Author Topic: Debris recovered off Isles of Scilly may be from Cape Canaveral launch  (Read 28809 times)

Offline Jarnis

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Reddit sleuths have pretty conclusively determined that this is from CRS-4. Beak of the Falcon goes past o in only one of the three potential candidates (cores that are from right time frame and have no grid fins).

https://i.imgur.com/15qShQd.jpg

(also attached)

Good thing the logo painter wasn't 100% perfect in positioning when applying the stencil :)
« Last Edit: 11/27/2015 01:12 pm by Jarnis »

Offline Dappa

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In trying to find out which launch this debris belongs to, I've been looking at logo placement in relation to text. I compared that piece of debris (in the opening post) to a number of F9 launches. Flights I've eliminated are:
Flight 4, 5: falcon logo too high in relation to text
Flight 6: launched from Vandenberg.
Flight 8, 9, 10, 11, 12: tip of falcon's beak is centered above letter 'O', debris has it more to the right.
I also haven't considered any flights after flight 13, because those shouldn't have had enough time to drift across the Pond yet.

I have not been able to eliminate the following flights based on imagery I found (or didn't find):
1. Dragon boilerplate
2. COTS 1 demo
3. COTS C2+ demo
7. SES 8
13. CRS 4

So, can you guys think of any other reason why this debris should, of shouldn't be from one of these five launches?

edit: ninja'ed...
« Last Edit: 11/27/2015 01:29 pm by Dappa »

Offline Jarnis

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Dappa, see my above post. CRS-4.

Edit: Also reportedly a serial number was found on the debris somewhere:

"Fs3-12910-f9"

CRS-4 was F9-012
« Last Edit: 11/27/2015 01:04 pm by Jarnis »

Offline Okie_Steve

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So, what makes it float if it's aluminum, insulation?

Offline speedevil

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-34941462


Spacex's render shows the section perfectly. http://www.spacex.com/sites/all/themes/spacex2012/images/falcon9/falcon9-render.png

Doesn't get much easier to work out what it is than that.
I guess there must be a helium tank inside to provide flotation?

Interesting question is on what basis are they assuming it's the most recent launch.
Have there been any graphical changes?

Oops - just noticed this is a dupe, but can't delete it.
« Last Edit: 11/27/2015 02:44 pm by speedevil »

Offline speedevil

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So, what makes it float if it's aluminum, insulation?

It is possible there is an empty quite large helium tank in there.
IIRC CRS-4 diddn't have grid fins, so no possible empty hydraulic tanks.
« Last Edit: 11/27/2015 02:49 pm by speedevil »

Offline Beittil

Not per se, anything with a density lower than that of water would actually float. The salinity helps to...

Offline edkyle99

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So, what makes it float if it's aluminum, insulation?
Isn't the interstage made of largely composite materials?

 - Ed Kyle

Offline meithan

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Isn't the interstage made of largely composite materials?

 - Ed Kyle

It'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.

Offline TO

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Hat tip to Jim, NSF SHEPHERD

in      SpaceX Falcon 9 FT - ORBCOMM-2 - RTF (Return To Flight) DISCUSSION THREAD
Why is the logo on the rocket so important?

So you can find the pieces.

Offline llanitedave

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Wikipedia has already updated its entry on the mission.
"I've just abducted an alien -- now what?"

Offline pospa

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Isn't the interstage made of largely composite materials? - Ed Kyle

It'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.

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 float on the water.
I'm sure you remember this picture from June  http://i.imgur.com/9StxDHt.jpg
« Last Edit: 11/28/2015 11:33 am by pospa »

Offline Chris Bergin

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Offline Jarnis

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Great thread. So it was this Falcon 9! http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/09/spacex-launch-dragon-crs-4-mission/

Well, it definitely looks like it, but you could ping your SpaceX contact if they would care to verify that from the part serial number I mentioned above.

Of course they probably are on a Thanksgiving break until Monday...

Offline meithan

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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

Yes, you're quite right, it's not the first time Falcon 9 parts appear floating ashore. The density of the rocket/interstage structural panels must be lower than your typical carbon fiber.

Could it be from insulation layers? Although the interstage doesn't require insulation.

Offline jcm

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I did a couple of quick radio interviews with BBC Radio 4 and BBC Plymouth clarifying that it's probably successful CRS-4, and definitely not failed CRS-7.

Alas they were too brief for me to get in a reference to Elon Mollusk. Maybe next time..

-----------------------------

Jonathan McDowell
http://planet4589.org

Offline Archibald

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Quote
So, what makes it float if it's aluminum, insulation?




Quote
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.
Han shot first and Gwynne Shotwell !

Offline Jet Black

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For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled. -- Richard Feynman

Offline Jarnis

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Bunch of additional closeups of the interstage piece:

http://imgur.com/a/8nWWw

Offline obi-wan

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Shame there were no GoPro pods mounted on it...

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