Topic: Falcon 1 - launch date Feb 8th (Read 1097 times)

Nemesis · « **on:** February 02, 2006, 08:42:24 pm »

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Falcon 1 Rocket Launch on Deck

After several delays and two scrubbed launch attempts, the first flight of a Falcon 1 rocket is once again approaching.

Built by the El Segundo, California-based firm SpaceX, the Falcon 1 rocket is set to make its launch debut from its Kwajalein Atoll on the Pacific Ocean on Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. EST (0030 Feb. 9 GMT). The space shot has been delayed twice, first due to computer and valve problems, then later to a structural issue.

SpaceX's Falcon 1 rocket is set to orbit the small FalconSat-2 satellite built by cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy. The $800,000 spacecraft is designed to study the effect of space plasma on navigation and communications satellites.

The Falcon 1 rocket is the first in a family of launch vehicle planned for SpaceX. The firm also has a launch facility at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Lets hope that they are 100% successful and that the craft outperforms their expectations.

Tus-XC · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2006, 10:38:57 pm »

woo hoo, i hope so too, we have been waiting for falcon sat 2 to get up for a while.... it was originally supposed to go up on the shuttle, but that got canned do to some tragic events...

Lepton · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2006, 07:11:51 pm »

What the heck is space plasma?

Tus-XC · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2006, 11:16:45 pm »

plasma is simply put charged particles in the upper atmosphere, the goal of the satelite is measure the effects it has on communication (well thats roughly the gist of it) falcon sat 3 will be testing some propolision systems for making small attitude corrections.

of course my favorite project will be for my class (capstone) i hope... our goal is to launch a rocket to LEO, something no school to date has done

. i think there is an intent to strap on a physics package, but we don't know what that will be yet

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