The CRS-3/SpX-3 - Dragon, Suit Up! - Party Thread

[yg1968]

I wonder when the next attempt will be.. Orbcomm launch? End of May?

I seem to recall a mention they would try it then, and it would have legs as well, but I can't for the life of me remember where exactly. It was on NSF, though.

Yes. Musk said that all flights would attempt recovery except for the two prior to the CRS-3 flight.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/10/musk-plans-reusability-falcon-9-rocket/

[Chris Bergin]

Doesn't really matter if it broke up or not. The idea was to get the data. They know it did what they asked it to do.

Rough seas won't of helped the poor stage survive. It's not a boat.

Funny how the party thread is sometimes far more on point than the discussion thread. World's turned upside down!

[QuantumG]

Some people have minds that just can't help trying to solve problems, even if there's little need to solve that problem. They see that the rocket sunk so they want to figure out how to make it float. It doesn't matter that what's actually needed - to get the data = was already achieved, and the end goal - to land on land - doesn't require solving landing at sea.

Not all problems need solving.

But maybe they're men who've never been married.

[Avron]

Some people have minds that just can't help trying to solve problems, even if there's little need to solve that problem. They see that the rocket sunk so they want to figure out how to make it float. It doesn't matter that what's actually needed - to get the data = was already achieved, and the end goal - to land on land - doesn't require solving landing at sea.

Not all problems need solving.

But maybe they're men who've never been married.

Easy . land it on Terra firma .. it cannot sink..

[Lars_J]

I wonder when the next attempt will be.. Orbcomm launch? End of May?

I seem to recall a mention they would try it then, and it would have legs as well, but I can't for the life of me remember where exactly. It was on NSF, though.

Going forward, I think you can expect every F9 flight to have legs unless explicitly stated otherwise.

[CJ]

FWIW, an acquaintance of mine who monitors such things says the USCG has been issuing Marine Information Broadcasts about a large floating hazard about 200 miles off Savannah.

If that can be confirmed, that's not party thread, that's the main threads!

Let me know how solid that info is, as it's fascinating if it's the stage!

Chris, or anyone, which main threads would be appropriate for this? I was thinking the launch update thread, but it's locked, and the current update thread seems to be specific to the ISS arrival, so I was afraid to put it there.

This is from a marine nav hazzards KMZ (google Earth) product, which can be found at;
http://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=msi_portal_page_63

NAVAREA IV 274/14 [1 of 1][[WWNWSFOLDER]]

WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
1. 150 FOOT LONG ROCKET BOOSTER ADRIFT VICINITY
31-00N 076-00W. REPORTS TO U.S. COAST GUARD MIAMI,
PHONE: 305 415 6800, E-MAIL: [email protected].
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 220720Z APR 14.//

Authority: RCC MIAMI 190256Z APR 14.

Date:
Cancel: 22072000 Apr 14

I do see the cancel, BUT, it's still in the current warnings. And, at least this gives us the coordinates.

[sanman]

But do you feel that the next flight should simply attempt to repeat the same goals as this flight - ie. the landing at sea - merely to acquire more of the same data? Or do you feel that the next flight should somehow push the envelope a little further, even if it doesn't mean attempting a full land-based landing?

How can the envelope be pushed further on the next flight, to try and raise the bar, even if it's not a full landing on land? What kind of elevated goal can be set for the next flight/landing?

[NovaSilisko]

But do you feel that the next flight should simply attempt to repeat the same goals as this flight - ie. the landing at sea - merely to acquire more of the same data? Or do you feel that the next flight should somehow push the envelope a little further, even if it doesn't mean attempting a full land-based landing?

How can the envelope be pushed further on the next flight, to try and raise the bar, even if it's not a full landing on land? What kind of elevated goal can be set for the next flight/landing?

Boost-back to just offshore seems like a logical next step to me.

[QuantumG]

Hopefully the seas won't be so wild and they can go pick it up next time. That'd be a new achievement.

[sanman]

Why can't they just find a small island or reef and land it there? The pad that Grasshopper lands on isn't that huge.

What good candidates might exist far enough off the Florida or Texas coasts, which could serve as safe landing targets?

[QuantumG]

Why can't they just find a small island or reef and land it there?

Or maybe a cape?

[baldusi]

If they got the recorders back, there should be a couple of cameras that actually captured the water landing. If the supersonic retropropulsion video of CASSIOPE was amazing, I can't wait to see this!
BTW, Orbcomm might have even more margin, thus, a boostback maneuver and practicing pinpoint landing might be a very good next step.
Regarding the use of legs, everything depends on performance. SES has two GTO flights that are actually above the GTO maximum performance in full expendable mode. And the dual 702SP are also performance limited. In fact, I wouldn't expect legs on most GTO missions.
But for LEO is Falcon is way too overpowered. Most LEO will use legs for sure.

[meadows.st]

FWIW, an acquaintance of mine who monitors such things says the USCG has been issuing Marine Information Broadcasts about a large floating hazard about 200 miles off Savannah.

If that can be confirmed, that's not party thread, that's the main threads!

Let me know how solid that info is, as it's fascinating if it's the stage!

Chris, or anyone, which main threads would be appropriate for this? I was thinking the launch update thread, but it's locked, and the current update thread seems to be specific to the ISS arrival, so I was afraid to put it there.

This is from a marine nav hazzards KMZ (google Earth) product, which can be found at;
http://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=msi_portal_page_63

NAVAREA IV 274/14 [1 of 1][[WWNWSFOLDER]]

WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
1. 150 FOOT LONG ROCKET BOOSTER ADRIFT VICINITY
31-00N 076-00W. REPORTS TO U.S. COAST GUARD MIAMI,
PHONE: 305 415 6800, E-MAIL: [email protected].
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 220720Z APR 14.//

Authority: RCC MIAMI 190256Z APR 14.

Date:
Cancel: 22072000 Apr 14

I do see the cancel, BUT, it's still in the current warnings. And, at least this gives us the coordinates.

This is great!  Thanks.

The cancel isn't until Tuesday AM (0720 UTC).  The coordinates of N31,W76 is exactly at the southern most point of the original boundary "B" of the Notice to Mariners (NtM) (N31.15,W76.02) see: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=34065.msg1186394#msg1186394 for a schematic I put together that shows the NtM boundaries and a plot (with GPS coordinates) of the approximate mid-point.

[go4mars]

Hughes Glomar Explorer can fetch it.   

hmm... New name suggestion for Elon's bond submarine car or future submersible iterations. 

Nautstronaut.  For submarine lithium MOR exploring. And other stuff.


What bumper stickers would you like to see in the SpaceX store?
Here's a few to start off:

Recovering Rocket Stages Since 2014 - SpaceX

SpaceX - Turning Heads...  Up.

Where Falcons Mate With Dragons - SpaceX

Striving to enable colonization of Mars - SpaceX

SpaceX - Berthing Dragons

[Halidon]

Hughes Glomar Explorer can fetch it.   

If only we hadn't sold her to a bunch of tax-dodgers who moved their company to Switzerland.

[Rocket Science]

So Falcon has morphed into a sea-going bird. I guess we have to start calling it an Albatross?
Might be a fitting name for reusable launcher, at least as the competitors might view it...

[Lar]

But do you feel that the next flight should simply attempt to repeat the same goals as this flight - ie. the landing at sea - merely to acquire more of the same data? Or do you feel that the next flight should somehow push the envelope a little further, even if it doesn't mean attempting a full land-based landing?

How can the envelope be pushed further on the next flight, to try and raise the bar, even if it's not a full landing on land? What kind of elevated goal can be set for the next flight/landing?

Boost-back to just offshore seems like a logical next step to me.

I feel a poll coming on....   what are the choices???

KIDDING.  Because that IS the obvious logical next step.

[Rocket Science]

But do you feel that the next flight should simply attempt to repeat the same goals as this flight - ie. the landing at sea - merely to acquire more of the same data? Or do you feel that the next flight should somehow push the envelope a little further, even if it doesn't mean attempting a full land-based landing?

How can the envelope be pushed further on the next flight, to try and raise the bar, even if it's not a full landing on land? What kind of elevated goal can be set for the next flight/landing?

Boost-back to just offshore seems like a logical next step to me.

I feel a poll coming on....   what are the choices???

KIDDING.  Because that IS the obvious logical next step.

Barge?

[Chris Bergin]

Everyone's being really coy over the stage, but it seems more and more doubtful we'll be seeing a ship towing a stage back like they did with the Shuttle boosters.

Again, no biggy, was always a very small chance they could do that. The test was a success.

[mr. mark]

Agree with you Chris and It looks like we may not get the information we all here are hoping for. Let's hope SpaceX releases something to the public more than just a general statement (not that they have to).