SpaceX tries to fly an unproven rocket, leaving the engine problem at rest

SpaceX, which launched the GPS III satellite to the US space force on the Falcon 9 rocket, has not launched a brand new rocket since June. Since then the company has previously launched several business missions on various rockets and launched its own Starling satellites, all of which were successful.

However, when the company attempted to launch the first phase of the new Falcon 9 on October 2 — another GPS satellite named GPS III-04 — the attempt was wiped out in T-2 seconds. Later, SpaceX’s Hans Kிக்niksmann ignited two of the rocket’s nine first-stage engines during an attempt to launch in early October, which triggered an automatic shutdown of the engines.

This problem eventually led to the discovery of a small amount of lacquer used during a metal-treatment process that had to be removed before the flight, but no. Now the company believes the issue has been resolved, which is a good thing because the US government has three important tasks, all of which are planned to fly on new rockets.

The first is the second attempt to launch the GPS III-04 satellite into space, which comes on Thursday evening. A Falcon 9 rocket, with its two Merlin engines replaced, is scheduled to take off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base-40 at 6:24 pm EST (23:24 UTC). Approximately four tons of satellite will be sent into transmission orbit at a distance of about 20,000 km.

With the mission successfully delivered and the lacquer problem solved, SpaceX will launch its second crew, carrying a dragon spacecraft with NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Clover and Shannon Walker to Japan Space Agency mission specialist Suzy Nokuchi. , To the International Space Station. That work is currently scheduled for November 14th.

Finally, SpaceX is not scheduled for NASA before November 21, when it will launch the Earth-observing Sentinel-6 spacecraft from the Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Although it investigated the lacquer problem, SpaceX was able to fly its aircraft proven rockets because it was shown that those first phases were not already affected by the production problem. It is also worth noting that both the Space Force and NASA have contracted with SpaceX to fly their passengers in the first stages of use for future missions.

This evening GPS III mission is provided Current weather forecast Supports 60% chance of favorable conditions – SpaceX will try to land its first phase Of course I still love you Droneship. The company’s launch webcast below should start 15 minutes before the launch window opens.

Lists a picture written by Trevor Mahlman for Ars