Author Topic: The CRS-3/SpX-3 - Dragon, Suit Up! - Party Thread (Read 282919 times)

sanman · « **Reply #280 on:** 04/19/2014 12:13 am »

A very Good Friday indeed for SpaceX!

But what are the implications of this? Would it mean their next landing won't necessarily be at sea?
Or were there always plans for multiple sea landings regardless?

Lars_J · « **Reply #281 on:** 04/19/2014 12:14 am »

Quote from: sanman on 04/19/2014 12:13 am

A very Good Friday indeed for SpaceX!

But what are the implications of this? Would it mean their next landing won't necessarily be at sea?
Or were there always plans for multiple sea landings regardless?

There will at least one more sea landing, probably more. They need to demonstrate boost-back and precise trajectory control.

sanman · « **Reply #282 on:** 04/19/2014 12:21 am »

At the ending of the post-launch briefing, Hans said that landing zone requirements would be determined by their range safety group. What if your landing zone has really bad weather, as was occurring at sea today? You can't scrub a landing, now can you? Can you??

Or will range safety be required to give approval for both liftoff and landing conditions before a launch can even go ahead?

Lars_J · « **Reply #283 on:** 04/19/2014 12:26 am »

Quote from: sanman on 04/19/2014 12:21 am

At the ending of the post-launch briefing, Hans said that landing zone requirements would be determined by their range safety group. What if your landing zone has really bad weather, as was occurring at sea today? You can't scrub a landing, now can you? Can you??

Or will range safety be required to give approval for both liftoff and landing conditions before a launch can even go ahead?

Yep. But that's the advantage of boost-back to the launch site. You only have to be concerned about the weather in one place, and limits for launches and landing will likely be similar.

For Shuttle launches, weather had to be good in emergency landing spots (TAL) for a launch to be approved.

sanman · « **Reply #284 on:** 04/19/2014 12:27 am »

Even more Elon Tweets:

Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk 9m

Flight computers continued transmitting for 8 seconds after reaching the water. Stopped when booster went horizontal.

chalz · « **Reply #285 on:** 04/19/2014 01:03 am »

Quote from: Lars_J on 04/18/2014 10:28 pm

https://twitter.com/scriptunasphoto/status/457279156997210112/photo/1
Quote
Walter Scriptunas II ‏@scriptunasphoto
An up close view of the SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 sporting landing legs for the first time ever. #SpaceX3 #NASASocial pic.twitter.com/V8CMihvBmL

Is it me or does this rocket look more like the Millennium Falcon than usual?

dcporter · « **Reply #286 on:** 04/19/2014 01:18 am »

Quote from: chalz on 04/19/2014 01:03 am

Is it me or does this rocket look more like the Millennium Falcon than usual?

Funny how gritty sci-fi streaky mud on a rocket ship is.

flymetothemoon · « **Reply #287 on:** 04/19/2014 01:42 am »

Quote from: chalz on 04/19/2014 01:03 am

Is it me or does this rocket look more like the Millennium Falcon than usual?

I thought it just looked 'right' tonight. And if it looks right...

Something about its shape really struck me tonight and I thought it looked kick ass. Perfectly streamlined yet Dragon and the legs adding a little chunky detailing

How good is Falcon Heavy going to look?!

sanman · « **Reply #288 on:** 04/19/2014 01:46 am »

Can those stains actually hang through Max-Q and all of it?

I was actually looking for those stains during the onboard rocket-camera view, but I couldn't make anything out. Actually, I was mainly interested in how those legs would be vibrating or bearing up under the aerodynamic stresses during ascent.

Could any such mud smears pose a potential hazard during descent? Theoretically, first stage isn't descending fast enough to undergo major re-entry heating. But on the other hand, if there were any significant chunks of stuff, could they potentially go projectile in the slipstream to impact/abrade some upper portion of that first stage during re-entry?

Besides, what kind of resale value are you going to get on a used first stage that looks all dirty?

ChrisWilson68 · « **Reply #289 on:** 04/19/2014 01:59 am »

Quote from: sanman on 04/19/2014 01:46 am

Besides, what kind of resale value are you going to get on a used first stage that looks all dirty? ;)

That must be why they gave it a dunk in the ocean -- to clean off the dirt and up the resale value. :-)

wolfpack · « **Reply #290 on:** 04/19/2014 02:22 am »

Nicely done, SpX!

I might buy stock yet.

StealerofSuns · « **Reply #291 on:** 04/19/2014 02:26 am »

Quote from: wolfpack on 04/19/2014 02:22 am

Nicely done, SpX!

I might buy stock yet.

Not until "Mars Colonial Transport is flying regularly."

M_Puckett · « **Reply #292 on:** 04/19/2014 02:32 am »

There has to be a golden marketing opportunity to sell some adspace to Orbits Gum on the side of the next flight here!

"Got a Dirty Rocket?"

sanman · « **Reply #293 on:** 04/19/2014 02:48 am »

Clean That Suit Up! The launch business is getting too dirty!

Astrosurf · « **Reply #294 on:** 04/19/2014 02:57 am »

I cant wait till they post pictures of the booster to see if it reicieved any landing damage but so far My mind is in Pure Ecstasy I could not be any happier

Comga · « **Reply #295 on:** 04/19/2014 03:46 am »

Quote from: sanman on 04/19/2014 02:48 am

Clean That Suit Up! The launch business is getting too dirty!

Love the video loop!
There is a water outlet right in front of the rocket that doesn't get to full flow until the rocket is several meters up.
Maybe they need to turn it around, and add a few to the lightning towers, to rinse off the rocket as it flies by.
Gotta look good for the cameras!

It doesn't seen to have done any harm to anything. Even the Rocketcam window cleared up quickly.

oiorionsbelt · « **Reply #296 on:** 04/19/2014 03:56 am »

This looks like a workhorse vehicle

NovaSilisko · « **Reply #297 on:** 04/19/2014 03:57 am »

I think my favorite part of that GIF has to be the umbilicals. Something so comical in the way they gracefully leap off the side of the vehicle.

sanman · « **Reply #298 on:** 04/19/2014 04:03 am »

When I watch that loop, I hear a wildcatter's voice hollering "It's a Gusher!! Black gold!!"
And I hear the theme from Dallas playing, for some reason.

Sean Lynch · « **Reply #299 on:** 04/19/2014 04:04 am »

from:
http://new.livestream.com/spacex/events/2833937

F9 First Stage Landing

Data upload from tracking plane shows first stage landing in Atlantic was good! Flight computers continued transmitting for 8 seconds after reaching the water. Stopped when booster went horizontal. Several boats enroute through heavy seas...
---------
posted because of the official in-transit recovery vessel information.