks carefully and so that water trapped inside parts of the observatory can escape as gas to the vacuum of space and not freeze as ice onto mirrors or detectors, which would degrade scientific performance. We will unlock all the primary mirror segments and the secondary mirror and verify that we can move them. Near the end of the first month, we will execute the last mid-course maneuver to insert into the optimum orbit around L2. During this time we will also power-up the scientific instrument systems. The remaining five months of commissioning will be all about aligning the optics and calibrating the scientific instruments.

In the second, third and fourth months:
Initial optics checkouts, and telescope alignment. Using the Fine Guidance Sensor, we will point Webb at a single bright star and demonstrate that the observatory can acquire and lock onto targets, and we will take data mainly with NIRCam. But because the primary mirror segments have yet to be aligned to work as a single mirror, there will be up to 18 distorted images of the same single target star. We will then embark on the long process of aligning all the telescope optics, beginning with identifying which primary mirror segment goes with which image by moving each segment one at a time and ending a few months later with all the segments aligned as one and the secondary mirror aligned optimally. Cooldown will effectively end and the cryocooler will start running at its lowest temperature and MIRI can start taking good data too.

In the fifth and sixth months:
Calibration and completion of commissioning. We will meticulously calibrate all of the scientific instruments’ many modes of operation while observing representative targets, and we will demonstrate the ability to track “moving” targets, which are nearby objects like asteroids, comets, moons, and planets in our own solar system. We will make “Early Release Observations,” to be revealed right after commissioning is over, that will showcase the capabilities of the observatory.

After six months:
“Science operations!” Webb will begin its science mission and start to conduct routine science operations.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lEaTnztV6OA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

NASA probe flying through the sun’s corona. Milky way pic from the sun at .02.

https://www.reddit.com/r/next****ing...r_solar_probe/

Stop fighting. We are specks. We are meaningless.

Replace **** with ****.

Link not working. For me at least.

EDIT: Here is a very short video that shows some planets going past and then a great shot of the Milky Way: https://youtu.be/IQXNqhQzBLM

Drat! Cleavage strikes again!

You can work around it with a URL shortener. Unfortunately not much else we can do about that one.

https://tinyurl.com/ubu42p8n

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NEWS 🚨: NASA releases footage of Parker Solar Probe flying through the sun’s corona and 1 million+ degree solar plasma 🥵<a href="https://t.co/HcxpEzxN8X">pic.twitter.com/HcxpEzxN8X</a></p>&mdash; Latest in space (@latestinspace) <a href="https://twitter.com/latestinspace/status/1471237800771080200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<iframe width="1100" height="619" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LkaLfbuB_6E" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

https://spaceexplored.com/2021/12/15...ns-atmosphere/

<iframe width="820" height="461" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aICaAEXDJQQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

In case anyone wants to watch the James Webb launch the morning of Xmas Eve.


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7nT7JGZMbtM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Here's a "trailer" for the JWST:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/69uT90tEJdE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Also, SpaceX landed its 100th booster this morning, and that is neat.

Launch was bumped to Xmas, and weather doesn't look great. Wouldn't surprise me to see it bump back a few more days.

Bump for the launch attempt early tomorrow (6:20 am Central). I have a 10-hour drive tomorrow, so I'm torn about trying to get up for it (at 5:20 for me), but I almost feel like I have to given the magnitude of this mission.

Regardless, send all your good vibes toward the team on this one. It's about as big a mission as they come.

Sonofabitch. I am not a morning person, but I can't miss this.

Thank you for the heads up, I didn't realize it was that early.

If it makes you feel any better (probably not), the launch itself is like 1/10th of the situations where it can go wrong. This one's gonna be nerve-wracking until it's operational in (hopefully) 6 months or so.

Anyone awake? I'm half asleep, but here we go.

watching now @NASAWebb

Man, you get spoiled by SpaceX broadcasts. Lost in the clouds after about 15 seconds, so animation it is.

So far, so good. Back to sleep.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The James <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Webb?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Webb</a> Space Telescope lifted off on <a href="https://twitter.com/ariane5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ariane5</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VA256?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VA256</a> from <a href="https://twitter.com/EuropeSpacePort?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuropeSpacePort</a> in French Guiana, at 12:20 GMT/13:20 CET on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChristmasDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChristmasDay</a>, 25 December 2021, on its exciting mission to unlock the secrets of the Universe �� <a href="https://t.co/AAXaP9IxVZ">https://t.co/AAXaP9IxVZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/7LcLOwR9xq">pic.twitter.com/7LcLOwR9xq</a></p>&mdash; ESA (@esa) <a href="https://twitter.com/esa/status/1474729414009229312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

One last look, before it treads where we can't see it.

<iframe width="1427" height="570" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lB1B3WzO7Vk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Where's the Webb? Good info tracker:

https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/we...ereIsWebb.html

same thing only embedded in youtube with soothing background sounds :D

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vFBGNjAP7wg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Some pretty big critical steps have been completed with very good results. Very good sign. Starting to ease my worry just a little bit....

Second and Third Layers of Sunshield Fully Tightened

The Webb team has completed tensioning for the first three layers of the observatory’s kite-shaped sunshield, 47 feet across and 70 feet long.

The first layer – pulled fully taut into its final configuration – was completed mid-afternoon.

The team began the second layer at 4:09 pm EST today, and the process took 74 minutes. The third layer began at 5:48 pm EST, and the process took 71 minutes. In all, the tensioning process from the first steps this morning until the third layer achieved tension took just over five and a half hours.

These three layers are the ones closest to the Sun. Tensioning of the final two layers is planned for tomorrow.

Only like 250 more things that can go wrong. ROFL

But you're not wrong. We're at least confident that the launch went great and that it's in good shape overall. Fingers crossed there are no whammies hiding in there.

Things have went very well so far, they should continue to do so. Trust the science... :thumb:

Every day provides a little bit more confidence...

<samp class="EmbedCode-container"><code class="EmbedCode-code"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is it: we’ve just wrapped up one of the most challenging steps of our journey to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnfoldTheUniverse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnfoldTheUniverse</a>.<br><br>With all five layers of sunshield tensioning complete, about 75% of our 344 single-point failures have been retired! <a href="https://t.co/P9jJhu7bJX">pic.twitter.com/P9jJhu7bJX</a></p>&mdash; NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1478412564983959553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </code></samp>

Damn, that's a lot more boxes checked than I would have guessed!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Coolest selfie. NASA scientists post photo with James Webb telescope (via Reddit). I’m excitedly anticipating what this will reveal about the universe. <a href="https://t.co/bycAJ0ndWg">pic.twitter.com/bycAJ0ndWg</a></p>&mdash; Jeremy Jojola (@jeremyjojola) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeremyjojola/status/1477675080083599360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This is a pretty cool site that lets you follow along with the various deployment steps as they happen.

https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/we...tExplorer.html

This sunshield deployment and tensioning is where I thought they had the most risk.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">CONFIRMED: “The world’s most sophisticated tripod” has not only deployed but also latched!<br><br>Each of the struts for this tripod, which helps <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASAWebb?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NASAWebb</a>’s secondary mirror direct light into the instruments, is about 25 feet long (7.6 m)! <a href="https://t.co/QTAt5yn8zF">https://t.co/QTAt5yn8zF</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnfoldTheUniverse?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnfoldTheUniverse</a> <a href="https://t.co/UtAMG95c9t">pic.twitter.com/UtAMG95c9t</a></p>— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1478771722769870851?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"We have a telescope."

Fully capable of sending data now, regardless of full mirror deployment. Mirrors already in place far exceed the capabilities of Hubble.

The instruments need to be cooled still. And that cryocooler is a fascinating bit of engineering.

SpaceX is targeting Thursday, January 6 for a Falcon 9 launch of 49 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The instantaneous launch window is at 4:49 p.m. EST, or 21:49 UTC, and a backup opportunity is available on Friday, January 7 at 4:28 p.m. EST.

Falcon 9's first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched GPS III-4, GPS III-5, and Inspiration4. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4_ePBpwMhns" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Stream is live. T-11:30

Beautiful day for a launch. I really need to get down there sometime.

Gonna be a pretty one.

I saw it while driving over the causeway this afternoon. You need to show up when they do the booster landing at the Cape.

Yeah, I've kind of had it in my mind that I'd try to make it down for a FH launch this year. Damn hard to plan for moving targets, though.

NASA live streaming final mirror unfolding tomorrow....

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tlGTem8vkB0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

LMAO

https://insidetheperimeter.ca/wp-con...11-Similar.jpg

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The James Webb Space Telescope is now fully deployed. This is a remarkable engineering achievement that 99 percent of the world will not appreciate. But those of us who know, know. And we are in awe.</p>— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) <a href="https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1479846560217407490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Now witness the power of this fully deployed and operational telescope!

SpaceX is targeting Thursday, January 13 for a Falcon 9 launch of Transporter-3 to orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The 29-minute launch window opens at 10:25 a.m. EST, or 15:25 UTC, and a backup opportunity is available on Friday, January 14 with the same window.

Falcon 9’s first stage booster previously launched Crew Demo-2, ANASIS-II, CRS-21, Transporter-1, and five Starlink missions. Following stage separation, SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Transporter-3 is SpaceX’s third dedicated rideshare mission, and on board this launch are 105 spacecraft (including CubeSats, microsats, PocketQubes, and orbital transfer vehicles).

A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff.


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mFBeuSAvhUQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

T-4:00

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Falcon 9 delivers another round of Starlink internet satellites into orbit at 9:02pm EST <a href="https://t.co/bgEexJxQFq">pic.twitter.com/bgEexJxQFq</a></p>— Ben Cooper (@LaunchPhoto) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaunchPhoto/status/1483634587544821763?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<samp class="EmbedCode-container"><code class="EmbedCode-code">Almost finished. I can't believe it's gone so well.</code></samp>
<samp class="EmbedCode-container"><code class="EmbedCode-code">
</code></samp>
<samp class="EmbedCode-container"><code class="EmbedCode-code"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just in from the <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAWebb</a> team: All 18 primary mirror segments and the secondary mirror are now fully deployed!<br><br>Congratulations to the teams that have been working tirelessly since launch to get to this point. Soon, Webb will arrive at its new home, L2!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/unfoldtheuniverse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#unfoldtheuniverse</a> <a href="https://t.co/QsIyr5AWii">pic.twitter.com/QsIyr5AWii</a></p>&mdash; Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenBillNelson/status/1483882708648574977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </code></samp>

Out-of-control SpaceX rocket on collision course with moon

Falcon 9 booster, launched from Florida in 2015 to deploy Deep Space Climate Observatory, has followed ‘chaotic’ orbit since and is on a collision course with the moon after spending almost seven years hurtling through space, experts say.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/...-with-the-moon

I've always found it kind of crazy that none of the Apollo ascent stages ever crashed down. It seems like they'd eventually get dragged down, but apparently they're all still just kind of floating out there to this day (or at least we've never been able to find any of them).

Falcon 9 Block 5 | CSG-2
LZ-1
Thu Jan 27, 2022 23:11 UTC (4:11pm MST)
SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Nice, another LZ-1 landing. I've missed those.

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El scrubbo:

SpaceX is targeting Friday, January 28 for launch of the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation FM2 mission to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The instantaneous launch window is at 6:11 p.m. EST, or 23:11 UTC.

Lame.

Yeah, went from 60% favorable weather to scrub really quickly.

Fourth time's the charm?

SpaceX is targeting Monday, January 31 for launch of the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation FM2 mission to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The instantaneous launch window is at 6:11 p.m. EST, or 23:11 UTC.

The Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission previously supported the launch of Arabsat-6A and STP-2. After stage separation, Falcon 9 will return to Earth and land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. One half of the fairings supporting this mission previously supported Transporter-1, Transporter-2, and one Starlink mission, and the other half previously supported SAOCOM 1B, Transporter-2, and one Starlink mission.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff.

T-15:00

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Beautiful night for a launch!