Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : Koreasat 5A : Oct. 30, 2017 : DISCUSSION THREAD  (Read 96814 times)

Online ugordan

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Seriously, is that thing actually okay? 

I find it fascinating how people stress over a bit of flame on the booster when the reentry environment it just went through was likely much worse, both in thermal and dynamic pressure respects.

Why, until the flight before this one we didn't even get to see the "ominous" sparks flying off the vehicle after the reentry burn. And logic mandates that if we didn't see it on earlier flights, it didn't happen. /s
« Last Edit: 10/30/2017 06:54 pm by ugordan »

Offline Lar

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was this a planned "push the envelope" reentry? If so, that the stage is worse for wear and tear isn't necessarily bad.
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Offline Joffan

I find it interesting listening in to the off-camera audible responses of the SpaceXers in the company cafeteria. :)
Yes, interesting, but usually very ambiguous gasps and groans. Still fun to hear the level of excitement.
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Offline Johnnyhinbos

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I find it interesting listening in to the off-camera audible responses of the SpaceXers in the company cafeteria. :)

Agree - they definitely have an un-curated access to the live feed. That second "oooh!" followed by laughter must have been in response to something quite interesting!
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Offline cscott

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My guess is they saw the fire suppression activate.

Offline Joffan

was this a planned "push the envelope" reentry? If so, that the stage is worse for wear and tear isn't necessarily bad.

It was another ballistic-to-reentry flight (no early boostback/targeting burn), which do seem to be hard landings, although they used the 30-second landing burn. Perhaps the constraint is to choose whether to have a target burn or a softwer landing burn.

Also, the drone-ship was bouncing around a bit, which might be another variable to worry about.
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Online abaddon

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My guess is they saw the fire suppression activate.
But it wasn't active when they cut to it, that I could see...?  So that seems unlikely.

I tend to doubt they would have cut the public feed to a booster that that "toasty" (has flames running up the side well past the base) if they had seen the video first, but who knows.

Online abaddon

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1st stage looking much better now  8)

Offline leetdan

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My 2 cents, it seemed the deck was pitching more than on previous landings.  Thanks, Philippe!

Offline andrewsdanj

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The deck's a'smoking, but the first stage lives!

Offline cppetrie

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Looks like there is plenty of clearance between engine bells and the drone ship. None of the bells look notably damaged from what can be seen now that the fire is out.

Offline Rei

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I find it fascinating how people stress over a bit of flame on the booster when the reentry environment it just went through was likely much worse, both in thermal and dynamic pressure respects.

*Huge* difference between controlled and uncontrolled heating.

Online RoboGoofers

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Why don't they have sprinklers running prior to the landing burn? would it interfere with altimeter readings? do they want clearer video? environmental regulations re: washing fuel overboard?

Online ugordan

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I find it fascinating how people stress over a bit of flame on the booster when the reentry environment it just went through was likely much worse, both in thermal and dynamic pressure respects.

*Huge* difference between controlled and uncontrolled heating.

Do tell.

Offline jpo234

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Question: before the second ignition of the second stage engine the feed shows what seems to be a lot of particles flying around. What is this?
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Offline Lars-J

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The SpaceX steamroller continues! :D

With the level of armchair fault nitpicking that always follows these threads, I’m frankly surprised that SpaceX bothers with a stream at all.

If you wonder why SpaceX is less open these days with images and video, look in the mirror.
« Last Edit: 10/30/2017 07:09 pm by Lars-J »

Online ugordan

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Question: before the second ignition of the second stage engine the feed shows what seems to be a lot of particles flying around. What is this?

Ice. Possibly oxygen ice.

Offline dodo

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I may be a bit out of the loop here, but how often has SpaceX launched a payload to GTO with a returning first stage?

Offline lrk

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Did the livestream just end?  ???

Offline Joffan

Did anyone else lose most of the deployment there? Think someone hit the wrong button there at SpaceX...
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