But seriously, I hope it's returned to SpaceX free of charge.
Also, I don't see any evidence of grid fin mounting points on the interstage recovered, unless they sheared off somehow. The mussels are deep but I don't think they'd be deep enough to cover the fairly tall mounting point which, presumably, would be very sturdy to cope with the forces involved.
Pretty incredible to have part of a F9 wash up in the UK! Although all the locals had better close their eyes and not look at it, since it's proprietary US technology. But seriously, I hope it's returned to SpaceX free of charge. I assume it has some kind of serial number marked on it somewhere that SpaceX can use to ID it?
I live closer to it than Chris B so I call dibs!I wonder if they will attempt to clean off the barnacles to get a better look at the rest of it.
BBC speculation about it being from CRS-7 are probably bunk, so much stuff growing on it that it is almost certainly an older bit. Perhaps from one of the soft-landed-to-ocean stages like CRS-3 or the first OG2 launch.
Quote from: Space Pete on 11/27/2015 09:18 amBut seriously, I hope it's returned to SpaceX free of charge. If I were SpaceX I'd worry: Have you heard of the pub on St Mary's that stole the timbers of a shipwreck to furnish their interiors?!
As far as the free return, is Elon giving free rides?
So, what makes it float if it's aluminum, insulation?
Isn't the interstage made of largely composite materials? - Ed Kyle
Quote from: Lars-J on 09/25/2015 05:07 pmWhy is the logo on the rocket so important?So you can find the pieces.
Why is the logo on the rocket so important?
Quote from: edkyle99 on 11/27/2015 03:07 pmIsn't the interstage made of largely composite materials? - Ed KyleIt's a carbon composite, according to SpaceX. Hard to tell what its exact density is, but it looks like 1.5-1.6 g/cm^3 is typical for such materials.
Great thread. So it was this Falcon 9! http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/09/spacex-launch-dragon-crs-4-mission/
Isn't it aluminium honeycomb carbon composite panel, like the payload fairing is?Then it would be super light, a lots of air in it, easy to flow on the water.I'm sure you remember this picture from June http://i.imgur.com/9StxDHt.jpg
No, no. What else floats in water?Peasant 1: Bread.Peasant 2: Apples.Peasant 3: Very small rocks.Peasant 1: Cider.Peasant 2: Gravy.Peasant 3: Cherries.Peasant 1: Mud.Peasant 2: Churches.Peasant 3: Lead! Lead!King Arthur: A Duck.
Well it used to be a rocket part, now it's a veritable floating civilization. Those mussels(or... whatever they are, possibly space worms) are probably ready to develop their own space program by now.
Couldn't resist That was even better, laughed out loud QuoteWell it used to be a rocket part, now it's a veritable floating civilization. Those mussels(or... whatever they are, possibly space worms) are probably ready to develop their own space program by now.Mussels into spaaace !
Big pieces like this staying afloat for months or years can be a hazard to navigation. With more rocket parts being made of composites and with increased launch rates of this material, this might become a real problem.
Well with any luck there should be no more additions to this debris pool beyond the PLF (Hooray Re-usability!)