-
#1460
by
mme
on 22 Dec, 2015 01:59
-
The webcast is really dumbed down compared to previous ones. They seem to be aiming for a different audience today.
They are trying to generate new interest in rocketry. They are trying to interest children in spaceflight. I wish it contained more hard data and more of the actual flight control communications.
But they lived streamed the mission from start to finish, including their first attempt to RTLS, so no complaints from me.
-
#1461
by
kirghizstan
on 22 Dec, 2015 01:59
-
anyone know if the telecon that just happened was recorded and where to find it?
-
#1462
by
meekGee
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:00
-
I saw this infographic (not from SpaceX) : http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=38148.msg1461581#msg1461581
I know this has been discussed before with different opinion, but I very much doubt that there is a final divert manuever. If the engine fails to light, it will crash on the pad. There is no better spot for it to happen, this is where all pieces can be recovered for investigation should it be necessary. Environmental cleanup is also much easier there.
There is no such thing as falling "harmlessly into the ocean", if it is just by the beach. So I don't see them aiming there, but I've certainly been wrong before. 
If you look at the "double streak" long exposure picture, it seems to show such a maneuver. The return streak looks shallower, as if it's walking the IIP from off shore to the pad.
Yes, but don't forget the rectilinear distortion in the wide angle lens. Something in the corner of such an image can look quite crooked and still be vertical in reality.
Agreed. Hence my hedge... but the difference is really noticeable, and the streaks are not THAT far from each other.
I also realize there's an angle change wrt the camera, irrespective of the lens effect.
Still though.
-
#1463
by
Lars-J
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:02
-
Agreed, I'm now doubting my earlier conviction.
I'm sure it will be clearer as more long exposures from different angles are released.
-
#1464
by
kevinof
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:02
-
anyone know if the telecon that just happened was recorded and where to find it?
It's on livestream and youtube
-
#1465
by
meekGee
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:03
-
I saw this infographic (not from SpaceX) : http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=38148.msg1461581#msg1461581
I know this has been discussed before with different opinion, but I very much doubt that there is a final divert manuever. If the engine fails to light, it will crash on the pad. There is no better spot for it to happen, this is where all pieces can be recovered for investigation should it be necessary. Environmental cleanup is also much easier there.
There is no such thing as falling "harmlessly into the ocean", if it is just by the beach. So I don't see them aiming there, but I've certainly been wrong before.
If you look at the "double streak" long exposure picture, it seems to show such a maneuver. The return streak looks shallower, as if it's walking the IIP from off shore to the pad.
Also the "pencil landing" graphic that SpaceX showed in their webcast seemed to have a "dogleg" in it near ground consistent with the idea that the IIP was offshore before being diverted by the grid fins and/or landing burn.
I laughed so hard over the pencil gag.... Then went back into pending heart attack mode.
When that stage touched down, I was simultaneously, crouching with it (12" from the screen), stretching up, inhaling, exhaling, and generally just losing all motor control.
Reminded me of the 7th game of the Celtics-Lakers game - when was it?
-
#1466
by
Machdiamond
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:04
-
This looks easy but make no mistake, in the history of space, this ranks very close to Apollo 11.
Thank you Elon for bringing back the magic of the 60's to my kids generation (plus what they bring).
--Luc
-
#1467
by
lele
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:08
-
This is the most beautiful picture I have seen in a long time.....
SpaceX Twitter source. (Photo by Ben Cooper...got to give the guy props)
The (ascending) trajectory doesn't look like the usual parabola-ish, it seems that the curvature changes at the end of the exposure. If I'm not imagining things and the trajectory is actually like that, could it be to make the return of the 1st stage easier?
-
#1468
by
kirghizstan
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:08
-
anyone know if the telecon that just happened was recorded and where to find it?
It's on livestream and youtube
I'm referring to a media teleconference in which Elon spoke briefly shortly after the flight was a success.
sonic boom of landing reached me as it landed - for a moment I thought it exploded!
I still can't quite believe it
-
#1469
by
Kabloona
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:12
-
-
#1470
by
mheney
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:12
-
Absolutely amazing. I had to leave home 5 minutes before launch to pick up my wife from the ER (she's fine); so missed the launch. Caught the news on NSF while waiting in the pharmacy for her prescriptions - just seeing it in text had me near tears. Just finished watching the replay - and having followed spaceflight from Project Mercury onwards, I have to say, this is up there with Apollo 11 and STS-1.
(Also, putting wife ahead of rocket was a really good idea. She knows how much I like rockets ....)
-
#1471
by
Kabloona
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:15
-
I laughed so hard over the pencil gag.... Then went back into pending heart attack mode.
Yes, but the "pencil gag" graphic shows that those people who believed there would be a "divert" maneuver towards the pad on final approach were correct.
-
#1472
by
Johnnyhinbos
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:23
-
-
#1473
by
Kabloona
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:30
-
-
#1474
by
Johnnyhinbos
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:32
-
-
#1475
by
OxCartMark
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:33
-
This ranks up there with Apollo in great progress and promise for the future. But unlike all previous programs that were headed somewhere great this one is not subject to political funding or lack thereof. We can expect progress to continue at this pace as long as Elon walks the Earth (or Mars for that matter).
-
#1476
by
Lars-J
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:34
-
If you look at the "double streak" long exposure picture, it seems to show such a maneuver. The return streak looks shallower, as if it's walking the IIP from off shore to the pad.
Yes, but don't forget the rectilinear distortion in the wide angle lens. Something in the corner of such an image can look quite crooked and still be vertical in reality.
Agreed. Hence my hedge... but the difference is really noticeable, and the streaks are not THAT far from each other.
I also realize there's an angle change wrt the camera, irrespective of the lens effect.
Still though.
Here is another image, from SpaceX. It looks much more vertical from this point of view. It is coming in a bit from the side (the nearer streak is the landing), but it is hard to tell how much is from the trajectory and what is from a divert maneuver.
-
#1477
by
abaddon
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:34
-
From Elon himself...
Woooooow.
Wonder how long it will take to safe it, get it horizontal, etc. Bet they will be veerry careful
-
#1478
by
OSE
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:37
-
Collier Trophy 2015?
-
#1479
by
OxCartMark
on 22 Dec, 2015 02:38
-
Check out this video shot from Merrit Island. Landing burn at 5:00 into the video PLUS a very pronounced sonic boom just after 6:00 (sonic boom arrives post landing)
Take a look at the vertical dy/dt. It looks fairly constant through the first 80% of the landing burn (prior to what I assume is a throttling up, along with the mass dropping). Much more toward the hover end of the spectrum rather than the slam end of the spectrum than we've been lead to expect. I suspect that they are ballasting with as much propellant as possible. Probably a nice benefit of the upgrade and a light payload.
