[QUOTE=firejuggler;461901]Word of Elon :
Rocket is extra toasty and hit the deck hard (used almost all of the emergency crush core), but otherwise good[/QUOTE]

There is some legwork in the future:
[QUOTE]Falcon 9 Block 5
Main article: Falcon 9 Block 5
On October 23, 2016, Musk described a Falcon 9 "Block 5"[clarification needed] version that would have "a lot of minor refinements that collectively are important, but uprated thrust and [B]improved legs[/B] are the most significant."[78] On January 21, 2017 Musk added that the Block 5 version "[s]ignificantly improves performance & ease of reusability".[79] He described this version as the "final" version of the rocket. Block 5 is expected to start production in early 2017 with the initial flight in the second or the third quarter of 2017.[78][/QUOTE]

So long and thanks for all the fins
 

"[URL="https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/06/for-sundays-launch-spacex-to-test-significantly-upgraded-grid-fins/"]For Sunday’s launch, SpaceX to test “significantly upgraded” grid fins[/URL]
The instantaneous launch window opens at 4:24pm ET."
[QUOTE]During prior missions these grid fins, manufactured from aluminum with added thermal protection, have caught fire due to atmospheric heating. To address this problem the company has forged new grid fins from titanium. "Flying with larger & significantly upgraded hypersonic grid fins," Musk tweeted. "Single piece cast & cut titanium. Can take reentry heat with no shielding." The new fins are a bit heavier, but are designed for multiple re-uses as SpaceX seeks to more toward rapid reuse of its first stage booster.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=only_human;460465]In the Dragon cargo is a cool kind of solar panel that will be tested but is not currently going to be an addition to the ISS.

Instead of rigid solar panels it is flexible and rolled up under some tension to spring open "like a party favor." [url]https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/06/spacex-falcon-9-crs-11-dragon-iss-100th-39a/[/url]


[url]https://www.nasa.gov/feature/roll-out-solar-array-technology-benefits-for-nasa-commercial-sector[/url][/QUOTE]

[URL="https://www.space.com/37320-rosa-roll-out-solar-array-jettisoned.html"]Farewell, ROSA! Space Station Lets Go of Roll-Out Solar Array After Retraction Fail[/URL]
[QUOTE]After a week of tests on the end of the International Space Station's robotic arm, the Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) was safely jettisoned. While the rollable solar panel unfurled successfully at the beginning of the experiment, the ground operations team was unable to retract it to stow.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=only_human;462207][URL="https://www.space.com/37320-rosa-roll-out-solar-array-jettisoned.html"]Farewell, ROSA! Space Station Lets Go of Roll-Out Solar Array After Retraction Fail[/URL][/QUOTE]

And they had contingency plans in place before launch, in case they couldn't retract the array. The team simply pulled the trigger on this option after a further review.

Based on the low mass and large area, this orbital object should re-enter the atmosphere and burn up rather quickly.

[QUOTE=chalsall;462208]And they had contingency plans in place before launch, in case they couldn't retract the array. The team simply pulled the trigger on this option after a further review.

Based on the low mass and large area, this orbital object should re-enter the atmosphere and burn up rather quickly.[/QUOTE]

Good! I was worrying about more orbital junk.

There is a launch tonight and then a Dragon capsule is returning to Earth from the ISS very early Monday
[QUOTE]Falcon 9 and @Intelsat 35e vertical on Pad 39A. Weather is 40% favorable for tonight's launch window which opens at 7:36 p.m. EDT, 23:36 UTC
2 hours ago · Twitter[/QUOTE]

[URL="http://www.express.co.uk/news/science/823844/SpaceX-live-stream-watch-Dragon-spacecraft-return-Earth-LIVE-online-ISS-NASA"]SpaceX live stream: Watch the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft return to Earth LIVE online[/URL]

There is no landing attemp tonight, right?

[QUOTE=firejuggler;462563]There is no landing attemp tonight, right?[/QUOTE]

Correct. Reddit has the minutiae; the satellite is too heavy to recover stage 1.
[url]https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/6kt2re/welcome_to_the_rspacex_intelsat_35e_official/[/url]

The weather is bad but a comment says it is getting better.

Edit: They've had trouble with fairing recovery. I think the guided parachutes are not working right. I don't know if they will mention that but maybe they won't even have parachutes on them this time because they are leaving off the legs and fins to squeeze out extra performance.

[QUOTE=only_human;462564]Correct. Reddit has the minutiae; the satellite is too heavy to recover stage 1.
[URL="https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/6kt2re/welcome_to_the_rspacex_intelsat_35e_official/"][[/URL]/QUOTE]
From the link, I found this interesting-
[LIST][*][QUOTE]Originally this satellite was due to go up on a Falcon Heavy but improvements to the Falcon 9 i.e. Falcon 9 Full Thrust variant being able to carry up to 8,300kg to GTO meant it could be launched on a single stick launcher rather than the triple core Falcon Heavy.[/QUOTE][/LIST] The "single stick" description is rather amusing. It is a [U]very big stick[/U]. I wish they would get the Falcon Heavy further along. I suppose that the extra payload commands a premium price, to cover the loss of the booster.
The idea and image of an x3 Falcon=Heavy launching and returning is mind-blowing.

The 6700kg to GTO satellite will be one of the heaviest such launches ever, if not the heaviest in the public record. I believe Inmarsat a couple of months ago and maybe even Echostar 23 back in March may have also been originally signed for the Falcon Heavy. Part of the reason is that 5 years ago, hypothetical Falcon 9 performance was less than half of what it was today (more than its actual performance at the time, but still well less than they have since achieved). The v1.1 was really a massive stepping stone; it's much larger than 1.0 and with significantly uprated engines. The densified propellant of 1.2, together with further uprated engines, has been the icing on the cake, such that the F9 is capable of launch several GTO missions that were previously thought to require the Heavy. Some of these have been recoverable, barely, such as I think the more recent SES launches, while obviously the ones up at 6000kg, while now doable with an F9, must be expendable F9s. (The maximum GTO payload mass allowing recovery is thought to be ~5400kg. [The thread says 5300, but I think that slightly undershoots it.]) When the FH *does* come on line (cross fingers, knock on wood), that should render obsolete expendable F9s.

Edit: I think the fairing stuff will be irrelevant to the launch performance, or at least it was calculated as such by SpaceX; I say that because the subreddit noticed the dedicated fairing recovery boat (GO Searcher) had left port. (I suppose I should double check its current status, if it's ~1000-1500km downrange in the Atlantic that's a pretty good sign fairing recovery will be attempted on this launch.)

[QUOTE=Dubslow;462583]The 6700kg to GTO satellite will be one of the heaviest such launches ever, if not the heaviest in the public record. I believe Inmarsat a couple of months ago and maybe even Echostar 23 back in March may have also been originally signed for the Falcon Heavy........When the FH *does* come on line (cross fingers, knock on wood), that should render obsolete expendable F9s.
[/QUOTE]
That will surely be a good thing, but I don't want things rushed, either. Are there any differences between recoverable v expendable, in structure? Is it just fuel?