Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 RTF (Orbcomm 2) and landing
Ken Havekotte Member
Posts: 2915 From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard Registered: Mar 2001
posted 12-22-2015 05:41 AM
An amazing day for SpaceX and the entire space community; Well Done with another historical "first" here at the Cape!
Hearing the sonic boom last night so much reminded me of an era no more — the returning of a space shuttle orbiter vehicle from space.
It also takes me back a little to the late 1950's--nearly 60 years ago--when Snark guided intercontinental missiles would fly from an early Cape launch pad up to 11 hours and then return for a landing at the Cape air station's skid strip!
Gonzo Member
Posts: 596 From: Lansing, MI, USA Registered: Mar 2012
posted 12-22-2015 06:06 AM
Un-freakin-believable!
Congrats to SpaceX for bringing in the new year (close enough) with what will become the future!
Could they hit it an closer?!?!?
hlbjr Member
Posts: 475 From: Delray Beach Florida USA Registered: Mar 2006
posted 12-22-2015 07:11 AM
Truly incredible. Not only a return to flight verifying the fix, but a launch of 11 satellites, a second stage restart test, and finally, and most importantly in my book, a successful booster recovery. Just mind-blowing.
Michael Davis Member
Posts: 528 From: Houston, Texas Registered: Aug 2002
posted 12-22-2015 07:44 AM
Being old enough to barely remember Gemini, and having clear memories of everything since, this achievment stands out. It was just remarkable to watch, These are exciting times for space flight and SpaceX is generating much of that energy. Congratulations and thanks to them for seemingly making the impossible routine.
noroxine Member
Posts: 116 From: Registered: Mar 2009
posted 12-22-2015 10:03 AM
Just amazing!
Liembo Member
Posts: 583 From: Bothell, WA Registered: Jan 2013
posted 12-22-2015 10:03 AM
The Economist editor Tom Standage (@tomstandage) tweeted:
Why SpaceX's reusable first stage is such a big deal:
Cost of Falcon 9 rocket: ~$55m Cost of first stage alone: ~$40m Cost of fuel: ~$200K
328KF Member
Posts: 1234 From: Registered: Apr 2008
posted 12-22-2015 10:28 AM
I watched it live online with my 13 year old daughter. I was pretty excited that it worked, and that SpaceX allowed the recovery attempt to be broadcast live.
But the best part was for her to see how excited all of those young talented engineers and technicians got while seeing their work come to fruition. Very inspiring.
I think this might increase interest in attending these unmanned launches. You get more "bang for your buck." A noisy launch, a sonic boom, and a rocket landing all in the space of just a few minutes. Pretty cool!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-22-2015 11:55 AM
SpaceX just released several photos from last night's launch and landing.
posted 12-22-2015 12:02 PM
I watched the flawless launch and landing on my large screen. Amazing!
Headshot Member
Posts: 864 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 12-23-2015 09:48 AM
This is a outstanding achievement, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The really significant accomplishments are yet to come.
They will begin when Bezos' and/or Musk's group(s) relaunch a recovered first stage, or at least the majority of its components. Then they must develop a protocol for examining, retesting and refurbishing recovered first stages or first stage components at an expenditure significantly less than constructing new first stages.
These are exciting times.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-23-2015 11:51 AM
NASA footage of the landing:
And SpaceX timelapse showing sunrise over Landing Zone 1:
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-23-2015 12:43 PM
45th Space Wing photo
KSCartist Member
Posts: 2896 From: Titusville, FL USA Registered: Feb 2005
posted 12-23-2015 05:29 PM
I compared the significance of the successful return of the Falcon 9 first stage to the significance of the success of Apollo 8.
It occurred to me that this accomplishment needed its own magazine cover, so I created this based on the Time Magazine cover honoring Borman, Lovell and Anders.
Friends at SpaceX suggested I credit those executives directly involved in the Falcon 9 program. So the cover depicts CEO and chief technology officer Elon Musk, president Gwynne Shotwell, vice president of mission assurance Hans Koenigsmann and propulsion chief technology officer Tom Mueller.
SpaceX, while you didn't "save" 2015, you sure ended it on a high note! Thank you!
Landing photo by Ben Cooper.
usafspace Member
Posts: 88 From: Los Angeles, CA USA Registered: May 2006
posted 12-23-2015 06:04 PM
BRAVO!!!! Tim... You are a gift to the space collecting community. Thank you.
posted 12-24-2015 10:26 PM
The whole thing is just spectacular! Time to get excited about space flights like it felt in the 60's. Congratulations SpaceX team!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-25-2015 05:45 PM
The recovered Falcon 9 first stage arriving at SpaceX's horizontal integration facility at Launch Complex 39A, via Shannon Gordon on Instagram (see the video, too).
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-31-2015 08:09 PM
From Elon Musk on Instagram:
Falcon 9 back in the hangar at Cape Canaveral. No damage found, ready to fire again.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-02-2016 07:31 PM
The recovered stage inside the Pad 39A hangar:
mikepf Member
Posts: 441 From: San Jose, California, USA Registered: Mar 2002
posted 01-02-2016 09:38 PM
Light that candle again Mr. Musk! Send it up again and THEN put it in a museum.
Posts: 1463 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Registered: Mar 2010
posted 01-04-2016 12:49 PM
quote:Originally posted by KSCartist: I compared the significance of the successful return of the Falcon 9 first stage to the significance of the success of Apollo 8.
That is a bit over the top.
Landing the booster is meaningless milestone unless the booster flies again. It is just a step to the real milestone: reuse.
And even if they are to reuse the boosters, it has to significantly reduces costs to really matter.*
*Musk's comments on the condition of the booster after landing are a bit premature since a detail inspection could not have been completed.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-04-2016 01:04 PM
I wouldn't say that landing the booster is meaningless, even if reuse turns out to not be an option.
At the least, SpaceX has demonstrated a means of reducing the junk we dump into the oceans as a result of each launch. I know that wasn't among the company's objectives, and no one has really discussed that aspect, but nonetheless, it is an advancement.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-04-2016 01:49 PM
Newly-released photos:
SkyMan1958 Member
Posts: 867 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011
posted 01-04-2016 04:03 PM
Thank you for the pics Robert!
It would be interesting to see a picture of how the business end of the nozzles look like after a live fire test at the Cape, and compare it to the picture Robert posted.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-05-2016 09:25 AM
A couple of more photos released, these from the morning after the landing:
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-12-2016 12:19 PM
According to a Reddit user who is at the Cape, the recovered first stage is now on its way to SLC-40. The reason for the move is not yet known.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-12-2016 04:24 PM
In the meantime, SpaceX has released a new highlight video:
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-13-2016 10:08 AM
Further to the above about the recovered stage being moved to LC-40, Florida Today reports that SpaceX aims to test-fire its engines as soon as Thursday (Jan. 14).
In a change of plans, the company is poised to perform the test at Launch Complex 40, its active pad at the Cape, rather than at Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A.
...SpaceX apparently preferred not to wait until it could fire the rocket's nine Merlin 1D engines at pad 39A, and moved the booster back to Launch Complex 40, where it launched at 8:29 p.m. Dec. 21 with 11 Orbcomm Inc. satellites atop the rocket's second stage.
The company had no immediate comment on its plans.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-15-2016 07:52 PM
Elon Musk on Twitter:
Conducted hold-down firing of returned Falcon rocket. Data looks good overall, but engine 9 showed thrust fluctuations.
Maybe some debris ingestion. Engine data looks ok. Will borescope tonight. This is one of the outer engines.
posted 12-22-2015 05:41 AM
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