Update 2018/02/09: Add launch video

I recently worked on a small PowerShell module to interact with the SpaceX Data REST API (available here ).

The API allows you to gather data regarding company info, vehicles, launch sites, and launch data.

Scheduled on 2018/02/06, this week will be very exciting, SpaceX plans to launch the Falcon Heavy’s first demonstration flight. According to SpaceX founder Elon Musk, the dummy payload on its maiden flight will be his personal Tesla Roadster.



The Falcon Heavy is a variant of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and consists of a strengthened Falcon 9 rocket core with two additional Falcon 9 first stages as strap-on boosters. This increases the low Earth orbit maximum payload to 63,800 kilograms, compared to 22,800 kilograms for a Falcon 9 full thrust. Wikipedia

Here is a replay of the launch:





Install the module

The module can easily be installed from the PowerShell Gallery using the following command:

Install-module -name SpaceX

And you’re good to go.

Commands available

The following commands are available

Get-Command -module SpaceX

CommandType Name Version Source ----------- ---- ------- ------ Function Get-SXCapsule 1.0.0.0 spacex Function Get-SXCompany 1.0.0.0 spacex Function Get-SXLaunch 1.0.0.0 spacex Function Get-SXLaunchpad 1.0.0.0 spacex Function Get-SXPart 1.0.0.0 spacex Function Get-SXRocket 1.0.0.0 spacex

Company information

Get-SXCompany

name : SpaceX founder : Elon Musk founded : 2002 employees : 7000 vehicles : 3 launch_sites : 3 test_sites : 1 ceo : Elon Musk cto : Elon Musk coo : Gwynne Shotwell cto_propulsion : Tom Mueller valuation : 15000000000 headquarters : @{address=Rocket Road; city=Hawthorne; state=California} summary : SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets.

Upcoming launches

This week is a very special one, SpaceX is about to launch the first Falcon Heavy rocket!! 🚀🚀🚀

We can see it is the next up:

Get-SXLaunch -upcoming

flight_number : 55 launch_year : 2018 launch_date_unix : 1517941800 launch_date_utc : 2018-02-06T18:30:00Z launch_date_local : 2018-02-06T13:30:00-05:00 rocket : @{rocket_id=falconheavy; rocket_name=Falcon Heavy; rocket_type=FT; first_stage=; second_stage=} telemetry : @{flight_club=} reuse : @{core=False; side_core1=True; side_core2=True; fairings=False; capsule=False} launch_site : @{site_id=ksc_lc_39a; site_name=KSC LC 39A; site_name_long=Kennedy Space Center Historic Launch Complex 39A} launch_success : links : @{mission_patch=; reddit_campaign=https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/com ments/7hjp03/falcon_heavy_demo_launch_campaign_thread/; reddit_launch=; reddit_recovery=; reddit_media=; presskit=; article_link=; video_link=} details : flight_number : 56 launch_year : 2018 launch_date_unix : 1518272520 launch_date_utc : 2018-02-10T14:22:00Z launch_date_local : 2018-02-10T09:22:00-05:00 rocket : @{rocket_id=falcon9; rocket_name=Falcon 9; rocket_type=FT; first_stage=; second_stage=} telemetry : @{flight_club=} reuse : @{core=True; side_core1=False; side_core2=False; fairings=False; capsule=False} launch_site : @{site_id=vafb_slc_4e; site_name=VAFB SLC 4E; site_name_long=Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex 4E} launch_success : links : @{mission_patch=; reddit_campaign=https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/com ments/7qnflk/paz_microsat2a_2b_launch_campaign_thread/; reddit_launch=; reddit_recovery=; reddit_media=; presskit=; article_link=; video_link=} details : flight_number : 57 launch_year : 2018 launch_date_unix : 1518566400 launch_date_utc : 2018-02-14T00:00:00Z launch_date_local : 2018-02-14T00:00:00-05:00 rocket : @{rocket_id=falcon9; rocket_name=Falcon 9; rocket_type=FT; first_stage=; second_stage=} telemetry : @{flight_club=} reuse : @{core=False; side_core1=False; side_core2=False; fairings=False; capsule=False} launch_site : @{site_id=ccafs_slc_40; site_name=CCAFS SLC 40; site_name_long=Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 40} launch_success : links : @{mission_patch=; reddit_campaign=https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/com ments/7r5pyn/hispasat_30w6_launch_campaign_thread/; reddit_launch=; reddit_recovery=; reddit_media=; presskit=; article_link=; video_link=} details :

Latest launch

Get-SXLaunch -Latest

flight_number : 54 launch_year : 2018 launch_date_unix : 1517433900 launch_date_utc : 2018-01-31T21:25:00Z launch_date_local : 2018-01-31T16:25:00-05:00 rocket : @{rocket_id=falcon9; rocket_name=Falcon 9; rocket_type=FT; first_stage=; second_stage=} telemetry : @{flight_club=} reuse : @{core=True; side_core1=False; side_core2=False; fairings=False; capsule=False} launch_site : @{site_id=ccafs_slc_40; site_name=CCAFS SLC 40; site_name_long=Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 40} launch_success : True links : @{mission_patch=https://i.imgur.com/UJTbQ1f.png; reddit_campaign=http s://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/7olw86/govsat1_ses16_launch_camp aign_thread/; reddit_launch=https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/ 7tvtbh/rspacex_govsat1_official_launch_discussion/; reddit_recovery=; reddit_media=https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/commen ts/7tzzwy/rspacex_govsat1_media_thread_videos_images_gifs/; presskit= http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/govsat1presskit.pdf; article _link=https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/01/31/spacex-rocket-flies-on-60 th-anniversary-of-first-u-s-satellite-launch/; video_link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScYUA51-POQ} details : Reused booster from the classified NROL-76 mission in May 2017. Following a successful experimental ocean landing that used three engines, the booster unexpectedly remained intact; Elon Musk stated in a tweet that SpaceX will attempt to tow the booster to shore.

Launch sites

Get-SXLaunchpad

id : ccafs_slc_40 full_name : Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 status : active location : @{name=Cape Canaveral; region=Florida; latitude=28.5618571; longitude=-80.577366} vehicles_launched : {Falcon 9} details : SpaceX primary Falcon 9 launch pad, where all east coast Falcon 9s launched prior to the AMOS-6 anomaly. Initially used to launch Titan rockets for Lockheed Martin. Back online since CRS-13 on 2017-12-15. id : stls full_name : SpaceX South Texas Launch Site status : under construction location : @{name=Boca Chica Village; region=Texas; latitude=25.9972641; longitude=-97.1560845} vehicles_launched : {Falcon 9} details : SpaceX new launch site currently under construction to help keep up with the Falcon 9 and Heavy manifests. Expected to be completed in late 2018. Initially will be limited to 12 flights per year, and only GTO launches. id : vafb_slc_4w full_name : Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex 4W status : active location : @{name=Vandenberg Air Force Base; region=California; latitude=34.6332043; longitude=-120.6156234} vehicles_launched : {Falcon 9} details : SpaceX west coast landing pad, has not yet been used. Expected to first be used during the Formosat-5 launch. id : ccafs_lc_13 full_name : Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 13 status : active location : @{name=Cape Canaveral; region=Florida; latitude=28.4857244; longitude=-80.5449222} vehicles_launched : {Falcon 9} details : SpaceX east coast landing pad, where the historic first landing occurred. Originally used for early Atlas missiles and rockets from Lockheed Martin. Currently being expanded to add two smaller pads for Falcon Heavy RTLS missions. ...

Capsules

Get-SXCapsule

id : dragon1 name : Dragon 1 type : capsule active : True crew_capacity : 0 sidewall_angle_deg : 15 orbit_duration_yr : 2 heat_shield : @{material=PICA-X; size_meters=3.6; temp_degrees=3000; dev_partner=NASA} thrusters : {@{type=Draco; amount=18; pods=4; fuel_1=nitrogen tetroxide; fuel_2=monomethylhydrazine; thrust=}} launch_payload_mass : @{kg=6000; lb=13228} launch_payload_vol : @{cubic_meters=25; cubic_feet=883} return_payload_mass : @{kg=3000; lb=6614} return_payload_vol : @{cubic_meters=11; cubic_feet=388} pressurized_capsule : @{payload_volume=} trunk : @{trunk_volume=; cargo=} height_w_trunk : @{meters=7.2; feet=23.6} diameter : @{meters=3.7; feet=12} id : dragon2 name : Dragon 2 type : capsule active : False crew_capacity : 0 sidewall_angle_deg : 15 orbit_duration_yr : 2 heat_shield : @{material=PICA-X; size_meters=3.6; temp_degrees=3000; dev_partner=NASA} thrusters : {@{type=Draco; amount=18; pods=4; fuel_1=nitrogen tetroxide; fuel_2=monomethylhydrazine; thrust=}} launch_payload_mass : @{kg=6000; lb=13228} launch_payload_vol : @{cubic_meters=25; cubic_feet=883} return_payload_mass : @{kg=3000; lb=6614} return_payload_vol : @{cubic_meters=11; cubic_feet=388} pressurized_capsule : @{payload_volume=} trunk : @{trunk_volume=; cargo=} height_w_trunk : @{meters=7.2; feet=23.6} diameter : @{meters=3.7; feet=12} id : crewdragon name : Crew Dragon type : capsule active : False crew_capacity : 7 sidewall_angle_deg : 15 orbit_duration_yr : 2 heat_shield : @{material=PICA-X; size_meters=3.6; temp_degrees=3000; dev_partner=NASA} thrusters : {@{type=Draco; amount=18; pods=4; fuel_1=nitrogen tetroxide; fuel_2=monomethylhydrazine; thrust=}, @{type=SuperDraco; amount=8; pods=4; fuel_1=dinitrogen tetroxide; fuel_2=monomethylhydrazine; thrust=}} launch_payload_mass : @{kg=6000; lb=13228} launch_payload_vol : @{cubic_meters=25; cubic_feet=883} return_payload_mass : @{kg=3000; lb=6614} return_payload_vol : @{cubic_meters=11; cubic_feet=388} pressurized_capsule : @{payload_volume=} trunk : @{trunk_volume=; cargo=} height_w_trunk : @{meters=7.2; feet=23.6} diameter : @{meters=3.7; feet=12}

Parts

Get-SXPart -Type Core

core_serial : B0003 status : expended original_launch : 2010-06-04 missions : {Dragon Qualification Unit} rtls_attempt : False rtls_landings : 0 asds_attempt : False asds_landings : 0 water_landing : False details : Core expended on flight, no recovery effort. First flight of Falcon 9 core_serial : B0004 status : expended original_launch : 2010-12-08 missions : {COTS Demo Flight 1} rtls_attempt : False rtls_landings : 0 asds_attempt : False asds_landings : 0 water_landing : False details : First flight of Dragon core_serial : B0005 status : expended original_launch : 2012-05-22 missions : {COTS Demo Flight 2} rtls_attempt : False rtls_landings : 0 asds_attempt : False asds_landings : 0 water_landing : False details : core_serial : B0006 status : expended original_launch : 2012-10-08 missions : {SpaceX CRS-1, Orbcomm-OG2} rtls_attempt : False rtls_landings : 0 asds_attempt : False asds_landings : 0 water_landing : False details : Suffered engine out at T+1:19 but primary mission successful ...

Contributing

The module is available on github, feel free to contribute via pull requests or issues.

Hope you enjoyed this article ! 🛸🌌🌠👽