SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

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Darrell
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SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Post by Darrell »

Here's the best video I've seen of the SpaceX landing attempt yesterday--so close, yet so far away:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAzwuEm ... r_embedded

I was not aware the barge was so small compared to the size of the rocket's first stage. The thruster at top left is trying to keep it vertical as it touches down.
Eppur si muove--Galileo
Old Grafton
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Re: SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Post by Old Grafton »

Crap. Kinda looked like somebody accidentally stepping on a skateboard.
I'm not old--It's too early to be this late.
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JAG2955
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Re: SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Post by JAG2955 »

Quick attach gantry needed?

I watched the launch live, and followed the comments on ARFCOM. Due to one of the still pictures from the barge, there was some speculation that there was a stiff crosswind.
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Darrell
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Re: SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Post by Darrell »

I read somewhere that they may attempt the next soft landing on, well, land. ;)
Eppur si muove--Galileo
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Flintlock Tom
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Re: SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Post by Flintlock Tom »

Why not go for a soft landing IN the water? With some kind of on-board flotation device.
If time, chance and random process can produce a platypus why not an ammo tree?
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JustinR
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Re: SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Post by JustinR »

Looks like they need a lot more thruster authority to counteract movement caused when the main engine changes thrust direction to keep the vehicle upright. A slower descent rate would undoubtedly help, but I have no idea of their fuel limitations at that point in the flight.

Still, they get an A+ for effort. It's rocket science, and they are darn close. I hope they succeed.
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BDK
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Re: SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Post by BDK »

It does seem rather expensive to keep enough fuel on board for all of that.

Some inflatable bags, and a parachute - and a recovery boat, may be simpler - are they worried about being able to clear an area of the sea to recover it?
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Denis
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Re: SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Post by Denis »

BDK wrote:Some inflatable bags, and a parachute - and a recovery boat, may be simpler - are they worried about being able to clear an area of the sea to recover it?
I believe the idea is more that they want to perfect the technique for soft-landing first stages without everything thereby getting a dunk in corrosive sea water - the long-term plan would be to have almost-instant reusability turnaround on the hardware: return to base, inspect, replace consumable parts, refuel, relaunch. The Space shuttle was originally designed to work that way, but it ended up basically requiring a refit / rebuild after each mission, which caused a cost explosion.
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Darrell
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Re: SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Post by Darrell »

Found via Transterrestrial Musings, the view from the barge:

https://vid.me/i6o5

There is, or was, some speculation that one of the landing skids may have failed. Now they think static friction in a valve may have caused an overreaction in the motor gimbal, overcorrecting at the last moment:

http://aviationweek.com/space/spacex-ch ... ry-attempt
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Odahi
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Re: SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Post by Odahi »

SpaceX did a couple of soft landings in the ocean. However, that is not their goal. Even the barge landings are just a baby step. The ultimate plan is to land back close to the launch pad. They have even leased a second site from NASA at the cape, and renamed it "Landing Complex 1." At this early stage of the game, it would be a bad idea to try to set down on land, unless it were in the middle of nowhere. You certainly don't want your rocket making a crater in anyone's back yard. Their website has a video showing the entire plan. They would return not only the capsule and first stage, but the second stage as well. It has the potential to cut the cost of a launch to a tiny fraction of what it costs now. ULA even announced their "Vulcan" rocket yesterday, with a lot of refinements from the Atlas and Delta platforms that are clearly in response to the advances SpaceX has made. When they get Falcon Heavy flying, it will be the most powerful launch vehicle since the Saturn V. If I were twenty years younger, and could talk Mrs. O into it, I'd be busting a gut to work for them. Future of the species, and all that. They DO have big plans, and I'm pulling for them.
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