Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : SES 11/Echostar 105 : Oct 11, 2017 : Discussion  (Read 93567 times)

Offline mvpel

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Must have roasted the video downlink! Maybe that's what one of those sparks flying was. Wow! I can't wait to see what it looks like in daylight.
"Ugly programs are like ugly suspension bridges: they're much more liable to collapse than pretty ones, because the way humans (especially engineer-humans) perceive beauty is intimately related to our ability to process and understand complexity. A language that makes it hard to write elegant code makes it hard to write good code." - Eric S. Raymond

Offline gideonlow

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Wow, I thought that SpaceX had overcooked that one. But yet another great landing.

White-hot/glowing Grid Fins right when the video cut out!  Another perfect landing.  Great job SpaceX!!!

Offline Jdeshetler

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Just like Ironman Movie without CGI......
« Last Edit: 10/11/2017 11:05 pm by Jdeshetler »

Offline jimbowman

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Was it just because it was dark out the heat on the grin fins was more visible? Was the Iridium launch using titanium?
« Last Edit: 10/11/2017 11:06 pm by jimbowman »

Offline clegg78

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Must have roasted the video downlink! Maybe that's what one of those sparks flying was. Wow! I can't wait to see what it looks like in daylight.
Could also be the amount of plasma that was wrapping around the stage probably caused the dropout...  I am impressed the hardware on the bottom of the stage handled that... I wonder if they were doing some kind of different entry profile to test the edge scenarios of what these stages can handle in the build up to the Block 5?  That definitely looked different than past high energy entries.
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Offline Pete

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I have the vague feeling that those gridfins are NOT going to be reusable!
That was the hottest entry I've seen yet.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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This mark's the first time two 1st stage Falcon's are on barges out on the ocean at the same time.

I think it’s the second time - there was BulgariaSat-1 and Iridium 2 in late June, also only 2 days apart.

Offline andrewsdanj

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Holy glowing gridfins, batman! Sheesh that looked toasty.

Online catdlr

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This mark's the first time two 1st stage Falcon's are on barges out on the ocean at the same time.

I think it’s the second time - there was BulgariaSat-1 and Iridium 2 in late June, also only 2 days apart.

Ah, yes, thanks, FutureSpaceTourist.
« Last Edit: 10/11/2017 11:10 pm by catdlr »
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Offline mvpel

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Could also be the amount of plasma that was wrapping around the stage probably caused the dropout...  I am impressed the hardware on the bottom of the stage handled that... I wonder if they were doing some kind of different entry profile to test the edge scenarios of what these stages can handle in the build up to the Block 5?  That definitely looked different than past high energy entries.

I was thinking the same thing about the plasma, but then got worried when it didn't pick up again. Held my breath until I started hearing the descent callouts.

I was really amazed to see that it was showing 6,000 km/h when the entry burn ended, is that a record?
"Ugly programs are like ugly suspension bridges: they're much more liable to collapse than pretty ones, because the way humans (especially engineer-humans) perceive beauty is intimately related to our ability to process and understand complexity. A language that makes it hard to write elegant code makes it hard to write good code." - Eric S. Raymond

Offline Bargemanos

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Wow, thought this one was lost.
Glad it landed..


One for the "i love space(x) and have no life books" (take no offend, i don't)wife))
« Last Edit: 10/11/2017 11:11 pm by Bargemanos »

Offline ehb

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Was it just because it was dark out the heat on the grin fins was more visible? Was the Iridium launch using titanium?
Iridium was also aluminum
Was stated during the launch webcast due to lower energy trajectory.

This SES-11 was obviously not a lower energy trajectory, so we can assume they are using (or rather burning) up their stock of aluminum ones.

Offline HVM

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Yeah, those gridfins were bright as f@*k! And visible plasma.

Offline clegg78

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I was thinking the same thing about the plasma, but then got worried when it didn't pick up again. Held my breath until I started hearing the descent callouts.

I was really amazed to see that it was showing 6,000 km/h when the entry burn ended, is that a record?
I am sure some of the spacex stats geeks around here will have that info soon!   But yeah 6000 seems pretty quick.  Also since they arent doing 3 engine landing burn attempts anymore (for now) They could be hunting for ways to trim down on the entry burn requirements by seeing how little they need to slow the stage down :) "This one wasnt burned up that badly?  Hmmm, cut the burn off another 2 seconds early and see what happens!  Its just a block 3!"
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Offline gideonlow

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Must have roasted the video downlink! Maybe that's what one of those sparks flying was. Wow! I can't wait to see what it looks like in daylight.
Could also be the amount of plasma that was wrapping around the stage probably caused the dropout...  I am impressed the hardware on the bottom of the stage handled that... I wonder if they were doing some kind of different entry profile to test the edge scenarios of what these stages can handle in the build up to the Block 5?  That definitely looked different than past high energy entries.

The heating also seemed asymmetric, with the right-hand fin heating first.  I haven't seen this level of detail in a GTO/ASDS launch/landing before, so maybe that wasn't new, but I think you're on to something.

Offline Rebel44

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Could also be the amount of plasma that was wrapping around the stage probably caused the dropout...  I am impressed the hardware on the bottom of the stage handled that... I wonder if they were doing some kind of different entry profile to test the edge scenarios of what these stages can handle in the build up to the Block 5?  That definitely looked different than past high energy entries.

I was thinking the same thing about the plasma, but then got worried when it didn't pick up again. Held my breath until I started hearing the descent callouts.

I was really amazed to see that it was showing 6,000 km/h when the entry burn ended, is that a record?

During BulgariaSat-1 launch 1st stage was traveling at 6600km/h hen the entry burn ended.

Offline ulm_atms

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Ready for a scary thought....BulgariaSat-1 was going ~600km/h faster at the end of the entry burn then this one!!




Offline Bargemanos

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Correct me if i'm wrong but the deployment of the fins was rather early not?

Offline HankinNM

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Did anyone have the audio on the livestream go out for a few minutes?
Not an engineer or a mathematician.  Just a rabid space/astronomy freak and Spacex 'groupie'.

Online Galactic Penguin SST

It seems that telemetry (not just video) from the 1st stage was lost towards the end of the entry burn (?) and those monitoring had to use external sources to keep track of it (??).
Had that happened before AFTS on that stage had been safe, would it blew the stage up?  :-\
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

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