Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION  (Read 385256 times)

Offline Rhyshaelkan

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #380 on: 05/01/2017 11:29 am »
That footage was fantastic..
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Offline deruch

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #381 on: 05/01/2017 11:29 am »
Ok, it's official.  NSF loves the NRO!!  Only reason we get to see the video tracking the first stage all the way through return is because they're not supposed to show any of the 2nd stage video.  That was amazing!
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Offline Helodriver

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #382 on: 05/01/2017 11:29 am »
Entry burn is confirmed as 1 3 1. Center engine ignites, then outer two ignite, then outer two stop, then center engine extinguishes. Great to see. Apogee 162KM, so no question the stage is a space flown artifact. ;)

Offline toruonu

Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #383 on: 05/01/2017 11:29 am »
Hollywood should take notes, this footage was waaay cooler than any hollywood enactment :D

Offline Terra Incognita

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #384 on: 05/01/2017 11:29 am »
Yes that's the best footage of the 1st stage landing that I have seen so far. Amazing

Online LouScheffer

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #385 on: 05/01/2017 11:29 am »
A few observations from this wonderful footage:

There is a "heartbeat" like glow (not the nitrogen thrusters) at the base of the rocket every few seconds.  My guess is that they are releasing pressure through the engines so (as opposed to the vents) so they don't upset the attitude.

The jets are navigating in 3d,not just two.  You can see them thrusting fore and aft as well as sideways.

Offline Perchlorate

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #386 on: 05/01/2017 11:29 am »
Far and away the best video coverage EVER!  Evidenced by Chris Bergin's wow-gasm.
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Offline andyr

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #387 on: 05/01/2017 11:30 am »
Wow, they've come along way from the first video having to be patched frame by frame....

Offline Joffan

Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #388 on: 05/01/2017 11:30 am »
That was definitely a much faster flip than SpaceX have done in the past. They are getting very smooth at this stage return.
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Offline gospacex

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #389 on: 05/01/2017 11:30 am »
Woooooow!

(1) SpaceX seems to not care that this footage will now be analyzed to death by competitors.
(2) "SpaceX landings are fake" nutjobs on youtube will see their audience shrink a lot after this.

Offline yokem55

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #390 on: 05/01/2017 11:31 am »
I was a little surprised watching staging entirely from the external view. A little disconcerting as we usually see the view from both ends of the interstage, but a very cool was to see it happen.

Offline spacekid

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #391 on: 05/01/2017 11:32 am »
My impression is first stage flight was more lofted than shuttle launches. Was towards the NE.

Offline Pete

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #392 on: 05/01/2017 11:32 am »
Hollywood, take note.
THIS is what an alien invader coming in for landing should look like.
.
I was absolutely overwhelmed by the sheer mechanical *majesty* of that vehicle coming in for its landing burn.

Offline Star One

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #393 on: 05/01/2017 11:33 am »
Odd that I didn't spot any military bods in mission control for an NRO launch. Did Space X keep them out the way somewhere to keep the cool image going.

Excellent first stage return coverage also proved a useful distraction from any consideration of the second stage and payload.
« Last Edit: 05/01/2017 11:35 am by Star One »

Offline Keeval

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #394 on: 05/01/2017 11:33 am »
My jaw hit the floor when I saw that footage... absolutely amazing. And I thought it was going to a bit boring* without seeing the S2 footage today.

*Boring being that landing S1 of a rocket is now apparently "Normal" :)
« Last Edit: 05/01/2017 11:34 am by Keeval »

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #395 on: 05/01/2017 11:33 am »
View of the pad as the updates thread has been locked.
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Offline cebri

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #396 on: 05/01/2017 11:33 am »
I was quite impressed by how important is aerobreaking for the landing. From 25km altitude to entry landing burn the rocket decelerated quite a lot.

Edit1: Not entry but landing burn.
« Last Edit: 05/01/2017 11:35 am by cebri »
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Offline fatdeeman

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #397 on: 05/01/2017 11:34 am »
Woooooow!

(1) SpaceX seems to not care that this footage will now be analyzed to death by competitors.
(2) "SpaceX landings are fake" nutjobs on youtube will see their audience shrink a lot after this.

Lol you know those youtubers will just claim it's all CGI anyway, even if they knew it was real they would still say it's fake, it's just their mentality.

I get the impression some pretty amazing amateur footage is going to come from this one too.

Offline gin455res

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #398 on: 05/01/2017 11:34 am »
So glad I truncated my supermarket visit to just snatching a bag of carrots and potatoes, and got back for T-2:45; and then that footage!

Offline Ben the Space Brit

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - NROL-76 - May 1, 2017 - DISCUSSION
« Reply #399 on: 05/01/2017 11:35 am »
That was fantastic! The spacecraft being tracked from launch all the way to landing by ground cameras and the Stage 1 telemetry all the way up and down meant that we really got an idea of what the Falcon booster's nominal flight looks like and more than a little about its trajectory and velocity during all flight phases.
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