Author Topic: LIVE: ASDS OCISLY - with CRS-8 S1 - Return Coverage - April 12, 2016  (Read 996109 times)

Offline MarekCyzio

Looks like Jim was eating lunch at Milliken's Reef ;)

Offline Kaputnik

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The stage is so tall that it should be visible on the horizon more than 25km out to sea- and further if you can find a high vantage point.
"I don't care what anything was DESIGNED to do, I care about what it CAN do"- Gene Kranz

Offline OxCartMark

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I would say that this crane is an indicator
No!

That yellow crane was not installed since the landing.  It has been there since at least the beginning of March and presumably since the move to Port Canaveral as it was present for most of the time in Jacksonville.  There is little doubt that it is there for the purpose of moving the stage to the perch.  Below is a link to a particularly good image of it from a few weeks back, as well as a zoom I've done and another crane and falcon perch image. 

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=39766.msg1507974#msg1507974
Actulus Ferociter!

Offline daveglo

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https://twitter.com/aallan/status/718851627218808832

After watching this zoomed replay of the landing (impact?) on OCISLY, a couple of things I noted:

First, to make the stage "hop" on touchdown like it does, there had to be an incredible amount of force on the legs.  I don't recall seeing any rebound on the ORBCOMM stage landing at LZ-1.  It appears to skip at least 3 times after initial contact.  Given the angle of approach and winds, I guess it was to be expected, but it emphasizes the precariousness of the whole endeavor.  Will be very interesting to see the extent of the damage to the deck of OCISLY.

Second, I have to tip my hat to the crew that has to board OCISLY after the landing.  They already know that a leg failed on a previous attempt after landing, the winds are ripping across a deck that's listing due to the stage being well off-center, the stage itself has to be wobbly and waving with shifting foot loads due to winds and waves, and their job is to run around and under this questionable load to secure it to the deck.  Brave souls indeed!

One of the enterprising reporters in the area should get an interview with the recovery team that was onboard the Elsbeth III.  I'd pay good money to hear that account!

[Chris et al., feel free to relocate this if you'd prefer it in the discussion thread.]

Offline douglas100

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I can't imagine why they'd want to take it to Jacksonville. The crane and the vehicle mount are at Port Canaveral. And transporting from there to LC-39A is a lot easier.
Douglas Clark

Offline southshore26

Ok... It's almost 7pm EDT.... How in the heck hasn't one of you geniuses tracked these ships already? LOL Some of us need to know how early to leave tomorrow morning... We're counting on you.

Offline ehb

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Ok... It's almost 7pm EDT.... How in the heck hasn't one of you geniuses tracked these ships already? LOL Some of us need to know how early to leave tomorrow morning... We're counting on you.

Don't know if will be in by tomorrow.  According to marinetraffic.com, at current location & very slow speed, if it went directly to Port Canaveral, it will be more than 2 days from now.  I suspect they are taking this very gently and fighting some rough seas...

Offline southshore26

The values on that site are 3 days old unless you have the satellite package.

Offline John Alan

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Ok... It's almost 7pm EDT.... How in the heck hasn't one of you geniuses tracked these ships already? LOL Some of us need to know how early to leave tomorrow morning... We're counting on you.

Don't know if will be in by tomorrow.  According to marinetraffic.com, at current location & very slow speed, if it went directly to Port Canaveral, it will be more than 2 days from now.  I suspect they are taking this very gently and fighting some rough seas...

The stage may not be secured yet (as this is the first time doing so) for unlimited travel speeds...
My Opinion... it may be a while till OCISLY makes port...
My Guess... Tuesday sometime...  ::)
« Last Edit: 04/09/2016 11:22 pm by John Alan »

Offline OxCartMark

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The values on that site are 3 days old unless you have the satellite package.
Incorrectness, or at least primarily so.

Positions are up to date, which means current or a few minutes old unless the ship is in to dock and the transmitter is switched off or the ship is far enough offshore to be out of communication with one of the finite number of shore based receivers that are tracked by whichever commercial website you may be using.  That range can be anywhere from 15 miles to 100+ miles but 30 is typical.  You probably got the 3 day old figure by looking at the tracks of the departing ships we are interested in (Go Quest, the faster support ship, and Elsbeth III, the tug that tows the ASDS to and from its station) at their last contactable position.  So racapping, shore based AIS that we get for free is near real time but has its distance limitations.  And satellite based AIS, which is offered as a paid for premium service, comes with limitations on a users' ability to publish the information publically.

edit: or not on the publication as we see below.
« Last Edit: 04/09/2016 11:42 pm by OxCartMark »
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Offline ehb

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The values on that site are 3 days old unless you have the satellite package.

I sprung for the satellite package.  My last position report was 1h 11m old.


Offline Comga

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Ok... It's almost 7pm EDT.... How in the heck hasn't one of you geniuses tracked these ships already? LOL Some of us need to know how early to leave tomorrow morning... We're counting on you.

Don't know if will be in by tomorrow.  According to marinetraffic.com, at current location & very slow speed, if it went directly to Port Canaveral, it will be more than 2 days from now.  I suspect they are taking this very gently and fighting some rough seas...

The stage may not be secured yet (as this is the first time doing so) for unlimited travel speeds...
My Opinion... it may be a while till OCISLY makes port...
My Guess... Tuesday sometime...  ::)

Nah!
We saw the support ship approaching the ASDS soon after the landing.[/size]
We have lots of discussion about how quickly they can weld the shoes over the landing legs, and it shouldn't take that long to wheel over and raise the jacks. 
After that it would be best to get the stage the heck off the ocean.  It's nasty out there.
Now perhaps the rough seas are slowing the tow.
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline OxCartMark

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We saw the support ship approaching the ASDS soon after the landing.
You are the second person that I've heard say that.  Perhaps I need to consider that its true.  What did you see to suggest that (what did I miss?)?

Quote
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?
Not SpaceX.  They are not wastrels.  You will see proof!
« Last Edit: 04/09/2016 11:48 pm by OxCartMark »
Actulus Ferociter!

Online cartman

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Latest image from SpaceX Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/BD_4mrtl8RT/
edit: added processed version for better clarity
« Last Edit: 04/10/2016 12:06 am by cartman »

Offline meekGee

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Latest image from SpaceX Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/BD_4mrtl8RT/
edit: added processed version for better clarity

No jacks, right?

Also, the tow chains, if those are the two things up front, are not being pulled.
ABCD - Always Be Counting Down

Offline butters

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Thing I noticed: grid fins are retracted. I don't believe we saw them retracted before. Automatic or manual intervention?

Offline MarekCyzio

Latest image from SpaceX Instagram


Thrustmasters are still down - this is before Elsbeth III started towing it. This may be from yesterday.
« Last Edit: 04/10/2016 12:17 am by MarekCyzio »

Offline schaban

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Thing I noticed: grid fins are retracted. I don't believe we saw them retracted before. Automatic or manual intervention?

orbcomm2 fins were retracted, too. check spacex instagram...

Offline wannamoonbase

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I can't imagine why they'd want to take it to Jacksonville. The crane and the vehicle mount are at Port Canaveral. And transporting from there to LC-39A is a lot easier.

Exactly less steps and less risk points. Boom, done, in a HIF
Wildly optimistic prediction, Superheavy recovery on IFT-4 or IFT-5

Offline NovaSilisko

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We saw the support ship approaching the ASDS soon after the landing.
You are the second person that I've heard say that.  Perhaps I need to consider that its true.  What did you see to suggest that (what did I miss?)?

I know saw a smudge/water drop on the on-board view that I briefly thought looked like a ship. Can someone provide a picture of anything more definitive?

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