Quote from: cscott on 12/26/2015 07:10 pmI'm pretty sure no one expects that Go Quest recovered a complete, intact, and reusable fairing from this mission. But fairing fragments have washed up before, and Go Quest might have managed to locate some---or at least the piece which has the radio beacon and instrument package on it (if indeed some experiment of that sort was flown). Go Quest would not be out looking for the fairing if they didn't intend to learn something from the pieces. The have found quite a few pieces already. What could have changed from the last mission to make them them want to go look for it? I'm not convinced GQ was looking for the fairing but if it was there must be something 'new' about this fairing.
I'm pretty sure no one expects that Go Quest recovered a complete, intact, and reusable fairing from this mission. But fairing fragments have washed up before, and Go Quest might have managed to locate some---or at least the piece which has the radio beacon and instrument package on it (if indeed some experiment of that sort was flown).
might be looking for that GoPro
Fairings break up and don't come down in one piece.
Quote from: Avron on 12/26/2015 08:04 pmmight be looking for that GoPro For those awesome shots of pitch-black darkness?
Fairings could retract back down along side second stage skin, in six .....(snip)You're welcome.
Have we touched on how fairings get transported from Hawthorne to the distant launch sites? They are 5M in diameter and if shipped in two halves you are going to have a load that's either 5M high (too high for bridges even without a trailer underneath) or 5M wide (obnoxiously wide but maybe possible with permits and convoy) or some awkward diagonal compromise. .
Ya know, it does basically look like a boat..
Quote from: QuantumG on 12/29/2015 05:26 amYa know, it does basically look like a boat..That it does. I wonder if it might be able to generate lift (and perhaps be controllable), if properly oriented?
In all seriousness I don't think an off hand tweet is proof SpaceX are pouring very much effort into fairing reuse.
Last I heard they weren't even making them anymore. The kilns are not even at Hawthorn anymore are they?
So is the fairing that expensive, to be worth the extra effort needed for reusing? I thought it's a fairly simple shell which can be machine fabricated, so shouldn't be very expensive.