SpaceX finally lands rocket on a barge

[Bagnaj97]

They've landed another on the barge. This time it was a launch to geostationary transfer orbit, so fuel margins were much tighter and velocity was higher.

[DanceswithUnix]

They've landed another on the barge. This time it was a launch to geostationary transfer orbit, so fuel margins were much tighter and velocity was higher.

That's so near the mark it's just showing off now



(from Ars article: http://arstechnica.co.uk/science/201...e-sea-landing/)

Edit: So, 4 times the energy to get rid of and less fuel to do it with. That's a pretty sweet landing!

There was an interesting Ars article (they seem to be big Elon Musk fans there) which mentioned that one of the technologies being explored in these landings is the reverse thrust burn at high altitude where there isn't much atmosphere, as that is much like a landing burn would be on Mars where there isn't much atmosphere: http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/...-the-falcon-9/

[DanceswithUnix]

Apparently while today's launch was a success the landing was an "RUD" (Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly )

One of the landing boosters didn't provide enough thrust.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk

The last frames on the live feed looked like a landing, but I guess the frames showing the kaboom were still in the video feed buffers before transmission when the shockwave hit.

[Peter Parker]

Apparently while today's launch was a success the landing was an "RUD" (Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly )

One of the landing boosters didn't provide enough thrust.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk

The last frames on the live feed looked like a landing, but I guess the frames showing the kaboom were still in the video feed buffers before transmission when the shockwave hit.

The barge/boat survived though, so not that bad. Looks like they'll try to fix it by improving the control software for the three operating engines. Real rocket science going on!

There's probably an ideal "success/Kaboom" ratio, so that they can keep learning from mistakes and the press get an exciting explosion video once in a while. The next CRS mission 1st stage booster could be an easier landing and maybe direct on land rather than the barge.

[Bagnaj97]

The key thing to note is that none of the RUDs have been due to the same cause - they're learning each time and fixing the problems.
If there's a RUD with the same cause then there might be something to worry about.

[jimbouk]

Must be quite liberating to be working on a project like that. Previously the return rate was 0%, so even if they smash a few trying to land them they're no worse off than the competition!

[DanceswithUnix]

If there's a RUD with the same cause then there might be something to worry about.

Just means they learnt that the previous fix wasn't good enough, that's still learning

Must be quite liberating to be working on a project like that. Previously the return rate was 0%, so even if they smash a few trying to land them they're no worse off than the competition!

Absolutely.

Interesting bit in the live feed on YouTube where they were describing the mesh pattern steering paddles that pop out for descent. Presenters were gesturing "this big by this big made of solid aluminium" with arms stretched right apart. They don't look that significant in the pictures, but they are really substantial so the forces on them must be massive. I just keep on being impressed by these guys.

Edit to add: Flying a vertical tube with some double bed mattress sized aluminium grids of aerofoils that operate trans-sonic speeds. I guess that takes some serious precision hydraulics.

[DanceswithUnix]

Apparently SpaceX are getting so good at this that they failed to ditch the last rocket into the sea and now will have to go tow it back to shore

https://arstechnica.com/science/2018...nd-its-rocket/