Comments on: Shhh! SpaceX delays next, low-key Falcon 9 launch

By: DocM

DocM — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 02:49:24 +0000

No, but if CRS-3 goes up on time I’m leaning towards at least 8.

By: Neil Shipley

Neil Shipley — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 07:51:49 +0000

No it wasn’t and the bird has now successfully flown. Did you vote on the number of 2014 launches?
Cheers.

By: DocM

DocM — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 06:41:08 +0000

NSF Level 2 mentioned the general cause which I won’t repeat out of school, but it did not sound like a *really*big*deal*.

By: Bart Enkelaar

Bart Enkelaar — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 17:17:47 +0000

I don’t think it’s so much a case of deliberately being hush-hush. As they move towards more standard industrialized launches, there’s simply not that much to announce. They’ll use the same rocket, with the same trajectory, to put a geostationary satellite into orbit. Standard stuff, so no fanfare.

I think this is a really good thing, fanfare is nice and all, but industry gets things done. The fact that this launch is “business as usual” for them, is doubly awesome.

By: L.H

L.H — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 15:30:03 +0000

Orbital get’s the same “subsidies” and communicates next to nothing !, the same goes for the rest of the cots contenders.

By: Frank

Frank — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 16:00:08 +0000

SpaceX uses government facilities like Cape Canaveral and is the recipient of hundreds of millions of dollars of government subsidies, without which there probably wouldn’t be a Falcon 9. They owe it to the American taxpayers to be more open about what they’re doing!

By: G.R.R.

G.R.R. — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 00:39:54 +0000

Yeah, I have been wondering why no communication. We are coming up with nothing being said. At this time, they are acting like ULA, L-Mart or Boeing who only come out with adverts, rather than useful information.

By: Patrick Kees

Patrick Kees — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 21:12:39 +0000

One wonders if perhaps SpaceX is shifting its PR strategy. Perhaps they’ve decided that maybe “less is more”. The less they publicly share, the more they control their own message and less side-talk about potential problems or issues.

One has to weigh the benefits of generous public disclosure vs feeding the FUD machine of those that might not want SpaceX to be (too) successful.

A shift also make sense given the increasing tempo of launches. If the plan is to have 10 flights this year (or whatever the number) then maybe you reduce the communication load to a more manageable level.

-pmk