SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION

[dorkmo]

makes me wonder how-low-it-can-go for the roomba to still be able to come in underneath

[mr_magoo]

I thought they didn't refinish the drone ship deck this time?     Those burn patterns could include some old marks.

[kevin-rf]

Collective gasp when the water plumes kicked up off to the side of the barge deck!!!

Makes me wonder if they do a bit of a cork screw on the way in to turn excess vertical thrust into a horizontal component.

[Lars-J]

It looks like it might have come from off center, impacted hard on the far side of the ship and scooted to its final resting place? It seemed like the opposite side of the landing circle paint had been blasted?

It always comes it at a pretty severe angle... final divert trajectory, it seems. See a previous landing:

[whitelancer64]

There's a considerable amount of distortion from the camera. Notice the curving railings.

[ZachS09]

Call me Nostradamus, guys.

I knew all along that B1029 would land safely.

[andrewsdanj]

It looks like it might have come from off center, impacted hard on the far side of the landing zone and scooted to its final resting place? It seemed like the opposite side of the landing circle paint had been blasted?

I'd posit that that's what a landing with melty grid fins looks like ;-)

[ellindsey]

Reeentry-induced grid fin damage on one side leading to it coming in more off-center than desired, followed by a dramatic correction at the last second, perhaps?  Impressive that it survived at all.

[Lars-J]

There's a considerable amount of distortion from the camera. Notice the curving railings.

Yep. Not a single straight line from that wide angle lens.

[ugordan]

It's LEANING.

That looks like barrel distortion from the wide-angle lens more than anything else.  No doubt that was a hard landing, though. 

Yes, but compare it to the sea horizon at the point the vehicle body and it meet, it really doesn't appear to be completely vertical. If it came in at a horizontal velocity as that off-ship water plume suggests, this might make it the most sporty landing yet that didn't result in vehicle loss.

Either way, good to see the stage make it back.

[Wolfram66]

It did only appear like it was hovering above water before the transmission cut briefly, but keep in mind that the stage is coming in at an angle (see other drone ships landings shot from a distance), and a 3 engine landing burn will reach a bit further and impinge the ocean more. 

And it also has to crab into the wind to compensate for lateral drift

[Star One]

There's a considerable amount of distortion from the camera. Notice the curving railings.

For a start where is the camera located on the ship?

[dorkmo]

It did only appear like it was hovering above water before the transmission cut briefly, but keep in mind that the stage is coming in at an angle (see other drone ships landings shot from a distance), and a 3 engine landing burn will reach a bit further and impinge the ocean more. 

looks like there is a soot trail clear from one side of the asds to the other. will be interesting to see the non-live video release

[Lars-J]

It's LEANING.

That looks like barrel distortion from the wide-angle lens more than anything else.  No doubt that was a hard landing, though. 

Yes, but compare it to the sea horizon at the point the vehicle body and it meet, it really doesn't appear to be completely vertical. If it came in at a horizontal velocity as that off-ship water plume suggests, this might make it the most sporty landing yet that didn't result in vehicle loss.

Either way, good to see the stage make it back.

That line would only look vertical (if vertical), if it is in the middle of the image. Your assumption does not hold for things off-center in such a distorted wide angle lens.

[Star One]

It did only appear like it was hovering above water before the transmission cut briefly, but keep in mind that the stage is coming in at an angle (see other drone ships landings shot from a distance), and a 3 engine landing burn will reach a bit further and impinge the ocean more. 

looks like there is a soot trail clear from one side of the asds to the other. will be interesting to see the non-live video release

I noticed that the soot trail runs from the edge of the ship inwards. I didn't think it ran from both sides but just from the right.

[Helodriver]

So I guess you still don't need to give up hope on Bingo if all the center spots are taken.

Glad to say I didn't win the bingo this time around... and that landing folks is why we still play!

[Rocket Science]

There appeared to be a big heaving of the deck right before the video signal dropped out which "could" account for the off center landing...

[Wolfram66]

Fairings?  any news on ops for recovery, or still testing bouncy castle designs?

[sanman]

Is Optimus/Roomba being used on this landing?

How have they tested it out, prior to this? Is it tele-coperated, or does it have some kind of AI or some other type of guidance?

[jaredgalen]

There was talk of introducing titanium grid fins to make them more resilient during reentry. Has this happened yet? 🤔