Jan/Feb 2004 update: thrust-cutoff approval, final stretch
- From:
- Elon Musk
- Date:
- February 2004 ('Update for Jan/Feb' 2004; HobbySpace says it 'just came out' on 5 March 2004, a day or two before it was posted on spacex.com.)
- To:
- SpaceX update mailing list
Excerpt. Only this much of the email has been made public.
final stretch
[...]
Should happen in the next four to six weeks.
[...]
approval to fly the rocket with only thrust cutoff, rather than explosive termination.
[...]
[This] improves hazardous procedures in transportation, on the launch pad and particularly on recovery of the first stage.
[...]
due to the all liquid fuel configuration and six-fold valve redundancy.
[...]
significant cavitation margin
[...]
on track for a maiden launch around the middle of this year.