Warning about sonic booms during the first SpaceX landing attempt on the west coast

A Falcon 9 with ten Iridium NEXT communications satellites at Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Photo credit: SpaceX

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – SpaceX has made history by ensuring that the first stages of its Falcon 9 rocket make controlled landings. One of the side effects of these landings is the triple sonic boom, which the US Air Force noted in a statement released on Tuesday.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket equipped with satellites SAOCOM 1A and ITASAT 1 is to be launched from Space Launch Complex-4E on Sunday, October 7 at 19:21. PDT, a shift of 24 hours compared to the previous launch date. SpaceX noted the change of schedule in a Twitter message that indicated the following:

We are now targeting October 7 for the launch of SAOCOM 1A. The rocket and the payload are in good health; additional time will be used to perform pre-flight checks of vehicles.

The landings for which the Falcon 9 became famous are called Return to Landing Site or "RTLS".

There was some confusion as to whether the return of the first leg produced two or three sonic booms on landing. As a rule, the answer is – three. "Typical" in that the sonic booms are affected by the weather as well as by other conditions.

SpaceX has made 29 successful landings from the first leg of the Falcon 9 to date. Photo credit: SpaceX

"[The] The first boom comes from the back (engines), "said John Taylor, former director of communications for SpaceX. "[The] the second arrow leaves the landing legs at the widest point that rises on the side of the rocket. [The] The third arrow comes from the fins located near the front end.

On Tuesday, October 2, SpaceX performed the static test on the Merlin 1D engines of the Falcon 9 SAOCOM-1. This is one of the last milestones before the release of the rocket.

If the sonic booms of the mission have always been historic, SpaceX's main goal will be to put the communications satellite into orbit. The landing of the first stage of the rocket in Landing Zone 4 (SLC-4W) in Vandenberg is considered a secondary objective.

The landing of the scene is a complex affair of engine burns, leg deployment and other components that allow it to safely return to Earth. To date, SpaceX is alone as a only commercial company to deliver payloads into orbit, then recover and reuse part of the rocket for later use. This allowed the company based in Hawthorne, California, to significantly reduce launch costs.

To date, SpaceX has made 29 successful landings of the first Falcon 9. This possibility of reuse is part of the company's philosophy: the cargo variant of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft has also been reused and reused.

Sonic arrows occur whenever a vehicle exceeds the speed of sound. These shock waves sound like a short thunderclap. Residents living in Santa Barbara as well as in San Luis Obispo counties could hear the sound of the boom back from the stage.

The satellite SAOCOM 1A in the clean room of INVAP in October 2017. Photo credit: Casa Rosada / Argentine Presidency of the Nation

Sunday's launch is scheduled to send SAOCOM-1 and ITASAT-1 satellites into orbit. SAOCOM 1A is an Argentine satellite (SAR observation and communication satellite). In addition, ITASAT 1 (Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica Satellite) is a 6U Brazilian satellite built by the Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA).

If all goes well, SAOCOM-1 / ITASAT-1 will be SpaceX's fifteenth mission in 2018.

"SpaceX is delighted to be the CONAE launch service provider for SAOCOM 1A and 1B missions," said Elon Musk, CEO and Chief Technology Officer of SpaceX, through a press release. in 2009. "The Falcon 9 launcher was designed to provide maximum reliability. and performance; We are looking forward to helping ensure the success of SAOCOM satellites. "

Tagged: Falcon 9 ITASAT 1 SAOCOM 1 saocom-1a SpaceX The Vandenberg Air Base Range

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Jason Rhian

Jason Rhian spent several years honing his skills doing internships with NASA, the National Space Society and other organizations. He has provided content to sites such as: Aviation Week & Space Technology, Space.com, The Mars Society and Universe Today.