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

[bxr140]

Amazing how the almost surreal novelty has already become ho-hum workaday commonplace. Just another rocket returning, no bigs.

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

 

[bxr140]

Intuitively I would think it would take less fuel to land retropulsively after parachutes are deployed and reduced capsule's speed and altitude. What am I missing? Super Dracos could be started and confirmed to be working perfectly before jettisoning parachutes. It shouldn't be impossible to have 3 shoots in reserve just in case something goes with Dracos before the landing.

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...

 

[ICUDoc]

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"?

 

[mongo]

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"?

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?

 

[ICUDoc]

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.

 

[mongo]

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.

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.

 

[ICUDoc]

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

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Requires much less energy and space to simply carry heads. And then they just plug them into cyborg bodies on the space station.

They call them "Celestial Bodies".

 

[e-FTW]

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

About 100 people adorned the shoreline of Jetty Park as the first of SpaceX’s recovery fleet came down the channel. Off in the distance, the Dragon-toting ship GO Searcher was barely visible. Waves crashed against the pier and the constellation Ursa Major shone brightly overhead; excitement grew with each passing minute. Finally, the boat, which had been holding just outside the port, picked up speed and started her approach.

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...

 

[e-FTW]

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)

 

[e-FTW]

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)

 

[e-FTW]

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

Everything went nearly flawlessly during SpaceX's first demonstration mission of its Crew Dragon spacecraft, which splashed down on Friday, March 8. However, the mission almost didn't launch on time, as SpaceX engineers were dealing with a Falcon 9 first stage valve issues in the hours before launch.
Was not disclosed ... The valve was replaced, and SpaceX was able to determine that there should not be any more similar problems with the launch. The Falcon 9 was cleared before NASA's webcast began, and so the problem was not shared with viewers. In any case, there were no issues with the launch itself, or Dragon's performance.

 

[Lift]

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)

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...

 

[Grendal]

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...

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.

 

[Lift]

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.

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.

 

[Grendal]

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.

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.

 

[Grendal]

Bridenstine interviewing Elon Musk prior to the launch:

 

[e-FTW]

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

 

[ecarfan]

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.

 

[SMAlset]

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