Author Topic: SpaceX Recovered First Stage 'Monument' in Hawthorne (Read 28242 times)

collectSPACE · « **on:** 08/23/2016 12:29 am »

SpaceX lands historic recovered Falcon 9 rocket stage on display
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-082216a-spacex-falcon9-stage-display.html

SpaceX's first recovered rocket stage has landed on display outside of the company's California headquarters eight months after it made history.

The nine engine booster, which on Dec. 21, 2015, became the world's first rocket stage to help launch a payload into Earth orbit and then fly back and touch down near where it had lifted off, is now a 15-story-tall monument at SpaceX's offices and manufacturing facility in Hawthorne, California.

The Falcon 9 stage was erected on Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 20-21) at the intersection of Jack Northrop Ave. and Crenshaw Blvd., at the southeast corner of SpaceX HQ.

Photo credit: Bryce Allen via collectSPACE

Spaceflight Now published additional photos by Gene Blevins/LA Daily News.

Jdeshetler · « **Reply #1 on:** 08/23/2016 12:43 am »

Awesome, ~~will~~ this site ~~be accessible to public or it~~ will be surrounded by metal fences as it was before. ?

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-spacex-booster-20160822-snap-htmlstory.html

People who want to visit it can go to the corner of Crenshaw Boulevard and Jack Northrop Avenue. The sidewalk is "pretty close right there," a SpaceX spokesman said in an email — but "no, you can't touch it."

Rocket Science · « **Reply #2 on:** 08/23/2016 01:11 am »

Trying to "one up" Chris's Shuttle on his front lawn...

Nomadd · « **Reply #3 on:** 08/23/2016 02:43 am »

They could have saved a lot of trouble by just landing it there in the first place.
I mean, you know, except for the destroyed street and buildings.

drzerg · « **Reply #4 on:** 08/23/2016 07:12 am »

they should let people touch it. for 10$. with large sign - "money is for MCT"

Bynaus · « **Reply #5 on:** 08/23/2016 07:25 am »

Can't wait to see it on Google Maps.

Lars-J · « **Reply #6 on:** 08/23/2016 04:26 pm »

I guess the clean appearance of this booster should settle the old "soot vs charred/ablated paint" debate about how what causes the "dirty" appearance of landed boosters.

Herb Schaltegger · « **Reply #7 on:** 08/23/2016 05:13 pm »

Or not. You have no idea what degree of cleaning was needed, nor what that cleaning process entailed.

Lars-J · « **Reply #8 on:** 08/23/2016 05:15 pm »

Quote from: Herb Schaltegger on 08/23/2016 05:13 pm

Or not. You have no idea what degree of cleaning was needed, nor what that cleaning process entailed.

Unless the stage was repainted, we *do* know that it was something on TOP of the paint, and not the paint itself. But go ahead, believe what you want.

darkenfast · « **Reply #9 on:** 08/23/2016 06:16 pm »

Quote from: Herb Schaltegger on 08/23/2016 05:13 pm

Or not. You have no idea what degree of cleaning was needed, nor what that cleaning process entailed.

Gwynne Shotwell stated a couple of weeks ago that it was mainly just soot from the engines. We saw a cleaned up stage in the 39A HIF that looked fairly shiny.

Herb Schaltegger · « **Reply #10 on:** 08/23/2016 06:27 pm »

Quote from: darkenfast on 08/23/2016 06:16 pm

Quote from: Herb Schaltegger on 08/23/2016 05:13 pm
Or not. You have no idea what degree of cleaning was needed, nor what that cleaning process entailed.

Gwynne Shotwell stated a couple of weeks ago that it was mainly just soot from the engines. We saw a cleaned up stage in the 39A HIF that looked fairly shiny.

True enough. But we don't know how they cleaned the cork surface, nor the level of effort or products/tools needed to do it, and we don't know what level of refurbishment will be needed for reflight (surface sanding of charred cork & patching/repairing?) Etc.

But this has been hashed and rehashed elsewhere in months past.

catdlr · « **Reply #11 on:** 08/23/2016 08:16 pm »

You can visit the first SpaceX rocket booster that blasted off and came back

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-spacex-booster-20160822-snap-htmlstory.html

mfck · « **Reply #12 on:** 08/23/2016 08:23 pm »

How is this structure supported and kept in place? Is the octaweb only supported by the legs? There seem to be no cables either.

Survtech · « **Reply #13 on:** 08/23/2016 08:29 pm »

Did they tear down part of the smaller building on the corner to make room for the Falcon? Google Street View (May, 2016) shows the building coming nearly to the corner of Crenshaw Blvd. and Jack Northrop Ave.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #14 on:** 08/23/2016 08:46 pm »

Quote from: Rocket Science on 08/23/2016 01:11 am

Trying to "one up" Chris's Shuttle on his front lawn...

I don't think the neighbours would appreciate that.

It does look great, though. Also a very handy example of scale.

Lars-J · « **Reply #15 on:** 08/23/2016 09:06 pm »

Quote from: Survtech on 08/23/2016 08:29 pm

Did they tear down part of the smaller building on the corner to make room for the Falcon? Google Street View (May, 2016) shows the building coming nearly to the corner of Crenshaw Blvd. and Jack Northrop Ave.

Yes.

Elmar Moelzer · « **Reply #16 on:** 08/23/2016 09:55 pm »

Some images of the display at Hawthorne, courtesy of Oliver Hotz. The last image shows them doing some tests/inspections on the interstage.

Comga · « **Reply #17 on:** 08/23/2016 10:03 pm »

Has anyone spotted the purported "off white" first stage serial number that is supposed to be near the bottom?
Where I read that has been forgotten.

shooter6947 · « **Reply #18 on:** 08/23/2016 10:45 pm »

Pics taken yesterday on a detour on the way to LAX.

jeffkruse · « **Reply #19 on:** 08/23/2016 10:53 pm »

It would be cool if the grid fins would wave at you. Maybe some burst of nitrogen coming from the thrusters.