[AR] Re: SpaceX F9 Launch/Update -- Live Link

  • From: Ben Brockert <wikkit@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2015 15:26:00 -0500

http://spacenews.com/falcon-9s-second-stage-restart-was-just-as-important-as-sticking-the-landing/

"SES on Dec. 22 said all the information it had from the launch
reinforced its plans to launch SES-9 by late January aboard the
upgraded Falcon 9. SES, which has four other launches contracted with
SpaceX after SES-9, has stated it is willing to be the first
commercial customer to launch with a used Falcon 9 first stage.

"Even before the Orbcomm launch, SES officials had informed their
insurance underwriters that they were willing to be the inaugural
customer of the Falcon 9 upgrade even if it meant doing without a
launch insurance policy."


On Wed, Dec 23, 2015 at 3:14 PM, Stephen Van Sickle <sjv2006@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:



On Wed, Dec 23, 2015 at 7:34 AM, James Bowery <jabowery@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I think it quite possible if not probable that Blue Origin will be the
first to launch a commercial satellite to _orbit_ on a reused first stage
and do so economically.


How do you figure that? Blue Origin isn't close to orbiting anything at all
at this point, whereas SpaceX does so routinely. Having now recovered
intact a first stage from an orbital launch, SpaceX could give it a try on
their very next launch, if it were a high enough priority for them to do so
out of their own pocket with a dummy payload. More likely they will take a
conservative approach and test the hell out of several recovered stages
until a paying customer comes along willing to use a recovered stage. But
even that could be less than a year.

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