SpaceX Tuesday...
Discussion
Pupp said:
Can someone kindly put me on the right track with the booster and core re-entry please? Been pondering today whether the phenomenal stability and guidance control displayed is purely a product of very clever and subtle variable aerodynamics combined with thrust, or whether (even) more is going on... like big gyros or something to prevent tumbling etc?
Completely otherworldly to watch, whatever
No clever gyros, just clever controls - there are 4x honeycomb-looking paddles which fold down for aerodynamic control, several thrusters up at the top of the booster for top attitude control, as well as the engines being able to vector their thrust. Beyond that it's just clever programming.Completely otherworldly to watch, whatever
You can see each element here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa_mtakPlfw
Leave it to the petulant Guardian to negatively pipe up - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb...
weeboot said:
Sorry if this has already been posted, but find some headphones and watch this.
https://youtu.be/ImoQqNyRL8Y
Smarter every day, binaural microphones, falcon heavy. Quite incredible.
Thanks for the link, the rocket makes such a satisfying noise.https://youtu.be/ImoQqNyRL8Y
Smarter every day, binaural microphones, falcon heavy. Quite incredible.
Brother D said:
Leave it to the petulant Guardian to negatively pipe up - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb...
Who is Whitey?Meh. No one reads the Guardian anyway. That's why it's losing £60 million a year.
Anway, no rest for the wicked; There's another Falcon 9 set to launch a week on Saturday, on 17th Feb.
It's taking up an "earth observation satellite" for the Spanish MoD and a couple of identical 400Kg Microsats.
Interestingly, these 2 Microsats appear to be 2nd gen test satellites for SpaceX's own planned Starlink low-latency broadband constellation.
It'll be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The window opens at 06:22 PST / 14:22 UK time.
No word on a landing yet. The first stage is thought to be number 1038, which was flown last August on the Formosat 5 mission.
It's a Block 3 core, so this will be its last flight anyway. The payload is pretty light and it's going to a low earth orbit, so they may have enough juice to kick it back to the new landing pad for the first time. Pure speculation on my part. They may just dunk it in the Pacific or (less likely) send the landing ship out for it.
Anway, no rest for the wicked; There's another Falcon 9 set to launch a week on Saturday, on 17th Feb.
It's taking up an "earth observation satellite" for the Spanish MoD and a couple of identical 400Kg Microsats.
Interestingly, these 2 Microsats appear to be 2nd gen test satellites for SpaceX's own planned Starlink low-latency broadband constellation.
It'll be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The window opens at 06:22 PST / 14:22 UK time.
No word on a landing yet. The first stage is thought to be number 1038, which was flown last August on the Formosat 5 mission.
It's a Block 3 core, so this will be its last flight anyway. The payload is pretty light and it's going to a low earth orbit, so they may have enough juice to kick it back to the new landing pad for the first time. Pure speculation on my part. They may just dunk it in the Pacific or (less likely) send the landing ship out for it.
saaby93 said:
Brother D said:
Leave it to the petulant Guardian to negatively pipe up - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb...
Who is Whitey?It’s like on here how people complain about India having a space program whilst millions live in poverty.
The guardian say it’s ours or Americans business what Musk does with his money as much of the money comes from grants etc.
It’s not my view, I think this stuff inspires people but anyway.
Krikkit said:
Pupp said:
Can someone kindly put me on the right track with the booster and core re-entry please? Been pondering today whether the phenomenal stability and guidance control displayed is purely a product of very clever and subtle variable aerodynamics combined with thrust, or whether (even) more is going on... like big gyros or something to prevent tumbling etc?
Completely otherworldly to watch, whatever
No clever gyros, just clever controls - there are 4x honeycomb-looking paddles which fold down for aerodynamic control, several thrusters up at the top of the booster for top attitude control, as well as the engines being able to vector their thrust. Beyond that it's just clever programming.Completely otherworldly to watch, whatever
You can see each element here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa_mtakPlfw
Edited by RizzoTheRat on Thursday 8th February 13:14
Literally just back from a talk by a NASA SLS engineer. Utterly uninspiring, no real details apart from hammer the reusing proven technology message. Got the feeling no details because there are no solid details..
Quite a comedown from yesterday's launch.
He got hit with many reusability questions etc..
Quite a comedown from yesterday's launch.
He got hit with many reusability questions etc..
Eric Mc said:
I agree with Dog Star. Whilst there is no doubt that the Shuttle allowed certain large scale space based feats to be achieved, overall it did more to hinder progress than accelerate it.
I still think that the US went down a blind alley with the Shuttle. They could have achieved far, far more making use of advanced developments of the technology they had developed for Apollo - particularly making use of the massive lifting capability of the Saturn V.
They agree too, which is why they have gone down the SLS route. However, that has taken so long to get where it is today that I now think others like SpaceX may very well overtake them in the very near future and render SLS obsolete before it even flies.
I hope not. I want NASA to be able to do what it should have been doing 30 years ago.
Buzz Aldrin summed it up with a quote - it was something like "in 60 years we have gone from the Wright Brothers to walking on the moon, only to spend the last 30 years playing around in low earth orbit".I still think that the US went down a blind alley with the Shuttle. They could have achieved far, far more making use of advanced developments of the technology they had developed for Apollo - particularly making use of the massive lifting capability of the Saturn V.
They agree too, which is why they have gone down the SLS route. However, that has taken so long to get where it is today that I now think others like SpaceX may very well overtake them in the very near future and render SLS obsolete before it even flies.
I hope not. I want NASA to be able to do what it should have been doing 30 years ago.
Dog Star said:
Buzz Aldrin summed it up with a quote - it was something like "in 60 years we have gone from the Wright Brothers to walking on the moon, only to spend the last 30 years playing around in low earth orbit".
Wasnt the plan though to use the Space Station as a stepping stone?Use space shuttleresuabel vehicles to get to the station
Interplanetaries from the station to somewhere else
Meanwhile what's at the bottom of the oceans?
MartG said:
SystemParanoia said:
Has anyone got any more info on the Arc they've stowed in the boot ?
https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2018/2/6/16980538/spacex-falcon-heavy-isaac-asimovs-foundation-serieshttps://medium.com/arch-mission-foundation/arch-mi...
360TB of storage that will remain stable for 14Billion years.
saaby93 said:
Dog Star said:
Buzz Aldrin summed it up with a quote - it was something like "in 60 years we have gone from the Wright Brothers to walking on the moon, only to spend the last 30 years playing around in low earth orbit".
Wasnt the plan though to use the Space Station as a stepping stone?Use space shuttleresuabel vehicles to get to the station
Interplanetaries from the station to somewhere else
Meanwhile what's at the bottom of the oceans?
But long term the BFR makes that actually feasible without being impossibly expensive
Thankyou4calling said:
Can someone kindly summarise the Falcon heavy launch for me please?
Where is it actually going? Will it land? What does it do? When does it return etc?
Thanks
2/4 parts already landedWhere is it actually going? Will it land? What does it do? When does it return etc?
Thanks
1/4 parts hit the ocean and performed a RUD
1/4 parts will continue to orbit the sun until it swells up into a red giant and dies.
Thankyou4calling said:
SystemParanoia said:
2/4 parts already landed
1/4 parts hit the ocean and performed a RUD
1/4 parts will continue to orbit the sun until it swells up into a red giant and dies.
Landed where? 1/4 parts hit the ocean and performed a RUD
1/4 parts will continue to orbit the sun until it swells up into a red giant and dies.
RUD?
Apologies but I’m a simple man in this respect.
Thanks
Third booster RUD (rapid unplanned disassembly)
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