SpaceX F9 : SES-10 with reuse of CRS-8 Booster SN/1021 : 2017-03-30 : DISCUSSION

[Keeval]

Yeah I was just about to ask - did it not deploy a little early?

Why would it matter? After SECO2 it's just coasting.

I suppose it wouldn't  - I'm just used to the deployment matching the timeline and it surprised me, but as you say it is just coasting in GTO so it wouldn't actually matter.

The press kit called for deployment at +00:32:03. Judging from the cheers on the webcast, deployment occurred just before +00:32:05.

Ahh cool - so it looks like the timeline indicator at the bottom of the screen was a bit out.

[Earendil]

Consider also, that two years ago we were all peering into blurry images  of something which splashed into the ocean.. trying to make up something from every pixel.. and now we have a clear video all the way from space of a reflown booster...  there were so many skeptics..

While I am sure some will say "it's not yet clear if this all is worth it".. I will just say.. amazing job SX.. a good time to be alive..

[beck]

Yeah I was just about to ask - did it not deploy a little early?

Why would it matter? After SECO2 it's just coasting.

Maybe for timing, as the SES-10 might be confused if it get's the separation signal too early.

Does it look like the rocket was pitched up relative to its exhaust angle in the last ~10 seconds before MECO to anyone else?

Didn't notice it, but it looks like the engine was stuttering in the end which looked really weird.

[drzerg]

i saw a bright flash from the engines(?) at the  t+00:07

[Kabloona]

T+2:43:  2nd Stage Separation
T+3:43:  Fairing Separation
T+3:57:  Recovery Vessels have AOS

I don't recall that final callout before or that the 1st Stage has a signal acquired by the Drone Ship and Tenders.

AOS of Fairing Recovery Signals?

The "recovery vessels have AOS" callout has been done many times before (if not for every ASDS mission; I don't recall). It's probably for acquisition of the F9 Stage 1 telemetry stream, not related to fairing recovery.

[RotoSequence]

i saw a bright flash from the engines(?) at the  t+00:07

The exhaust doesn't quite look symmetrical towards the end, either. Maybe one of the engines had a malfunction with gimballing? Either that or I'm reading too much into tea leaves. 

[Craig_VG]

Elon is doing a media event soon!

[rcoppola]

I noticed the engine shutdown sequence on the OCISLY upon landing seemed very smooth. No post shutdown fires, etc..

[drzerg]

i now checked exact frames on youtube video. its clear that 1 engine put some orange flame burst down

[matthewkantar]

Elon is doing a media event soon!

Details please??

[Lars-J]

i saw a bright flash from the engines(?) at the  t+00:07

The exhaust doesn't quite look symmetrical towards the end, either. Maybe one of the engines had a malfunction with gimballing? Either that or I'm reading too much into tea leaves. 

It looks perfectly symmetrical to me... Note that the parts of the octopus flame is obscured more by the exhaust trail, the daylight doesn't help either. Don't do too much tea leaf reading.

[punder]

I saw that. Wasn't sure if it was just the camera angle.

Does it look like the rocket was pitched up relative to its exhaust angle in the last ~30 seconds of its flight to anyone else?

Me too, it kinda spooked me...

[Skylab]

SpaceX and SES combined press conference coming up, but I don't know where.

[Herb Schaltegger]

i now checked exact frames on youtube video. its clear that 1 engine put some orange flame burst down

Chunk of ice falling off the stage into the exhaust. No big deal.

[ugordan]

Either that or I'm reading too much into tea leaves. 

You are reading too much into it, that's just trajectory shaping. Vehicles are known to pitch up noticeably once out of the atmosphere, look at the last Atlas V launch for example. F9 GTO missions are known for this sort of thing.

[AC in NC]

Have I lost perspective on time or are we at just over 15 months from 1st landing to Reuse and Landing?

With AMOS-6 in the middle.

*** shivers ***   

Just wow!!!

[gospacex]

"Economics of reuse is not proven", nothing to see here, move along

[Orbiter]

Marcia Dunn: Will you refly this booster?  Next flight of reuse booster.

Musk:  Several reflights scheduled for later this year. Might fly as many as 6 reflights this year. FH two side boosters are being reflown. That will be interesting mission on FH... hopefully in good direction.  This core will have historic value.  Seeing if Cape might like to have it as something to remember the moment.  Present it as gift to cape

Looking forward to a F9 in the KSCVC Rocket Garden then... maybe! Certainly would look cool next to the Redstone, Titan, Saturn IB, et cetera.

[abaddon]

Fairing recovered!?!  Woah!

[rpapo]

"Economics of reuse is not proven", nothing to see here, move along

Puts on "Jim" hat: In all honesty, it hasn't been proven ... yet.  A rocket has been reused, but we don't have any insight into just how much it cost to do that.  Granted, it would cost more for the first time than it should in the long term, but we have no numbers yet on the economics of all this.

That said, people don't seem to make money betting against Elon Musk . . . unless they're betting against his notional timeframe for things.