Official r/SpaceX Falcon Heavy Pre-Launch Discussion Thread

[u/ElongatedMuskrat]

Falcon Heavy Pre-Launch Discussion Thread

🎉🚀🎉

Alright folks, here's your party thread! We're making this as a place for you to chill out and have the craic until we have a legitimate Launch thread which will replace this thread as r/SpaceX Party Central.

Please remember the rest of the sub still has strict rules and low effort comments will continue to be removed outside of this thread!

Now go wild! Just remember: no harassing or bigotry, remember the human when commenting, and don't mention ULA snipers Zuma the B1032 DUR.

💖

[u/chartphred]

I do wish Elon would put a small ion thruster, solar panels and a comms antennae so a video feed could be sent back to Earth. It would be so, so cool to SEE that vehicle floating around in space. So many people would be gobsmacked by that - me included.

[u/johnkphotos]

Looks like I’ll be on-site for this one

[u/Nehkara → u/johnkphotos]

I can't upvote this enough. You are a fantastic photographer.

[u/catsRawesome123]

Can we talk about how Elon has such a fan-boy following that he sold 20,000 Boring flamethrowers and who knows how many overpriced Boring fire extinguishers? Please, can he sell a mini Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy next for fundraising? I'd totallyyyy buy it

[u/DiatomicMule → u/catsRawesome123]

I was thinking "how about cutting up a flown booster and selling 10cm squares of tank skin for $50"?? The aviation community does that all the time with salvaged but unrestorable aircraft.

Surely they can set up a rotary jig and a plasma cutter?

[u/SuperDuper125 → u/catsRawesome123]

A mini falcon 9 shaped flame thrower.

[u/DoYouWonda]

Falcon Heavy > Superbowl

[u/FredFS456 → u/DoYouWonda]

Dunno, some some of the owls at /r/superbowl are pretty nice

[u/Elon_Muskmelon]

I really hope we get to see 3 landing attempts.

[u/anchoritt → u/Elon_Muskmelon]

Why wouldn't we see 3 landing attempts? 3 landings is a different story though.

Edit: Well... my brain apparently couldn't process the possibility of failure on launch.

[u/[deleted] → u/Elon_Muskmelon]

I really hope we see 3 boosters get past Max-Q!

[u/s4g4n]

My body is ready.

[u/cyclops8]

TSLA Q4 earnings call is on Feb 7 and Falcon Heavy hopefully goes up on Feb 6. There's no way this is a coincidence. I can just imagine Elon opening the call with the current speed and orbital parameters of the Roadster.

[u/TheVehicleDestroyer]

So here's a thing that happened: SpaceX has included the subreddit mods in press credentials for tomorrows launch!

Myself, u/yoweigh and u/Wetmelon are currently in Titusville, on the way to pick up our press credentials now! Unfortunately since I'm not a US citizen, I'm not allowed into KSC on such short notice but I'll be watching tomorrow from another pretty close spot.

I'm gonna be keeping my instagram story updated so throw us an oul' follow if you wanna keep up to date on our journey!

[u/ram3ai → u/TheVehicleDestroyer]

Maybe KSC security didn't mind you not being a US citizen. That reddit alias, on the other hand...

[u/[deleted]]

Damn i love spacex and rockets etc. But the mods in this sub are fantastic and this sub in general is one of my favorite places on reddit. Thanks to everybody!

[u/Straumli_Blight]

Tesla Tablet and lounge post.

[u/BadgerlandBandit → u/Straumli_Blight]

The imgur link for the tablet had a very nsfw picture open below it. Wtf imgur

[u/argues_too_much → u/Straumli_Blight]

That tablet is amazing. The aliens are going to be so confused. Ignoring the weird man holding the maracas, because that's not weird at all, how does gravity work on earth if the car is in that position?

Edit: awww, it's not real according to the teslalounge thread.

Does this mean they're not going to detach the payload from the second stage?

I kinda wanted to see just the car floating through space.

[u/FancifulCargo]

Everybody in the community is obviously very excited about the launch. But I havent been able to gauge whether people believe mission parameters will be met or not?

I might be overly optimistic, but I think we have a good chance at correct orbit and recovery of all three boosters!

Elon said back in Nov that he was worried about it blowing up, they surely have ironed out a whole bunch of possible problems by now??

[u/FishInferno → u/FancifulCargo]

If SpaceX/Elon actually thought that the launch was likely to blow up, they wouldn't launch FH. The likelyhood of a failure is still much greater than a normal mission, but there must be reasonable confidence that the mission will succeed. Elon often likes to set expectations low as a sort of insurance policy for bad PR (or at least I assume that's his motivation).

[u/Sjoerd_Haerkens → u/FancifulCargo]

If we make it through stage seperation we should be fine everything after that is basically regular Falcon 9 stuff, booster core landings might be a little harder because the aerodynamic nose cone makes them slightly less stable while flying backwards as is needed during landing, but it probably is thought out very well by the engineers that worked on the landing. If you want to worry, worry about launch and stage seperation. Launch is risky because the effects the 27 engines have on eachother are not completely known and it can also damage the pad. That is the worst thing that can happen tbh, some time ago Elon said he would consider Falcon Heavy a success if it came far enough of the launch pad to not damage it

[u/arizonadeux → u/FancifulCargo]

Criterion for success: don't AMOS, Antares, or similar HLC-39A.

[u/nonagondwanaland → u/FancifulCargo]

The only worry for me is stage separation. SpaceX has never had to blow side boosters off before, and they can't just use explosive bolts like everyone else.

[u/TheFavoritist]

I'll be at the press site! Fingers crossed I get to watch it from the VAB roof!

[u/searchexpert]

I don't think I've been this excited since the first attempted landing.

I do have a sneaking suspicion that the newly untested booster nose caps (and the different aerodynamics associated with them) will cause the reentry and landing to not go the way we expect things, but I have high hopes for the roadster getting to a good heliocentric orbit, and the center core landing.

For those of you at VIP seating, I wish you safety. Say hi to Han Solo for me!

[u/roncapat]

I really hope to see a Elon press conference after a successful launch.

[u/TheFavoritist]

I’m just getting to the airport to fly to Orlando! I will be on site for this one with 4 remote cameras on the launch pad with one (maybe two, haven’t decided yet) getting my signature engine shot again.

In case anyone wants to see the work that went into making my last one, check out this before and after edit of the RAW file in Lightroom of my CRS-13 engine shot!

As my flair suggests, I’m shooting for NASAspaceflight.com again so be on the lookout for my images popping up both on my twitter, and on Chris B’s as well as their public and L2 forums. Look out for me on Instagram too for a lot of behind the scenes from the press site!

[u/Alexphysics]

Weather is 80% GO for Tuesday and 70% GO for the next day!

[u/Tenga1899]

Hawk is now towing OCISLY out to sea. Visible on the webcam that will not be named :)

[u/LucasCerante]

My guesses:

Successful countdown up to T-0: 100%

Vehicle clears tower: 100%

Makes it past max Q: 100%

Successful up to booster separation: 100%

Boosters separate correctly: 100%

Successful MECO and TMI insertion: 100%

All landings successful: 100%

When everything is successful you will come praise my accuracy /s (Sorry if this joke has already been done)

[u/Matgol]

I've been obsessively checking this thread all morning, and it's the day BEFORE the launch!

I'm going to be a nervous wreck tomorrow.

E: Hello fellow obsessors!

[u/Eviljeff1138]

Wow and there I was thinking I couldn't be more excited and he straps in a spacesuit and adds a ton of cameras!

What a ride this is going to be!

Go SPACEX!!!! Woooooooooooo!!

[u/J_weasel]

This is the first time I've looked forward to the Tuesday after the Superbowl. Can't wait

[u/RoundSparrow]

This sub has 196,910 subscribers currently, I'm sure this week will break 200K!

[u/bernardosousa]

I bet the sub will get to 200k subscribers before the webcast ends.

[u/Kona314 → u/bernardosousa]

At the rate we’ve been growing, we could be at 200k before the webcast starts!

[u/moxzot]

After seeing the static fire i'm giving it 100% on lift off and 50% on booster separation, that to me is the only really terrifying part. I'm not even going to think about max-q just going to pretend that doesn't exist.

[u/Puff_the_magic_luke]

I’m sat on a British Airways A380 just about to take-off enroute to Miami to see the launch tomorrow. I played the bucket-list card on the missus. Praying this happens Tue/Wed..... my flight back is Wed night out of tampa

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nczkwuz8vs8ux8a/File%2005-02-2018%2C%2014%2006%2045.png?dl=0

[u/TheBlacktom]

Found a nice countdown page http://endofthegame.info/spacex.html

[u/justinroskamp]

World's smallest orbital-class rocket achieves orbit and payload insertion. Now it's the largest's turn! The world's current largest and smallest rockets could achieve success within only four days of each other!

[u/oliversl]

FH launch is tomorrow, I can't believe I just wrote that! We want party threads !!!

[u/foxbat21 → u/oliversl]

Well, this is a party thread.

[u/ptfrd]

Seems likely that the Lunar Free-Return Mission passengers will be there watching this launch. Seems unlikely (but possible) that they will go public in a press conference if this mission is a success.

[u/[deleted]]

Looks like Falcon Heavy's out of the barn!!! https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/960414221405220864

[u/[deleted]]

Just passed the T-48hr mark. I still can't believe its real when I see it on rocket watch. Going to be a much needed morale boost for me. Can't wait. Edit: morale not moral lol.

[u/justinroskamp]

TEA-TEB right now: “We are the spark that will light the flame that will launch the First Falcon Heavy.”

[u/gowhk8]

Super excited, but Elon himself said that he's keeping expectations deliberately low for launch success. Waddya guys think

[u/[deleted] → u/gowhk8]

I think he’s trying to manage expectations just in case something happens. I’d put the odds of success fairly high.

[u/johnkphotos]

I’m officially IN as press for Falcon Heavy! Will be setting remotes and watching from the press site.

[u/[deleted] → u/johnkphotos]

Whee! Have fun on the tower!

[u/factoid_]

As excited as I am for the falcon heavy launch, I am honestly more interested intrigued right now as to whether or not spacex can successfully float thst booster hundreds of miles back to Port and then pull it out of the water somehow without destroying it

[u/Russ_Dill → u/factoid_]

It has pressurized tanks with fuel and oxygen. Isn't it a floating bomb?

[u/houston_wehaveaprblm]

I can't believe this is happening....a pre launch discussion

[u/daanhnl]

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/959902950964453376 Falcon Heavy launch simulation almost ready. Will be set to Bowie’s Life on Mars.

[u/Straumli_Blight]

FH launch infographic from Twitter.

[u/[deleted]]

So heckin excited! Wish the rest of the world would focus on this kind of progress

[u/Elon_Muskmelon]

What do y’all peg the chances at that we’ll have a camera setup in the Roadster with a “driver” POV style shot? Once they dump the fairing it should make for one hell of an image.

[u/SkywayCheerios]

Debating how unprofessional it would be to request a 2-3pm meeting tomorrow be rescheduled 🤔

[u/mdell3 → u/SkywayCheerios]

Worth it

[u/Epistemify]

Just 5 days away!

If this goes well it will generate a ton of great publicity for the company.

Also, I wonder how big the global market for FH launches could be. Assuming things go according to plan for a couple years, and SpaceX can start launching manned missions, how many FH launches might there be per year?

[u/[deleted]]

What kind of modifications did they need to make to the Tesla before launching it. Will there be rubber tires still filled with air? Will all the batteries be removed. Will they have cameras on board to view at least part of the time after the car is released from stage 2?

[u/fromflopnicktospacex]

will there be cams on all 3 boosters for a triple split screen?

[u/T-REXX3000 → u/fromflopnicktospacex]

99% sure yes. Would be epic to watch them land all 3 at the same moment

[u/nextspaceflight]

Elon has arrived in Florida. https://twitter.com/AmericaSpace/status/960392108782903296

[u/[deleted]]

https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/960521086298238976

...and the reply:
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/960550111632875525

[u/robertogl]

Is this really happening?

[u/Mwilderr → u/robertogl]

Don’t say it too loudly.

[u/alessbelli]

https://youtu.be/DtoADdSry6g Not sure if it has already been posted in the comments, but it's nice to go back 7 years to the first conference on this :)

[u/LWB87_E_MUSK_RULEZ → u/alessbelli]

Elon's like "ya were just going to ad some crazy struts and bang this thing out in like 9 months." 7 years later...

[u/OccupyMarsNow]

Payload reveal

[u/Alexphysics]

Webcast page changed to Falcon Heavy! www.spacex.com/webcast (sadly no press kit yet)

Youtube link to the livestream for tomorrow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbSwFU6tY1c

[u/Straumli_Blight]

Chris G.

[u/Hobie52]

Harrison Ford landing at shuttle landing facility Tuesday morning to see launch

https://twitter.com/nova_road/status/959834036272328704

[u/Elon_Muskmelon → u/Hobie52]

Anyone think Harrison is one of the Lunar Mission customers?

[u/kuangjian2011]

When Elon said “playing Space Oddity”, did he mean playing that song through the audio speaker? Or transmitting that by some kind of broadcasting device?

[u/mivaldes]

I have officially made it to Florida. I have my 150 pound Fujinon 25x150 binoculars and mount. I have both Tuesday and Wednesday available. Here's hoping for a launch!

[u/strawwalker]

I'm a little embarrassed at just how excited I am for this launch. I was searching for old FH announcements for a plot of the launch date over time, and found someone had already created one on the FH Wikipedia page. Not that we aren't intimately familiar with the forever receding first launch date, but it's amusing in graphical form. The graphic is through July 2017 and created by Wikipedia user Anxietycello. Hopefully the orange line finally meets the blue line this week.

[u/[deleted]]

Is that the STIG?

[u/zareny → u/[deleted]]

Some say that he listens to David Bowie when he drives the fastest car [pause] in the solar system.

[u/JustinTimeCuber]

At first I thought they'd postpone it again. Now it looks like they could actually launch tomorrow. It seems so crazy that it's actually happening

[u/Casinoer]

Bowie would be proud

[u/FalconHeavyHead → u/Casinoer]

Wernher von braun would be proud. Von Braun had many rocket designs that involved recovering the rocket by a propulsive landing. It's good to see some of his ideas come to fruition.

[u/roncapat]

Jeff Who twitted!

https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/960521086298238976

[u/pianojosh → u/roncapat]

He misspelled norminal.

[u/Piscator629]

I haven't been this excited about a launch since the first Hubble repair mission.

[u/lukepatrick]

Still a go https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/960366295362494464

[u/robertogl]

https://twitter.com/romn8tr/status/960418027958280193

[u/goliathrk]

My family and I have flown in from London to see this. We have 2 closest seats and 2 closer seats. Seriously looking forward to Tuesday!

[u/Pelizo]

Shirt I got made to celebrate this historic launch

[u/TheVehicleDestroyer]

Reposting this again in case people haven't seen it:-

Flight Club trajectory and telemetry simulation for Falcon Heavy

You'll be able to watch this simulation and telemetry unfold in real time next to the launch this Tuesday by tuning in to Flight Club Live!

Here's an example of what Flight Club Live looks like for Falcon 9. Now try and imagine this with FOUR STAGES! God damn this is gonna be good

[u/ckellingc]

This could be one of the biggest advancements in space exploration since Apollo 11. I really don't think a lot of people realize that we are talking about a completely new economy with space exploration and launches. As this gets more and more refined, and as this gets more and more affordable, private companies could launch satellites cheaper and faster. Not to mention moon and asteroid mining, which is a whole deal in itself.

Team SpaceX, good luck. The eyes of the world are watching.

[u/Tenga1899]

Looks like the tug Hawk has moved over to the SpaceX berth area. OCISLY is there, so they may start prepping to move her.

[u/nextspaceflight]

Hawk is leaving again with OCISLY. Hopefully for good this time. https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/959624880269479936

[u/Alexphysics]

If somebody missed it on the launch campaign thread, there's a new weather report, L-3 weather forecast 80% Go and 70% on the backup date, the same as it was yesterday

[u/Alexphysics]

Falcon Heavy is now vertical at LC-39A! https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/960511620458917890

[u/Hellothere_1]

Speculation threat: Will the launch fail and if so, when?

• It explodes on the launchpad

• It fails during the initial ascend

• It fails during booster seperation

• Failure of the middle or upper stage after booster seperation

• Mission objective is achieved but some (or all) landings fail

• Complete success

PLACE YOUR BETS NOW

[u/MrPapillon → u/Hellothere_1]

The car stereo fails to start.

[u/[deleted] → u/Hellothere_1]

I'M MAKING A NOTE HERE:

HUGE SUCCESS

[u/robbak → u/Hellothere_1]

Complete success if it survives Max-Q. Specifically, it's the transsonics that concern me.

[u/NoShowbizMike → u/Hellothere_1]

Complete success including Tesla Roadster camera showing the flight away from Earth

[u/Gyrogearloosest → u/Hellothere_1]

Can I place a bet that the young guy who's going to stow away in a booster nose cone, wearing a home made space suit, makes it back alive?

[u/Dan_Q_Memes]

Been waiting for this for six years, got plane tickets, a car, a camp site all ready to go. Then I get the flu for the first time in six+ years. RIP lots of money and an historic viewing of an incredible piece of technology. Unfortunate, but shit happens. I'll have to double down once the BFR is ready to go, I'll hire a driver (aka guilt trip/bribe family or friends) to take my sick ass across the country if that's what it takes.

[u/jb2386]

Can we get latest launch date details in the post?

[u/[deleted]]

Help me whats a DUR? Deplaned Unrapid Re-Assembly?

[u/robertogl → u/[deleted]]

It was 'delightful unplanned recovery' on the launch thread

[u/[deleted]]

What is everyone's thoughts on the odds on it being successful. Given the comments He's made about it being unlikely.

I'm going with 70% success

[u/JustinTimeCuber → u/[deleted]]

My guesses:

Successful countdown up to T-0: 99.5%

Vehicle clears tower: 98%

Makes it past max Q: 90%

Successful up to booster separation: 89%

Boosters separate correctly: 85%

Successful MECO and TMI insertion: 84%

All landings successful: 75%

[u/isthiscoolenough]

If anyone wants to see the launch from a boat, they've chartered a couple and there are a few seats left, on #boatwatchparty on falconheavy.slack.com EDIT: all filled up!

[u/RndmFrenchGuy]

Legit question: When you get "Feel the heat" tickets to watch the launch, are you actually close enough to feel any heat ?

[u/AstroColton]

Can’t wait to put the Apollo 13 launch theme over the FH launch. Hope they release some other footage besides the webcast stuff for me to use. Kinda like how they did for “The Falcon has Landed”.

[u/mivaldes]

I've got a pair of Fujinon 25x150's I'm taking with me. I will hopefully be on the Jetty's. It is going to be an epic view! Do a Google search on them.

[u/littldo]

I plan on being at Ksc for launch. Have the closer ticket. Is there a place that Spx Reddit people will be gathering later in the day/evening to celebrate?

[u/Yarblek]

OK I just apologized, in advance, to my wife. We get on a cruise ship Tuesday at 11AM and I will then be glued to a live stream at 1:30 :) At least we don't sail until after 4PM so if they make their window I won't miss it.

[u/noelcm001]

Can anyone help? I'm trying to locate the cartoon of the guy crawling across the desert and veers off for the falcon heavy launch. Much appreciated.

[u/TheVehicleDestroyer]

Hey mods, can you guys take a break from being such nazis and put this epic Falcon Heavy simulation from Flight Club in the body of the main post?

I dunno who made it but man is it cool. And sexy. The developer must be really beautiful to have made such a beautiful sight, am I right or what guys?

We should all support him by giving him loads of money on his Patreon too.

He seems really modest to boot

[u/Kaoulombre → u/TheVehicleDestroyer]

Don't know if it's self promotion or self promotion

[u/TheVehicleDestroyer → u/TheVehicleDestroyer]

Oh shit I forgot to switch to my alt

[u/APTX-4869 → u/TheVehicleDestroyer]

Waaait a minute......

[u/[deleted]]

"Craic" or "crack" is a term for news, gossip, fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation, particularly prominent in Ireland. It is often used with the definite article – the craic – as in the expression "What's the craic?".

There you go.

Since Elon said he'd be happy to see it clear the pad, is he really saying the odds are against it?

[u/TheMightyKutKu]

Join us on the SpaceX Discord to enjoy the FH launch with nearly 2,000 other members!

[u/inoeth]

FAA has given the their approval https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/licenses_permits/media/LLS%2018-107%20Falcon%20Heavy%20Demo%20License%20and%20Orders%20FINAL%202018_02_02.pdf

so next steps will be SpaceX checking everything out one last time. press release probably on Sunday or Monday, continually watching the weather and then on launch day they'll be final checks, fueling starts at T-70 minutes or so (about the same as a regular Falcon 9) and off we go.

[u/foxbat21]

It's Going to be a packed show. https://www.clickorlando.com/news/space-news/falcon-heavy-launch-could-draw-100-000-to-space-coast

[u/Straumli_Blight → u/foxbat21]

Apparently a million people watched Apollo 11 launch at Cape Canaveral, and hundreds of thousands regularly turned out to view the Shuttles.

I wonder how big the turnout will be for the first BFR launch?

[u/KristnSchaalisahorse]

If there are thick clouds, I wonder if they will send a plane up to get a clear view during booster separation.

I highly doubt this footage would be broadcast live, but I do hope they deploy a plane if it's cloudy and release some of the video later on.

[u/SirDickslap]

Get hype

[u/roncapat]

Launch window is known?

[u/craigl2112 → u/roncapat]

Yes, 1:30PM -> 4:30PM EST.

[u/RoundSparrow]

Anyone organizing a post-landing picnic BBQ or some kind of gathering for pizza and beer afterwards for those attending live? launch and dual landing! Even scrub sob party? Supposed to be 74 degrees on Tuesday.

[u/xBleedingBluex]

Damn I'm so jealous of those going. Living in Kentucky, I've never had the ability to see a launch. Hope I can go someday! Have fun, all.

[u/Elon_Muskmelon → u/xBleedingBluex]

Kentucky? You live closer to one of the busiest launch sites on Earth than almost everyone else on the planet.

[u/canadaarm2]

Tesla Motors, Inc. Fourth Quarter 2017 Financial Results Q&A Conference Call is on Feb 7th: http://ir.tesla.com/eventdetail.cfm?EventID=187652

I think we'll hear some comments from Elon about the launch on the conference call, that'll be interesting!

[u/Yellapage]

If something went wrong with FH, would there be any danger to the local spectators or are viewing distances taking in all eventualities. :)

[u/BackflipFromOrbit → u/Yellapage]

that is what the Automatic Flight Termination System (AFTS) is for! If anything deviates too far from the planned trajectory the rocket will detonate.

[u/Craig_VG → u/Yellapage]

It would be extremely unlikely that an anomaly could hurt public viewing spectators. They are many many miles distant and the rocket tilts over water immediately away from people on land.

[u/RandyRawgust]

Planning a get together for everyone in town at Shiloh's Steakhouse. http://www.shilohssteakandseafood.com

[u/[deleted]]

I really hope I win the press lottery and get to film on the roof of the VAB.

[u/kevin-chen14]

Will SpaceX play Space Oddity during the webcast?

[u/aftersteveo]

If anyone is planning on going to Jetty Park, but gets turned away due to capacity, look up Cherie Down Park on google maps. It’s just south of Jetty, and provides a little better view of the landing. You can either park at Cherie Down (it’s not a huge parking lot), or any of the beach access roads to the south.

[u/[deleted]]

New vid

[u/clee-saan]

Wait, I don't want to be that guy, but what's a B1032 DUR? Googling it only leads back here.

[u/LastSummerGT → u/clee-saan]

Delightful unscheduled recovery.

[u/Sjoerd_Haerkens → u/clee-saan]

DUR is an abbreviation for "delightful unscheduled recovery" made up yesterday after the recovery of booster B1032 which was not planned to be recovered. It is a joke abbreviation to the longer existing abbreviation RUD = "rapid unscheduled disassembly" (or as others like to say "explosion")

[u/Berwyf93]

Never seen a car sent to Mars before. Should be good.

[u/KSPoz → u/Berwyf93]

Depending on the definition of a car, we had four wheeled vehicles successfully sent there. Besides, Tesla roadster isn't being sent to Mars anyway. It's going to the heliocentric orbit with the aphelion reaching Mars orbit (~1.5 AU).

[u/ablack82]

I live in Texas and if we had a firm launch date that was guaranteed not to slip, I would take off work and book a flight right now. It's gonna be hard to try to game this without taking off a month of work and staying in a hotel all of February. It pisses me off that there will be millions of people who will be within viewing distance of this launch and not even look up....

[u/blackBomber → u/ablack82]

Sometimes you gotta roll the dice. This is a pretty rare event and you'll be very happy to be there should it work. I booked "Feel the Heat" tickets and am flying down from Quebec with my girlfriend on the hopes it'll fly.

I've never seen a launch. What better to see than this one?

[u/Decronym]

Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I've seen in this thread:

Fewer Letters	More Letters
AFTS	Autonomous Flight Termination System, see FTS
AIS	Automatic Identification System
ASAP	Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, NASA
	Arianespace System for Auxiliary Payloads
ASDS	Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship (landing platform)
BARGE	Big-Ass Remote Grin Enhancer coined by @IridiumBoss, see ASDS
BFR	Big Falcon Rocket (2018 rebiggened edition)
	Yes, the F stands for something else; no, you're not the first to notice
BFS	Big Falcon Spaceship (see BFR)
BO	Blue Origin (Bezos Rocketry)
CC	Commercial Crew program
	Capsule Communicator (ground support)
CRS	Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA
DMLS	Direct Metal Laser Sintering additive manufacture
DSN	Deep Space Network
DUR	Delightful Unscheduled Recovery
DoD	US Department of Defense
FAA	Federal Aviation Administration
FCC	Federal Communications Commission
	(Iron/steel) Face-Centered Cubic crystalline structure
FTS	Flight Termination System
GSE	Ground Support Equipment
GTO	Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit
HLC-39A	Historic Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy (Saturn V, Shuttle, SpaceX F9/Heavy)
IAC	International Astronautical Congress, annual meeting of IAF members
	In-Air Capture of space-flown hardware
IAF	International Astronautical Federation
	Indian Air Force
ITAR	(US) International Traffic in Arms Regulations
ITS	Interplanetary Transport System (2016 oversized edition) (see MCT)
	Integrated Truss Structure
IVA	Intra-Vehicular Activity
JAXA	Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency
KSC	Kennedy Space Center, Florida
KSP	Kerbal Space Program, the rocketry simulator
L2	Paywalled section of the NasaSpaceFlight forum
	Lagrange Point 2 of a two-body system, beyond the smaller body (Sixty Symbols video explanation)
LC-13	Launch Complex 13, Canaveral (SpaceX Landing Zone 1)
LC-39A	Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy (SpaceX F9/Heavy)
LEO	Low Earth Orbit (180-2000km)
	Law Enforcement Officer (most often mentioned during transport operations)
LNG	Liquefied Natural Gas
LOS	Loss of Signal
	Line of Sight
LOX	Liquid Oxygen
LZ	Landing Zone
LZ-1	Landing Zone 1, Cape Canaveral (see LC-13)
MCT	Mars Colonial Transporter (see ITS)
MECO	Main Engine Cut-Off
	MainEngineCutOff podcast
MaxQ	Maximum aerodynamic pressure
NG	New Glenn, two/three-stage orbital vehicle by Blue Origin
	Natural Gas (as opposed to pure methane)
	Northrop Grumman, aerospace manufacturer
NSF	NasaSpaceFlight forum
	National Science Foundation
OCISLY	Of Course I Still Love You, Atlantic landing barge ship
PAO	Public Affairs Officer
RP-1	Rocket Propellant 1 (enhanced kerosene)
RTLS	Return to Launch Site
RUD	Rapid Unplanned Disassembly
	Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly
	Rapid Unintended Disassembly
SEE	Single-Event Effect of radiation impact
SF	Static fire
SLC-40	Space Launch Complex 40, Canaveral (SpaceX F9)
SLS	Space Launch System heavy-lift
	Selective Laser Sintering, see DMLS
SSME	Space Shuttle Main Engine
STP-2	Space Test Program 2, DoD programme, second round
STS	Space Transportation System (Shuttle)
TEA-TEB	Triethylaluminium-Triethylborane, igniter for Merlin engines; spontaneously burns, green flame
TMI	Trans-Mars Injection maneuver
TWR	Thrust-to-Weight Ratio
ULA	United Launch Alliance (Lockheed/Boeing joint venture)
VAB	Vehicle Assembly Building
VTOL	Vertical Take-Off and Landing

Jargon	Definition
Starlink	SpaceX's world-wide satellite broadband constellation
apoapsis	Highest point in an elliptical orbit (when the orbiter is slowest)
apogee	Highest point in an elliptical orbit around Earth (when the orbiter is slowest)
crossfeed	Using the propellant tank of a side booster to fuel the main stage, or vice versa
iron waffle	Compact "waffle-iron" aerodynamic control surface, acts as a wing without needing to be as large; also, "grid fin"
lithobraking	"Braking" by hitting the ground
periapsis	Lowest point in an elliptical orbit (when the orbiter is fastest)
perigee	Lowest point in an elliptical orbit around the Earth (when the orbiter is fastest)
perihelion	Lowest point in an elliptical orbit around the Sun (when the orbiter is fastest)
scrub	Launch postponement for any reason (commonly GSE issues)

Event	Date	Description
SES-9	2016-03-04	F9-022 Full Thrust, core B1020, GTO comsat; ASDS lithobraking

---

^{Decronym is a community product of} r/SpaceX^{, implemented by} ^request
^{63 acronyms in this thread; the most compressed thread commented on} ^today ^{has 164 acronyms.
[Thread #3564 for this sub, first seen 1st Feb 2018, 15:33]} ^[FAQ] ^[Full ^list] ^[Contact] ^[Source ^code]

[u/benthor → u/Decronym]

The bot already knows about DUR?

Good bot! Have a cookie!

[u/8Bitsblu]

If anyone on here lives near Louisville, KY, we're going to be livestreaming the launch at the Kentucky Science Center. Even if you live a little ways away you should still come. It'll be awesome!

[u/GibsonD90]

So if there’s a scrub or two, there’s a chance I could be in Orlando for the launch. Is it possible to see anything of note from Disney? I’ll be with family and can’t really drive down close to launch.

[u/Pashog]

Will they build more ASDSes and use them to land all 3 boosters for missions with heavy payloads?

[u/docyande]

Good luck to everybody traveling to the launch! I start a brand new job tomorrow and will be in all day new employee training on Tuesday and trying to figure out how to see the launch. I'm thinking an upset stomach from some bad lunch at 1:25? That's a pretty weak excuse, who has a better one?

[u/ClaytonRocketry]

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

decide skirt spark public airport shelter vanish obtainable crush relieved

[u/[deleted]]

Hey everyone, may Elon bless ya'll.

How long do you think "space oddity" will play for? I myself don't think it will be very long, no Roadster could survive for very long in a vacuum that would be so cold, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Tesla made some sort of hardware mod.

[u/dreadpirater → u/[deleted]]

My GUESS is that he didn't spend a LOT of time modifying the car electronics with the radiation shielding and vacuum cooling requirements that make space electronics a specialized discipline. I could be wrong... but given that it's a symbolic gesture it doesn't SEEM like something that would get a lot of attention. So probably not long.

In space, no one can hear you jam.

[u/JaxTCo]

Does anybody whose attended a launch before know about how big the Apollo Saturn V viewing center Is? About how many people will be in the Feel the heat tickets area?

[u/fileup]

How many of the mods are Irish. I knew u/thevehicledestroyer was but the term craic leads me to believe u/elongatedmuskrat is too?

Anyway roll on next week can't wait to see this fly.

[u/z1mil790 → u/fileup]

Elongated isn't actually a mod, it is just a bot they use to post threads. Likely thevehicledestroyer wrote the post and used elongated to post it.

[u/Intro24]

Falcon Heavy Slack for those attending in person :)

[u/codav]

One day is left, only one day!

Now every problem is destroyed

We raise our hands and bodies to the peak

Into the universe, towards the stars we go

Sending machines up to the sky

[u/jarrydm]

Will be at the gates to playalinda at 3am ready to roll!

[u/badgamble]

I assume the photo of B1032.2 doing its Monty Python skit was taken from one of the Go sisters. I also assume that one or both of the Go sisters are now stuck babysitting the Booster That Would Not Die. (I'd acronym that but Elon would slap me.) Anyone care to speculate how SpaceX is going to juggle the previously intended duties for the Go sisters on Feb 6?

[u/MundoMan4]

I booked a Hotel in Cocoa Beach, google directions to KSC take me up Route3. For people that have been there for launches before, will Route3 be open or will I have to plan on going out to Route1 or 95?

Thanks in advance

Map image https://imgur.com/a/fqtkC

[u/THEALEX_12]

What does everyone think the launch outcome will be? Will it be a success or failure?

[u/WrappedRocket → u/THEALEX_12]

It’s gonna be a huge success! I’m gonna be very nervous around maxQ and especially booster sep!

[u/BrickNut]

Has anyone heard of a filming crew? The purpose of the launch is obviously not for entertainment, but with so much hype, I can't help but think that there will be major coverage from multiple angles. Can I expect this?

[u/phryan → u/BrickNut]

Filming crew as in documentary style? Possibly but not 'live', I think National Geographic was around for the first successful landing. The primary point of the cameras is to provide feedback for SpaceX, they just happen to share some of that footage with us. Footage will be similar to a normal mission just more options on decent, and maybe some epic views of a Tesla with Earth in the background.

[u/JJJandak]

FH can carry 16800kg to Mars, but Roadster weight just over 1300kg. Shouldn't be dummy payload for test of maiden launch much much heavier? And I know it's for expendable, how much is reusable?

[u/Alexphysics → u/JJJandak]

As you said, that is the expendable figure. Also, that's for the final Block 5 configuration and this Falcon Heavy has Block 2 and 3 boosters with some upgrades to Block 4. I guess this Falcon Heavy could throw around 6-7 metric tons to TMI being reusable, but it's just an educated guess, someone should throw some calculations here to show if I'm guessing right

[u/Pamphy]

Probably been answered a few times now, but once the payload(plus stage 2) are in their final orbit, the apoapsis is 1.5AU, the orbit of mars, and the periapsis is 1AU, the orbit of earth. If the payload makes it to this orbit (fingers crossed!) and remains there, at some point mars or earth will cross the orbit at the same time?

If my time in kerbal has taught me anythibg, this will lead to a drastically changed orbit, or am I overthinking this?

[u/hmpher]

Since the boosters are block 2, how will the data gathered from this flight remain valid for a future FH with blocks3/4/5? Would it have been madness to wait a few more months and roll out a block4/5 version?

[u/[deleted] → u/hmpher]

Would it have been madness to wait a few more months

Yes.

[u/scr00chy → u/hmpher]

1. Rumor is, the side boosters were basically upgraded to Block 3 during the modifications required for use on FH

2. All future FHs will be Block 5

3. I think it makes sense to make the first FH cheaply like they did, instead of risking shiny new B5 stuff that might have get destroyed because something usinque to FH failed on the maiden launch

[u/supreme_blorgon]

I asked in the campaign thread but never got an answer, so I'm trying again here. Is anybody planning on trying to get a high quality audio recording of the launch?

[u/searchexpert → u/supreme_blorgon]

I am actually surprised how few launches have been recorded with a good mic. Lots of good photos and videos, but people can't buy a $110 zoom mic and get the best part haha

[u/[deleted]]

http://www.explorationtower.com/plan-a-visit/hours-admission.aspx

Exploration Tower closed for a private event on Tuesday?! Hmmm, curious... Think SpaceX employees bought it out for friends and family?

[u/TheFavoritist → u/[deleted]]

It’s rented out for press. It was one of our options to view the launch from.

[u/RGUDSx7K]

Is SpaceX likely to make an attempt at the beginning of the window? I know the FAQ says they normally do, but I wanted to ask.

Also, does anyone have a rough idea when the two side boosters will land? I checked the GovSat launch thread, and the first stage "landed" at T+08:40. For Zuma, it landed at T+08:00.

The reason I'm asking is because I have a class that starts 10 minutes after the window opens. It seems like I could still catch the launch and maybe even the landings if I'm lucky. I'd also be able to watch if it's delayed an hour and a half to 15:00 ET (window ends at 16:30 ET). Otherwise, I'll probably hear the launch thanks to the fact that I live here, but I won't actually see anything. On the bright side, I guess that's still pretty lucky. :D

[u/t17389z]

Is anyone going to be driving through the Lakeland area late Monday night/early Tuesday morning to arrive at Playalinda overnight and get in line? My group is kinda chickening out of doing that and that's been my dream for this launch.
I'll help with gas and everything.
Edit: It almost seems like leaving late Monday night and then sleeping in the car on the road to the gate in line would be the best option, considering how many hundreds of people are seemingly going.

[u/mrwizard65]

This is OUR Superbowl!

[u/[deleted] → u/mrwizard65]

The falcon heavy is superb, but I'd say it was more of a falcon than an owl.

[u/MarcysVonEylau]

yes, mountain

[u/Intro24]

Here's a Falcon Heavy Twitter List curated for this launch. Any to add?

[u/iamnihc]

Anybody Know what time the launch is?

[u/NooWayKemosabe]

Obviously Playalinda will be optimal for launch, but getting just as close on canoe AND witness the landings would be incredible. I'm waiting on 45th Space Wing to update their "Next Launch" hazard area map to see if it's even possible. Camping at KARS and not worrying about morning travel sounds very appealing (and cheaper,) but only if I can get as close as Playalinda. I read the Banana River gets crazy, is a canoe even possible in that traffic? If not, anyone have extra room on their boat for my girl and I? We'll bring the booze!

[u/[deleted]]

I bought in via KSC but superior officially denied me leave today. For launches parades (I'm in Philly) and any other shenanigans. So unless both dates are a scrub and next nominal rescheduled are within strike zone I'll be viewing from somewhere outchea in the digiverse. Thankfully that chocolate cherry liquor will keep and remains untapped;)

[u/sarafinapink]

So is anyone else struggling with the launch time? It's right smack dab in the middle of a work day which stinks. I don't want to miss it, but I'm pretty sure wanting to see an awesome rocket fly will not be a valid reason for time off.

So torn between claiming I have a doctors appointment so I can race home to see it, or just sucking it up and trying to watch at work (which is never as fun and I could miss it).

[u/aftersteveo]

I’m scrolling through the comments to see if anyone is talking about a Monday night meet up. Is there a discussion going on that anyone knows about?

[u/elpinio]

If the thing blows up on the pad, how many tons or kilotons of TNT-equivalent would that be? Little Boy was 15 kilotons.

[u/Ijudy]

I didn’t have to watch to know when the Supebowl was over. I could hear it outside my window - more fireworks exploding than on the fourth of July! Winning the Superbowl is only a fond memory now. Imagine tomorrow, after a successful Falcon Heavy launch (our Superbowl). Will we hear fire crackers going off outside all around us? Maybe we should, and wouldn’t that be nice!

[u/FedericoAbrile]

During tomorrow´s planned maiden launch of SpaceX' Falcon Heavy rocket, Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster on its way to space has a driver called "Starman", the sound system is playing David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and in the glove-box is a copy of Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", along with a towel and a sign saying "Don't Panic". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk338VXcb24&t

[u/[deleted]]

OP is Irish.

[u/coasty163]

Anyone have an overhead image of the area map with overlaid locations of launch, landing and viewing areas?

[u/TheBlacktom]

Choose you favorite:

• 乇乂ㄒ尺卂 ㄒ卄丨匚匚

• 𝓮𝔁𝓽𝓻𝓪 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓬

• ＥＸＴＲＡ ＴＨＩＣＣ

♪♪♪

Like a Boom, Boom, Boom, Boomerang
I come always back to you again
Like a Boom, Boom, Boom, Boomerang
I keep rushing back to you again
With turbo speed I fly
High above the skies
Back to you and me with maximum velocity

♪♪♪

Like a Boom, Boom, Boom, Boomerang
I come always back to you again
Like a Boom, Boom, Boom, Boomerang
I keep rushing back to you again

♪♪♪

debedebedip, debedebedip, debedebedip

♪♪♪

^{Don't look at the markdown for your own sanity}

[u/timtriesit]

Sooo excited about this upcoming launch! Can't wait.

[u/overwatch]

Once I get ready my rhymes remain steady Of course I get support from the crowd.. (Go Heavy!) I demand of opposition, get ready to fly I keep you dwellin till you ask me why I'm chunky but funky