She canna take it, Captain! Embarrassment as private rocket due to carry Star Trek Scotty actor's ashes into space is cancelled just a SECOND before lift-off
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- Trip is first time private firm have sent flight to International Space Station
- Launch of $133m flight now delayed until Tuesday
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A private space cargo firm's historic launch to the International Space Station descended into chaos this morning when the mission was abandoned just one second before lift-off.
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The unmanned SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was set to blast off from Cape Canaveral just before 10am this morning (GMT) along with its Dragon capsule loaded with 1,000lbs of space station provisions.( w. r: c- a j
. W, V8 s2 O }( |. XBut with just seconds before the rocket took to the skies, apparent technical problems left it rooted to the launch pad, with lift-off subsequently abandoned for another three days.
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; r/ B- o9 V5 d2 FTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。 Abort: Live footage shows plumes shooting from the side of the Falcon 9, as its much anticipated launch was abandoned at the final second
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1 q! o: a: O1 G2 otvb now,tvbnow,bttvb Delayed: SpaceX's ambitious space trip will now be postponed until Tuesday following the technical error this morningtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb& j) F) K2 }7 E5 P; k+ K
TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。8 m( V8 g" F2 N
The countdown reached all the way to practically zero Saturday morning for the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. A NASA spokesman said the engine ignition sequence started, but there was an automatic shutdown by on-board computers. & {) n0 A" n9 j, C5 {9 X
7 w2 p' l+ E; ^5 b' l; Z9 Z1 B公仔箱論壇So instead of blasting off from Cape Canaveral on a delivery mission to the International Space Station, the rocket remained on its launch pad amid a cloud of engine exhaust. tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb q9 B' C# U9 D& h: u( j* ?
+ E2 \8 K$ _' |( t3 JThe engine ignition sequence had started up, but there was an automatic shutdown by on-board computers. 3 e9 p2 k% D9 ^! [2 R, D2 ~+ T8 s' H
So instead of blasting off on a delivery mission to the space station, the rocket stayed on its launch pad amid a cloud of engine exhaust.
; A% M" s6 X3 I4 M: n公仔箱論壇The unfortunate delay caught even NASA's most seasoned launch commentator off guard.
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'... 3-2-1, zero, and liftoff,' announced commentator George Diller, his voice trailing as the rocket failed to budge. 'We've had a cutoff. Liftoff did not occur.'
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& u' C; [; B: U- O% p$ U7 y' P5.39.217.76Billionaire rocket designer Elon Musk attributed the problem to slightly high combustion chamber pressure on engine No. 5. 'Will adjust limits for countdown in a few days,' he wrote via Twitter. 公仔箱論壇7 T% `- O0 ]' }; S g/ [
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Tuesday is the earliest that SpaceX can try again to send its cargo-laden Dragon capsule to the space station.
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) I% l `" `! A$ K' ~9 FThe California-based company - formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp. - is targeting every third day for a launch attempt to save fuel in case of rendezvous problems at the space station. 公仔箱論壇, \7 N% F" I& V0 ~. D$ A3 e, ~
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Ready for launch: SpaceX's Falcon 9 sits on Pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station this morning as officials made final preparations for its launch
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7 a) H4 n, J: J- o! \3 T5.39.217.76Standing tall: Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft, pictured a day before its launch, are in the final stages of preparation for their historic flight
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: y5 W- h/ C' ^1 l6 e' W0 r8 D U公仔箱論壇Falcon 9's eventual launch will see it in the vicinity of the Space Station within two days, where it will complete practice manoeuvres before the docking takes place the next day.
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Only governments have completed such a feat to date, with the SpaceX voyage the first time such a voyage has been completed by a private firm.( J6 K7 F& a$ ]+ Y7 [
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Ferrying the Dragon capsule into space, the mission to the ISS will be to deliver 1,000 pounds of non-essential cargo after passing a series of test maneuvers over the course of three days.1 v( q7 q1 M" b$ T* H; e
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If successful in its first-of-a kind mission, the company behind the venture SpaceX would collect the remaining payments on the $396 million contract it has with NASA and then enter into a $1.6 billion agreement for 11 more flights to the ISS.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb9 S+ d" b) x3 A! B& q. E
/ z% p2 u% y8 I+ j公仔箱論壇The first step in the commercialisation of space to non-governmental firms, SpaceX are hoping one day to deliver up to seven passengers to the ISS and other destinations in low-Earth orbit.
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0 u. b& Q' ]: l% u7 C. b- n$ x公仔箱論壇The Falcon 9 rocket suffers from an 'instantaneous launch window' which means that if they don't take off at the exact scheduled moment they will have to wait till 3.44 a.m on Tuesday for the pad and the ISS to line up again.
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This will be the Falcon's third flight as SpaceX have already sent the projectile into space on two previous occasions.3 b; S2 y7 ?$ ^7 h& q* {
" h* u: B% O4 zTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。However, this mission from a private contractor is not without risk and could very well end in failure, something which SpaceX have been upfront and honest about.
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/ y. u0 x1 q% {4 ^tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb'Demonstration launches are conducted to determine potential issues so that they might be addressed and – by their very nature – carry a significant risk,' said a statement by the private space firm according to the Guardian.TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。% \0 i6 H$ e* c& U
# v+ }& a. q$ O" |公仔箱論壇'All spaceflight is incredibly complicated, and this flight introduces a series of new challenges – it is only the third flight of the Falcon 9 rocket, the second of the Dragon capsule, and the first for a number of all-new components necessary to berth with the International Space Station.TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。! b% c6 d+ d E9 J* c/ }$ o: [, D
( m$ G$ J- _2 \* r公仔箱論壇'If any aspect of the mission is not successful, SpaceX will learn from the experience and try again.'公仔箱論壇9 Y3 B" s t) a. K o: h- `2 b5 d
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If all goes well though on the next launch, Falcon 9 will carry the Dragon capsule into space and match orbits with the ISS.
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( V3 I+ s/ d% B Launch of Falcon 9 Flight 1 from the SpaceX launch pad at Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral, Florida in 2010TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。- v4 P+ |! Z6 q |' x+ X) ]+ }
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The full flight-ready Falcon 9 (left and right) with Dragon capsule onboard stands on the launch pad at SLC-40, Cape Canaveral, Florida
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3 Q- Z' I. K& u% o, K4 Itvb now,tvbnow,bttvbThere it will go through a series of tests and will pass around one and a half miles below the station to see if its controls are testing properly.
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# j& {$ n4 l. V, ZIf that checks out OK, the ISS will allow the Dragon capsule to within 10 feet and pull it in for docking all the while traveling at 17,500 mph.9 f: C( K& M- J
2 V2 j! {1 s; e1 qStaying on board the space station for a week and a half, it will then be re-loaded and sent back to Earth where it will land in the Pacific and be retrieved.TVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。: h& c0 U1 z9 b8 E5 D
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The launch and subsequent mission will be nerve racking for SpaceX and Elon Musk, the PayPal entrepreneur who founded the space exploration firm.公仔箱論壇# p+ i4 n! F9 P9 ~
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An artists view of the space station's robotic arm reaching out to grab SpaceX's Dragon capsule which will happen if all goes according to plan after this Saturday's launch公仔箱論壇. P; N7 I+ `" c
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'We have to allow for the fact that this is an extremely complex and tough flight. It's a test flight, not a standard milk run,' said Alan Stern, a U.S aerospace consultant and former associate administrator in charge of science at Nasa according to the New York Times.公仔箱論壇8 _# D4 b2 S' c* ]& i4 q! y
& x# k/ o2 N8 [6 I9 ?0 Q+ W8 z5.39.217.76'Elon Musk and SpaceX have a tremendous track record, and when Falcon 1 failed, they stuck with it and made it work.5.39.217.767 ^. t/ P+ ]4 _, ]
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'They will have a failure again, because everyone does, but a test flight is a learning experience.
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2 j* X# ~+ T: K) lSpaceX tested the Dragon capsules ability to parachute safely (left) and to splash down in the Pacific (right)6 ~% V, e. |3 J2 w+ c
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'Regardless of how successful the flight is, whether it's complete or partial, it's a big step forward. This is a sea change.'
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Originally, the plan was for SpaceX and their capsule to have docked with the ISS by 2009.
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'Certainly, we would have hoped to have been further ahead,' said Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX to the New York Times.公仔箱論壇 F0 ]' `; n1 c n
: b8 y. e0 l3 v: p6 k) F7 b- y'But I wouldn’t have expected that with great confidence.'
4 L* M: N- H& {" ?& ?; xTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb+ ~' j+ y) \1 f, o% P" `, R
$ `" G+ ~: s/ D7 t) j2 n/ S, V& zTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。LAUNCH FAILURE ALSO DISAPPOINTS FAMILY OF STAR TREK'S 'SCOTTY'
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$ M! x# M; y: B" ^tvb now,tvbnow,bttvbAmid the chaos of SpaceX's delayed Falcon launch, there was also disappointment for another secret mission the rocket was due to perform - sending James 'Scotty from Star Trek' Doohan and 307 other people's ashes into orbit.
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. F5 @* |1 ~6 L( I4 r& I公仔箱論壇Having failed to launch the Star Trek acting legend's remains into orbit in August 2008 when Space X's Falcon 1 exploded after take-off, this is the second attempt to put a seven gram capsule of his ashes into space.
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: g8 P, P- M l pBut friends and relatives of Doohan, who died in 2005 aged 85, who gathered at Cape Canaveral will have to wait until Tuesday for the next attempt after Falcon 9 stalled on lift-off.7 f3 d' R+ {0 X" L6 j+ H
5 d: i2 I- m( M; V! ?% {/ C公仔箱論壇Paying a minimum of $2,995 to Celestis, Doohan and 307 other people's capsules will be launched from the Falcon 9 rocket nine minutes into the flight.
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7 a, b6 E: q6 k* {5 sTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。Once there Doohans capsule will begin a decaying orbit of the Earth that will last between 10 to 240 years, 'until it reenters the atmosphere, harmlessly vapourising like a shooting star.' |
發表於 2012-5-20 06:55 AM
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