SpaceX Tuesday...
Discussion
Beati Dogu said:
They've put the priority on getting the fairly hefty (just over 5 tonne) satellite into orbit quicker.
The first stage only runs for about 3 minutes before separating. Instead of firing 3 of the 9 engines for the boostback burn, it's going to continue on a ballistic trajectory.
They'll use the cold gas thrusters at the top of the 1st stage to reorientate it, main engines to slow it and then steer it down through the atmosphere using the fold out "grid fins". Hopefully landing it on the centre engine alone.
The weather is predicted to be 80% go for tonight and 95% for Friday night as an alternate.
if they pull this off it will be really something...The first stage only runs for about 3 minutes before separating. Instead of firing 3 of the 9 engines for the boostback burn, it's going to continue on a ballistic trajectory.
They'll use the cold gas thrusters at the top of the 1st stage to reorientate it, main engines to slow it and then steer it down through the atmosphere using the fold out "grid fins". Hopefully landing it on the centre engine alone.
The weather is predicted to be 80% go for tonight and 95% for Friday night as an alternate.
Beati Dogu said:
The first stage only runs for about 3 minutes before separating. Instead of firing 3 of the 9 engines for the boostback burn, it's going to continue on a ballistic trajectory.
They'll use the cold gas thrusters at the top of the 1st stage to reorientate it, main engines to slow it and then steer it down through the atmosphere using the fold out "grid fins". Hopefully landing it on the centre engine alone.
Previously I have wondered if, rather than the elaborate boost-back it wouldn't be better to keep going and land somewhere in the direction its going.They'll use the cold gas thrusters at the top of the 1st stage to reorientate it, main engines to slow it and then steer it down through the atmosphere using the fold out "grid fins". Hopefully landing it on the centre engine alone.
I know in this instance it's 500-ish miles out to sea. I wonder in future if they might not "fly" them to Elon's Island lair or even- how much fuel would it need to "coast" across the Atlantic and land in Europe or Africa?
Beyond that, if they make them reliable enough what's to stop them topping up the tank and sending the first stage back to the US launch site on its own?
Perhaps SpaceX should have a series of sites 1000miles apart around the globe where used 1st stages arrive after launching something Eastward, fuel up, new payload and lift off again then land at the next station and repeat? :-)
If they land back near base they don't have the added transport delays and costs getting them back to their facility there.
Theoretically they could launch from their site in Texas (under construction now) and land it at Cape Canaveral, Florida. However that would never be allowed as it'd mean overflying central Florida and the city of Orlando.
It also doesn't actually fly that far down range. As mentioned earlier it only runs for around 3 minutes and most of that is upwards obviously. They do cant it out over the sea for safety & satellite orbitary reasons, but it just wouldn't make it all the way across the Atlantic. The barge is only a few hundred miles down range.
Theoretically they could launch from their site in Texas (under construction now) and land it at Cape Canaveral, Florida. However that would never be allowed as it'd mean overflying central Florida and the city of Orlando.
It also doesn't actually fly that far down range. As mentioned earlier it only runs for around 3 minutes and most of that is upwards obviously. They do cant it out over the sea for safety & satellite orbitary reasons, but it just wouldn't make it all the way across the Atlantic. The barge is only a few hundred miles down range.
Edited by Beati Dogu on Thursday 25th February 18:13
Beati Dogu said:
They do cant it out over the sea for safety & satellite orbitary reasons, but it just wouldn't make it all the way across the Atlantic. The barge is only a few hundred miles down range.
to be fair, it's some 500 miles out and that still with it 'turning round' at top of the plot.I don't think it would take much more to get it across the pond, however, unless you plan on duplicating the operations base in the UK, you then have to ship it back (although would it fit in a cargo plane? (it's 41.2m long, 3.66m round and weighs in at some 26 tonnes).
Eric Mc said:
That's what I eventually concluded last might. The brand new super efficient fueling system somehow let them down. They need to go back to that old "!Apollo Era" spherical storage tank he mentioned.
Not to 'do a toaster' on you but I disagree, we have to try new ideas and fix issues in order to improve.They will go back and Analize the issue and do what they can to improve it, the two presenters were talking about what improvements they had already made, the list will get longer.
callmedave said:
Eric Mc said:
That's what I eventually concluded last might. The brand new super efficient fueling system somehow let them down. They need to go back to that old "!Apollo Era" spherical storage tank he mentioned.
Not to 'do a toaster' on you but I disagree, we have to try new ideas and fix issues in order to improve.They will go back and Analize the issue and do what they can to improve it, the two presenters were talking about what improvements they had already made, the list will get longer.
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