Elon Musk and his Space-X Falcon
The Falcon
Elon with a model of his Falcon
Space pioneer Elon Musk hopes to put his name in the history books once again next week, with the planned launch and recovery of the first commercially-operated spacecraft from orbit. But to reach this point, his closely-held company, Space Exploration Technologies Corp., already has managed to overcome hurdles never before encountered by the aerospace industry. And federal documents released on Friday underscore the regulation complexities and huge technical risks confronting the pioneering effort.
In June, SpaceX, as the company is known, launched its 18-story Falcon 9 rocket and successfully flew it for more than nine minutes. It was the first privately funded U.S. rocket launch in decades. However, this week's scheduled mission to launch and return an unmanned, reusable Dragon capsule from low-earth orbit, anticipated to last for hours, poses many more challenges. Placing the vehicle into a such an orbit at speeds exceeding 17,000 miles per hour, then maneuvering through a fiery reentry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean will require a flawless trajectory, a reliable heat shield and finally, perfect operation of the redundant parachutes, according to space experts.
Elon Musk has invested more than $100 million in the venture. Based on a ground test completed Saturday, SpaceX said blastoff could occur as early as Tuesday. In an October interview, Mr. Musk said "the likelihood of us getting everything right "may be no more than 50% on the first try. Considering the difficulties of both the launch and the reentry, he said, in the end "the chance of mission success may be less than that."
In addition to the stakes for SpaceX, the flight will amount to a unique public test of President Barack Obama's controversial effort to use NASA to fund and nurture a variety of such commercial spacecraft.
The policy continues to face opposition from many lawmakers, established aerospace contractors and even some Air Force officials worried about relying too heavily on untested private rockets and spacecraft to replace the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's retiring fleet of space shuttles. But a successful reentry would propel Mr. Musk, a former Internet entrepreneur who has invested more than $100 million of his personal fortune in the scrappy startup, further into the lead for such ventures.
On Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a waiver for the projected risks of the flight, which is responsible for protecting residents and buildings along the flight path. The FAA eventually determined that in the event of a catastrophic failure or decision to destroy either the rocket or the capsule, the likely combined risk of casualties from debris would meet all legal safety requirements. The agency initially computed the total risk to be greater than allowed by law, prompting SpaceX to seek to reassure FAA officials. According to SpaceX, built-in safeguards include automatic features designed to ensure that the capsule will land safely or burn up completely in the atmosphere if critical safety components such as heat shields, thrusters and navigation systems malfunction. Ground controllers will be able to check the status of the capsule and, if necessary, abort the return.
In its formal decision, the FAA said the capsule's "risk mitigation measures" include extra onboard propellant to steer clear of populated areas and three separate parachutes, although only one parachute "is necessary for a low impact landing." Over the weekend, a spokeswoman said that "as the first company in history to receive a license to reenter a spacecraft from orbit," SpaceX is "focused on making dramatic advances in the reliability and safety of space transportation." She said "that puts us in the position of being the test case for regulations written years ago."
SpaceX plans to use an unmanned Dragon capsule on top of the same type of rocket, featuring nine separate liquid oxygen and kerosene-burning engines, to start delivering cargo to the international space station in the next few years. The company has scheduled two more demonstration flights before a $1.6-billion NASA contract is slated to kick in to supply the station with cargo. By relying on and adding to the advanced technology installed in the Dragon capsule, the company eventually also hopes to transport astronauts to the station and later, perhaps deeper into space. Congress, however, is poised to substantially scale back White House proposals to fund manned commercial-space projects.
NASA has awarded other commercial cargo-delivery or spacecraft-development contracts, but SpaceX appears to be the farthest along in devising ways to build and fly civilian space vehicles for the government.
But large portions of NASA's bureaucracy, along with many established NASA contractors, continue to balk at relying largely on SpaceX hardware or other commercial-space ventures to access the space station. It will take SpaceX a number of years, and perhaps more than $1 billion, to develop safety features allowing the Dragon to carry at least four astronauts into orbit. Without robust federal funding, Mr. Musk's company is likely to face major difficulties in developing and testing those safeguards.
Good luck Mr Musk I'd love to take a ride on your Falcon.
Hi Cutie... Hope you are feeling better and got some meds today.
ReplyDeleteHow is Nana ???
How is Brian , hope he is feeling okay and not as tired as before.
Guess what ...the weatherman just announced it was freezing and we are expecting snow.
ReplyDeleteWhewwww....I got here.I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off to get my chores done. But hello dear friend.
ReplyDeleteHi Sweetie..I knew you was busy , I was going to wait for awhile....How are you ???
ReplyDeleteWe have been clearing the snow and getting the last decortions up but there is something missing; I don't know what.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's because I haven't got all the presents wrapped and displayed.
ReplyDeleteHow's by you????Have you got all your Xmas projects done yet??And how are you feeling?? How's the Brady Bunch( Oh, sorry, that's my bunch).How's 'the Fighting Four'?...HA!
ReplyDeleteYeah, okay, I saw that he was watching himself on tv smart-ass.
ReplyDeleteThe guy has a peculiar imagination.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's because Brian didn't cuss out the decorations,Dad been cussing all day about them being tangled and he wants them put up right next time ...I reminded him he was the one that put them up. Hahaha
ReplyDeleteI love it. You are getting snow. Everything is upside down in the world. You may have a white Christmas and we may have a green one.
ReplyDeleteI told dad about the time my dad threw the Christmas tree out the door into a snow bank, decorations and all, because he couldn't get it to stand up straight.
ReplyDeleteThe fighting 4 are fine, they are so nosey, they asked Eloise did she have anything at her house that wasn't hers.Eloise said like what and they told , maybe some kid sruff and she said no.
ReplyDeleteI am through for now, I have some more odds and ends to pick up
You kids are very bright and they will figure it out before long. Maybe when they ask to play in the barn you might have to say no.
ReplyDeleteI bet all three of our Dad's would have got along really good.
ReplyDeleteTo met and see dDad and to just talk to him , you would never think he was from a family like his...to his friends he is very likable and to his employees he is a holy terror.
Dad said he would have liked my dad.
ReplyDeleteThere has always been a lock on the door where we sew to keep the children out, we put them upstairs at Sis last year.
ReplyDeleteIf they ask about gifts, just say "What gifts? I haven't bought any gifts. Was I supposed to?"
ReplyDeleteDid you tell Nana about the SpaceX Falcon's flight.
ReplyDeleteI asked Dad did he want to go on the first flight , he said only is they let him fly the damn thing.
I told them that last week and they told Gil/Dad they better hurry because all the good stuff will be gone. Eloise heard them and said Santa would bring their stuff, and they started laughing and told her they was talking to the Santas .
ReplyDeleteHe would try to drive the damn thing too or he would start telling the pilot where to turn and when to slow down.
ReplyDeleteYour kids are smart-ass little kids. They're getting cheeky. You won't be able to outsmart them for much longer.
That's the same thing Gil told me , with so many kids here they all learn at an early age.
ReplyDeleteEmily told me she was happy I didn't come to the school about my babies report cards , I told her Dad advise me not too it wasn't a big deal .
Do you think if I asked SpaceX, they would take Nana?????
ReplyDeleteI think the older they get the more their taste improves and stuff is way to high, thank goodness Xmas comes once a year.
ReplyDeleteSis asked mine what stores they wanted to go to and they said Walmart .
How is Brian feeling...is his cheek butt still hurting ???
ReplyDeleteLets put Dad/Nana on there together now they would bring them back quicker than shit and won't that be a hoot.
ReplyDeleteSweetie ...what to hear something funny???
ReplyDeleteTell me something funny
ReplyDeleteShirley called today and wanted to talk with Dad...she told him they rushed Henry to the hosiptal with a pain in his chest , dad told her she was calling the wrong person , he wasn't a doctor...she called back 3/4 hours later and told her Henry was fine , he just had gas pains , Dad told her that was a lot better than being a pain in a person ass.
ReplyDeleteHA!...That is funny. Dad sure has a wonderful sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteI think Shirley was trying to use the situation to get some sympathy and pull dad back into their family.
Henry is not too bright if he doesn't have sense enough to fart. And has to call 911 to find out what to do.
ReplyDeleteShirley has known Dad all her life and should know she can't play on his sympathy...when he says he's finished that's it.
ReplyDeleteHow is the ex doing ??? Do J want to see him, which I doubt .
I deleted one of your comments.
ReplyDeleteThankyou, and I deleted a couple too.
ReplyDeleteIf Nana and Dad went on that flight, I don't think it would get off the ground.
Girls always want their daddy's approval, is's just natural I guess,my girls are their daddy's little women .
ReplyDeleteI bet if he gets sick we will know who he will call , I bet the other son ism't close to him .
The other son is twenty-five and lives in Toronto and we think he's quite likely gay. "Not that there's anything wrong with that."
ReplyDeleteNo because they both wants to fly the damn thing and Nana would be whipping his ass with her cane and he would be trying to get away in that damn scooter.
ReplyDeleteHA!!You made such a funny picture in my mind. I have to draw it.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you draw something for the blog once in a while?? I know you can.
[giggles] No nothing wrong with it , the poor child thought his mother sat a better example because he had a poor excuse for a daddy, the shit head fool.Hahaha
ReplyDeleteI know now what was wrong with you/I the first go round .
We was in love with love and had stars in our eyes.
It is so nice to have found the right men and they are real men.
The PETA is on Sarah Palin tail about her show ...she is killing animals and having a good time doing it on her TV show.
ReplyDeleteI can't find a person that seen it and I know a lot of people.
Girl, when you're right you're very right. i was not a good judge of character when I met him at sixteen.
ReplyDeleteI have passed her show when I am surfing the channels but have never stopped even for a second.
ReplyDeleteKilling animals?? A whole lot of Americans won't like that. I guess at one time it was necessary for survival but killing wild animals is not necessary now.
Draw something , are you kidding me , the only thing I can draw is stick people , I liked the one you sent me with the dangle twilling .
ReplyDeleteI just sketch drawing of the clothes I was designing , that was a long time ago .
I did a cartoon of BamBam but it is very naughty. I hesitate to put it on the blog.
ReplyDeleteThere are people in the business of providing us meat for us . I don't see the fun in killing something just for the sake of killing it .
ReplyDeleteBefore we logged off , how are you feeling any better?
ReplyDeleteHow is Brian and did you get your jiggle dance ?
Put it on the blog...it's better than a lot of them , at least it will all be in fun.
ReplyDeleteI think eventually we will become herbivors.Domesticated cows, pigs and sheep are a big source of methane, one of the greenhouse gases; especially cows.
ReplyDeleteI could happily live on vegetables, ffruit and grains.
( at least I would if I wasn't allergic to nearly all of them )
BamBam has dropped so far down in the polls , he needs all the help he can get.
ReplyDeleteBamBam looks old and tired a lot older that his 50 years.
It will take a couple of weeks but I will be all right. Brian is suffering side effects from the radiation. He is peeing every ten minutes. They did warn him that because he chose the more intense radiation program he would have this bladder urgency. He is hating it because he isn't getting much sleep and I am getting up every half hour or so because of my own problem. There is a lot of activity in our house at night.
ReplyDeleteYes we should sign off now.
Have a good sleep and don't let those kids drive you crazy. Don't let dad put too much liquor on that cake. You shouldn't drink and cook Christmas day. You might put one of the kids in the oven by mistake or try to stuff one.
ReplyDeleteSee you when the moon sparkles on the snow...Stay warm..LUV & HUGS..PIC
My babies love veggies/fruit.
ReplyDeleteI keel celery/carrots and lots more raw veggies , fruit I keep all kinds , I make your recipes and I know just how much sweets they are getting and they love tea in all flavors.
I got Dad some of the herb bean bags for Xmas , I gave him a couple of them and he just love them, I told him you said to buy them. He just smiled.
Sweetie... I only have a glass of wine every now and them, to much sugar in liquor.
ReplyDeleteI wil say goodnight and hope things get better with you/brian soon.
get a slop jar with top and let Brian pee in it .
Goodnite ..pleasent dreams, may they all come true.
NITE...HUGS & KISSES...PIC
Kiss the Rock.
PS: So happy dad liked the bean bags...Night
ReplyDelete