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APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:05 am
by APOD Robot
Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit
Explanation: A new rocket, the Falcon 9, was launched successfully from
Cape Canaveral,
Florida,
USA, last week. The
Falcon 9, standing about as high as a 15-floor building, was developed by the commercial
SpaceX corporation as a step toward a relatively inexpensive
space launch system.
Falcon 9's success follows successful launches of the
Falcon 1 last year.
Pictured above, a movie of the Falcon 9's launch includes an insect,
the launch as viewed from far away, and
images from the
side of the vehicle which include the separation of the lower stage. When topped with
SpaceX's Dragon Cargo or Crew capsule, the
Falcon 9 may be used to lift satellites and astronauts to low Earth orbit and the
International Space Station in the coming decade.
[/b]
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:36 am
by tneuschatz
Apparently insect identification is rocket science. It was an arachnid.
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:42 am
by Ann
The thumbnail picture referring to today's APOD is a picture of Alcyone, the brightest star of the Pleiades. The star can be identified by the triangle of fainter stars to one side of it. And because I love the Pleiades, I thought that this was a very nice birthday present for me, since it is my birthday today!
Of course, the real APOD for today is a picture that doesn't interest me. Well, I'll take any thumbnail image I can get!
Ann
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:56 am
by Beyond
Well........Its nice to see that the private sector is not much different from the public sector. They both have a hard time working out the 'bugs'.
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:59 am
by Beyond
Hey....i just got promoted to Science Officer!! Does that mean i get double the pay of an Ensign?? And a key to the wash room??
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 8:07 am
by fatcitymax
Hooray! Now the USA can send rich tourists to the ISS.
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 8:35 am
by Ann
You got promoted to Science Officer, Beyond? I'm envious! I want to be Mr Spock, too!
Ann
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 11:51 am
by orin stepanek
Ann wrote: I thought that this was a very nice birthday present for me, since it is my birthday today!
Ann
Well happy birthday Ann!
![Cool 8-)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 11:53 am
by orin stepanek
tneuschatz wrote:Apparently insect identification is rocket science. It was an arachnid.
I thought it was a fly; but I'll take your word for it.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 12:18 pm
by bystander
tneuschatz wrote:Apparently insect identification is rocket science. It was an arachnid.
An arachnid with wings? Hmmm, I'm not a rocket scientist, but ...
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 12:48 pm
by geckzilla
bystander wrote:tneuschatz wrote:Apparently insect identification is rocket science. It was an arachnid.
An arachnid with wings? Hmmm, I'm not a rocket scientist, but ...
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
Looks to be a member of hymenoptera, to me.
edit: and actually, probably at least one other smaller insect flying around too. They like the camera.
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:47 pm
by Beyond
No Spider - No fly - just what it is i can't espie. ((Hey...it rhymes))
Ann -- funny you said you were envious - remember, Mr. Spock was supposed to look a bit greenish because of his blood. Perhaps you should take a little closer look in the mirror to see if you really have started to get some green points to your ears. That would be one heck-of-a birthday gift
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:55 pm
by thebugman
The bug in question is a wasp.
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:57 pm
by starlight
The insect is a wasp, paper or dirt dobber. I have been stung by many.
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:59 pm
by geckzilla
Aka the aforementioned "member of hymenoptera"
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 2:29 pm
by glcolwell
It appears to be a wasp....definitely has wings..I paused the video and did a screen capture.....shows very clearly
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 2:37 pm
by orin stepanek
http://www.spacex.com/dragon.php
The Dragon must be similar to the Apollo capsule in that it is reentered into the atmosphere using a heat shield and parachutes and splashdowns.
![Cool 8-)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
Sounds like the maneuvering ability is improved though.
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:00 pm
by drollere
it's a wasp, probably a yellowjacket. observe the downward curl in the tips of the antennae. the head and thoracic segment are greatly enlarged in comparison to the abdomen due to extreme foreshortening. but it's a wasp.
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:47 pm
by Gumby Guincho
Spiders From Mars ?
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:54 pm
by Delonix
I agree. It's a hymenoptera.
And Happy birthday Ann...
D.
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:59 pm
by Gedcom
Very waspy looking to me so if it looks like a wasp, flies like a wasp... must be a wasp.
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:47 pm
by Beyond
HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA -- An historic event and what gets all the attention? A BUG!! an armed bug, but a bug never-the-less.
Ever notice that most of the BIG long hard to understand words come from the ones who have over 500 posts and have been offically declared insane by the site? ((read the rules if you don't know that))
Ann, you have to wait until you have 100 posts to get the green pointy ears, so if you're a fast comentator, you can still post enough to make it for your birthday. HURRY-HURRY-HURRY
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:55 pm
by jb
A wasp...
![Cool 8-)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:56 pm
by the guy
it was a wasp, like a black one...
Re: APOD: Falcon 9 Launches to Orbit (2010 Jun 08)
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 5:06 pm
by bystander
SpaceX Falcon 9 Successfully Launches, Reaches Orbit
http://asterisk.apod.com/vie ... 31&t=19676