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SpaceX F9 - Comm Crew DM-1 - LC-39A

Discussion in 'SpaceX' started by Grendal, Nov 24, 2018.

  1. bxr140

    bxr140 Active Member

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    To be fair, that happened like halfway through Apollot 14. And that's only because 13 made for such good teevee... ;)
     
  2. bxr140

    bxr140 Active Member

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    From a KISS perspective, its better to keep it as one or the other. Two solutions is just a distraction, even if as a redundancy; If you're so concerned that your retros won't work that you need to bolt parachutes on there too, just in case, you might as well just use the chutes.

    As cool as it would be for SpaceX to go full retro, chutes are the right way to play the gub'ment game. Get the Deciders comfortable with a non-government launcher FIRST, then worry about layering in more progressive technology like retros once you have successful manned missions under your belt.

    Had this past mission tried to retro down and failed in any way it would have set back SpaceX's bid for supremacy pretty significantly. Look at all the bad press SpaceX got during the landing failures...and there was no congressional money on the line with any of them...
     
  3. ICUDoc

    ICUDoc Active Member

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    I'd love to see retropulsive landings- the F9s look amazing, Dragon would be even more fun. But I can't see how SpaceX might have both technologies (retro AND parachutes) on Dragon at the same time. Wouldn't the fuel mass make it far too heavy to have "just in case"?
     
  4. mongo

    mongo Well-Known Member

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    Maybe, but it still has all the fuel for launch abort. Using the chutes for most of the slow down would get you within the fuel available. Still complicated to switch to engines though...
    Is refurbishment/ replacement cost of 8 SDs more than ocean based refurbishment and recovery?

    Bigger net on Mr Steven or bouncy house?
     
  5. ICUDoc

    ICUDoc Active Member

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    Sorry, I thought it was chutes OR rockets. I see you mean chutes for most of the descent then rockets to finish. Now it makes sense.
    Ok, I'm happy now. Proceed, Elon.
     
  6. mongo

    mongo Well-Known Member

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    I think Red Dragon was fully retropropulsive landing (due to lack of atmosphere). I threw the chutes in there to cover my bases on fuel load.
     
  7. ICUDoc

    ICUDoc Active Member

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    Gotcha. Can't wait to see the next SpaceX flight...
     
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  8. ItsNotAboutTheMoney

    ItsNotAboutTheMoney Well-Known Member

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    They call them "Celestial Bodies".
     
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  9. e-FTW

    e-FTW New electron smell

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    Crew Dragon made it back to port on Saturday, with a crowd in attendance: SpaceX's 1st Crew Dragon Arrives in Port After Historic Mission (Photos) — Space.com
    It appears to have been moved forward from its position at the recovery site, to under the helipad. Probably smart, as from watching it on the “nest” in the rolling sea last week, I was imagining a future recovery in rougher seas where the capsule would tip over into the drink...
     
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  10. e-FTW

    e-FTW New electron smell

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    Pics of Dragon begin taken off the ship. Yummy marshmallow!
    SpaceXFleet Updates on Twitter

    (It appears the angle of the previous pics three me. The s’more was still on the back of the ship)
     
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  11. e-FTW

    e-FTW New electron smell

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    Pics of Dragon begin taken off the ship. Yummy marshmallow!
    SpaceXFleet Updates on Twitter

    (It appears the angle of the previous pics threw me. The s’more was still on the back of the ship)

    [​IMG]
     
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  12. e-FTW

    e-FTW New electron smell

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    Had not seen this mentioned before, and saw this in Ars’ Rocket Report email:
     
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  13. Lift

    Lift Member

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    Wow, will be interesting to see if it'll look a little grayish-white after they clean it for the IFA. I'd love to have whatever cleaning sollution they use for some of my pots and pans...
     
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  14. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    SpaceX has decided that cleaning reused equipment, except what is absolutely necessary, is a waste of time and money. Their philosophy is to avoid cosmetic cleaning. So I'd expect this capsule will still look pretty toasty during the IFA test. For sure the booster will be toasty looking.
     
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  15. Lift

    Lift Member

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    I could be wrong, but weren't the first couple boosters cleaned thoroughly to also make sure everything checked out? And then after they realized that cleaning wasn't needed, they stopped? Since Dragon 2 is a new vehicle, I would guess that they would go through that same process.
     
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  16. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    It's possible. I expect it will have more to do with what NASA wants than whether SpaceX decides it's needed or not. NASA is the customer and we know for certain that the first contract is for all new capsules for every manned mission. The cargo capsules are going to be used Crew capsules and will need refurbishment just to remove all the unnecessary stuff for keeping the crew alive. I wonder how many of those will be needed. Just one and continuously refurbish it? It sounds like they intend to reuse at least one or more of the Crew capsules for potential commercial tourism launches. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
     
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  17. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    Bridenstine interviewing Elon Musk prior to the launch:
     
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  18. e-FTW

    e-FTW New electron smell

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    This booster is back in the hanger and just had landing legs removed. It was actively getting worked on (and rotated) while SpaceX was integrating FH. You can see that in the time-lapse SpaceX released: SpaceX on Twitter

    Just ignore Falcon Heavy, and you will see it: SpaceX on Twitter

    [​IMG]
     
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  19. ecarfan

    ecarfan Well-Known Member

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    I’m having a hard time ignoring the FH with 27 Merlins that look like they are ready for action. ;)

    Cool time lapse! Amazing to see.
     
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  20. SMAlset

    SMAlset Well-Known Member

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    For anyone that expressed interest in getting a hold of one of the Earth Celestial Buddies that went up in the Dragon, I just got a shipping notice today for the one I ordered. The website is still saying Temporarily Out of Stock and I spoke with John at Celestial Buddies and he said that they received a shipment smaller than they hoped with enough Earths to fill existing orders with maybe 100 extra. So if you want one soon, he said to order Now. He said the next batch of Earths won't arrive until likely mid-June.

    BTW Celestial Buddies is a 2-person, small business. His daughter is the designer of the planets and he helps with the business end. Really nice guy and his daughter's designs are just so cute hard not to appeal to kids.

    Earth - Temporarily Out of Stock Due to High Demand
     
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