NASASpaceFlight.com
  • Forums
  • L2 Sign Up
  • SLS/Orion
  • SpaceX
  • Commercial
  • ISS
  • International
    • All Chinese European Russian
      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      Featured

      Iran improving its rockets ten years after its…

      February 2, 2019

      Featured

      UK space sector on an upward trajectory after…

      January 31, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 11 launches with four satellites

      January 21, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 3B lofts Chinasat-2D

      January 10, 2019

      Chinese

      China lands Chang’e-4 mission on the far side…

      January 3, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 2D concludes 2018 campaign with Hongyan-1…

      December 29, 2018

      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      European

      Hera adds objectives to planetary defense test mission

      January 7, 2019

      European

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz 2-1A launches Kanopus-V pair and additional payloads

      December 26, 2018

      Russian

      Proton-M successfully launches with Blagovest No.13L

      December 20, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz MS-09 lands after unprecedented on-orbit repairs, inspections

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

  • Other
    • All Shuttle Uncrewed
      Featured

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Commercial

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Commercial

      Orbex reveals Prime’s second stage as it prepares…

      February 7, 2019

      Featured

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Shuttle

      Saving Hubble: Endeavour’s ambitious mission to rescue the…

      December 13, 2018

      Shuttle

      Two NASA space telescopes returning to work following…

      October 23, 2018

      Shuttle

      Thirty years after Return To Flight from Challenger,…

      September 28, 2018

      Shuttle

      Commercial Crew assignments; NASA nears goal of human…

      August 3, 2018

      Uncrewed

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Uncrewed

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Uncrewed

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Uncrewed

      As new lunar race heats up, the Moon…

      February 1, 2019

Popular
NASA set to purchase more Soyuz seats to...
Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes...
NASA Stennis restarts RS-25 testing after December abort
International partners making progress on ISS funeral plans
Spaceflight notes expanding and evolving offerings as it...
NASA working to minimize shutdown impact to Springtime...
NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,...
Orbex reveals Prime’s second stage as it prepares...
After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire
As Falcon Heavy celebrates anniversary, SpaceX manifest aligns

NASASpaceFlight.com

  • Forums
  • L2 Sign Up
  • SLS/Orion
  • SpaceX
  • Commercial
  • ISS
  • International
    • All Chinese European Russian
      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      Featured

      Iran improving its rockets ten years after its…

      February 2, 2019

      Featured

      UK space sector on an upward trajectory after…

      January 31, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 11 launches with four satellites

      January 21, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 3B lofts Chinasat-2D

      January 10, 2019

      Chinese

      China lands Chang’e-4 mission on the far side…

      January 3, 2019

      Chinese

      Long March 2D concludes 2018 campaign with Hongyan-1…

      December 29, 2018

      European

      Ariane 5 launches Hellas-Sat-4/SaudiGeoSat-1 and GSAT 31

      February 5, 2019

      European

      Successful P120C test another milestone towards Arianespace’s new…

      January 29, 2019

      European

      Hera adds objectives to planetary defense test mission

      January 7, 2019

      European

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz 2-1A launches Kanopus-V pair and additional payloads

      December 26, 2018

      Russian

      Proton-M successfully launches with Blagovest No.13L

      December 20, 2018

      Russian

      Soyuz MS-09 lands after unprecedented on-orbit repairs, inspections

      December 19, 2018

      Russian

      Arianespace Soyuz ST-A launches with CSO-1

      December 19, 2018

  • Other
    • All Shuttle Uncrewed
      Featured

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Commercial

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Commercial

      Orbex reveals Prime’s second stage as it prepares…

      February 7, 2019

      Featured

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Shuttle

      Saving Hubble: Endeavour’s ambitious mission to rescue the…

      December 13, 2018

      Shuttle

      Two NASA space telescopes returning to work following…

      October 23, 2018

      Shuttle

      Thirty years after Return To Flight from Challenger,…

      September 28, 2018

      Shuttle

      Commercial Crew assignments; NASA nears goal of human…

      August 3, 2018

      Uncrewed

      Beginning of the end: NASA’s Van Allen probes…

      February 14, 2019

      Uncrewed

      NG-10 Cygnus departs ISS after 3 month science,…

      February 8, 2019

      Uncrewed

      After Kepler, exoplanet discoveries continue to inspire

      February 7, 2019

      Uncrewed

      As new lunar race heats up, the Moon…

      February 1, 2019

SpaceX fire up returned Falcon 9 first stage at SLC-40

written by Chris Bergin January 15, 2016

SpaceX achieved another milestone on Friday when it conducted a Static Fire test on the Falcon 9 first stage that recently launched and returned during its role with the OG-2 satellite mission. While the successful return of the first stage was a huge technical achievement, the goal of reusing returned stages was put to the test during the Friday ignition of its nine Merlin 1D engines.

Falcon 9 Stage 1 (OG2) Test:

This Falcon 9 first stage has become a trailblazer for SpaceX’s aspirations relating to reusability. Understandably, SpaceX’s Elon Musk has said the stage will go on display as an exhibit once it has concluded its test goals.

See Also

  • LIVE: F9/ORBCOMM UPDATES
  • SpaceX Missions Section
  • L2 SpaceX Section
  • Click here to Join L2

For future Falcon 9 first stages, the goal is to reward their successful returns with another launch. That’s what SpaceX is building towards, the launch, recovery and reuse of the Falcon 9 first stage.

When that milestone occurs, Mr. Musk will have realized a major part of an ambition he first mentioned in 2009.

Those plans evolved into real life testing, through a series of scaled tests at the company’s test site in McGregor, Texas as well as the initial in-flight tests during the CASSIOPE and Thaicom-6 satellite launches.

2015-04-10-125238All of these tests allowed SpaceX to refine their approach toward an effort to successfully land the first stage of the Falcon 9 on a floating barge in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

The approach was further refined, from the small control thrusters through to the grid fins – increasing stability.

The opening attempts to land on the ASDS were “close, but no cigar” – as Mr. Musk put it for one of the close calls.

Despite the loss of the Falcon 9 that was attempting to loft the CRS-7 Dragon to the ISS, SpaceX refused to place its reusability plans on hold and took the decision to aim for the first-ever land return, during its Return To Flight mission last month.

2016-01-16-005458The result was a complete success, as the primary mission of the rocket saw its Orbcomm passengers safely deployed, while the first stage nailed its historic landing on Landing Zone 1.

The stage was removed from the landing pad and rolled to the new HIF at SpaceX’s 39A complex at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

Engineers conducted an extensive check of the stage’s components and deemed it to be in a very good shape – although some repairs were carried out inside the HIF. Those repairs were likely to be minor, as just days later the plan to take the stage out for a Static Fire test were revealed.

2016-01-16-010057It was initially understood that the stage was to be rolled up the famous 39A ramp on the new Transporter Erector that had itself undergone a number of test rollouts recently.

Such an event would have been another milestone, both for SpaceX – as it prepares to conduct launches of the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets from the pad, but also for the pad itself. The last time the pad was used to load propellants on a vehicle was during the final Shuttle mission with Atlantis ahead of her STS-135 mission.

However, a decision was made to return the stage to SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral.

2016-01-16-015624No official reason was provided as to the change of plan, although sources believe SpaceX wanted to utilize the opportunity to continue testing and procedure development of the LOX super cooling equipment at SLC-40, while gaining additional cryo cycle data.

The first attempt was conducted on Thursday, which ended with a scrub due to an issue on the ground side, as opposed to an issue with the stage itself.

Friday’s attempt occurred in the evening, around 8pm Eastern – once poor weather on the Space Coast had cleared.

The successful ignition – with the burn lasting just under two seconds – was confirmed by SpaceX’s Hans Koenigsmann at the Jason-3 mission press briefing, prior to Mr. Musk adding some further information on Twitter.

2016-01-16-015739“Conducted hold-down firing of returned Falcon rocket. Data looks good overall, but engine 9 showed thrust fluctuations. Maybe some debris ingestion. Engine data looks ok. Will borescope tonight. This is one of the outer engines.”

Mr. Koenigsmann also added that the next recovery attempt will take place – as expected – on the ASDS located out in the Pacific. He also added that live video will be attempted, although connection issues may prevent a good feed.

The Jason-3 satellite will be launching atop the final Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Sunday. A full launch preview will be published at the weekend.

(Images: SpaceX, Instagram accounts “sunrisesurfer2” and “trypanosoma”. L2 SpaceX – including render from L2 artist Nathan Koga – The full gallery of Nathan’s (SpaceX Dragon to MCT, SLS, Commercial Crew and more) L2 images can be *found here*)

(To join L2, click here: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/l2/)

Falcon 9ReusabilitySpaceX
0
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
previous article
China opens 2016 campaign with Long March 3B launch of Belintersat-1
next article
Final SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 successfully launches Jason-3

Related Articles

CRS-10 Dragon completes rendezvous and berthing with Station

February 23, 2017

SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launches Koreasat 5A

October 30, 2017

Eastern Range ready to return with two key...

August 2, 2017

SpaceX opens new era for spaceflight with successful...

March 31, 2017

SpaceX conducts static fire on Falcon 9 preparing...

October 2, 2017

SpaceX test fires returned Falcon 9 booster at...

July 28, 2016

Exploring what’s next for Iridium after final NEXT...

January 18, 2019

SpaceX improving launch cadence, testing new goals

May 3, 2017

SpaceX launches clandestine Zuma satellite – questions over...

January 7, 2018

SpaceX’s Mr. Steven, the FSV fairing catcher

February 25, 2018

Active Discussions

Loading activity..
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NovaTech
Tweets by NASASpaceflight
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • About Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Advertising Info

©2005-2019 - NASASpaceflight.com

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more