SpaceX F9 - Iridium Next 56-65 - SLC-4E

[Nikxice]

Successful launch, waiting for deployment of the 10 Iridium satellites. SpaceX has just confirmed that the first stage is upright on JRTI. Commentator John Insprucker described the landing zone as the worst conditions SpaceX has had to deal with to date and the landing would be "iffy". Also waiting on word of a possible fairing catch with Mr. Steven.

 

[Nikxice]

According to John Insprucker the crew aboard Mr. Steven acquired a visual of the intended fairing half, but wind shear contributed to its missing the net. Chime in hear with Maxwell Smart!

 

[scaesare]

The fact that even in rough seas the landings are feeling rather anticlimactic these days is a testimony to what SpaceX has accomplished. This has become routine for them...

What I'd really like to see is a way to get a solid un-interrupted feed from the booster and ASDS during landing. They often get cut-off... and I understand why, those are some pretty extreme conditions. I hope at some point they come up with a novel solution for that.

The other thing I'd like to see is some Mr. Steven fairing catching attempt footage... even if they are failures. WE learned/enjoyed as much fromt he booster landing RUDs as we did anything else. Seems to be a great opportunity for some drone shots...

 

[ecarfan]

Just watched the webcast replay. Glad that I decided not to go to this launch as apparently I would not have been able to see anything.

Have the Sep 5th launch on my calendar. At that time of year fog is unlikely I think, and seeing the booster RTLS should be fantastic!

 

[ggr]

What I'd really like to see is a way to get a solid un-interrupted feed from the booster and ASDS during landing. They often get cut-off... and I understand why, those are some pretty extreme conditions. I hope at some point they come up with a novel solution for that.

I think the uplink cuts off because the vibration or turbulence causes the satellite antenna to shift. I think there's an obvious solution; put a wi-fi receiver and satellite uplink onto a smaller barge, and park it 100m away from the ASDS. This one could be called "Fine Print".

 

[Nikxice]

All 10 Iridium satellites have been released, no word yet on the success of a Model 3 delivery just outside New Mexico.

 

[GWord]

All 10 Iridium satellites have been released, no word yet on the success of a Model 3 delivery just outside New Mexico.

"In other news, due to a small mix up, a man in New Mexico took delivery of an Iridium satellite. Also, there is now a Model 3 in polar orbit."

 

[RDoc]

"In other news, due to a small mix up, a man in New Mexico took delivery of an Iridium satellite. Also, there is now a Model 3 in polar orbit."

The good news is the satellite has FSD enabled.

 

[RDoc]

According to John Insprucker the crew aboard Mr. Steven acquired a visual of the intended fairing half, but wind shear contributed to its missing the net. Chime in hear with Maxwell Smart!

I still think this "catcher's mitt" recovery scheme is totally Rube Goldberg and dangerous to the crew as well. They really need to rethink this IMHO.

 

[Cosmacelf]

I still think this "catcher's mitt" recovery scheme is totally Rube Goldberg and dangerous to the crew as well. They really need to rethink this IMHO.

Crew? I thought it was autonomous or at least remotely controlled.

 

[Zaxxon]

I'm resisting the urge to go check in on @Grendal as the delivery center is only a few miles away from me.

 

[Electroman]

put a wi-fi receiver and satellite uplink onto a smaller barge, and park it 100m away from the ASDS. This one could be called "Fine Print".

If you go to the trouble of having a barge 100m away (which i think is a great idea), you might as well put some cameras in there and broadcast it. I would prefer a third persons view from a small distance away similar to footage from chase planes

 

[Vancity-Tes1a]

When is the Space X internet going to come? I am ready to switch my phone plan.

 

[RDoc]

Crew? I thought it was autonomous or at least remotely controlled.

Do you have a source for that?

It's certainly not autonomous, that would be a giant software project in itself since it has to chase down the falling fairing. I've never heard anyone suggest it was remotely controlled and I'm not even sure that's possible. There are also pictures that seem to be from the boat.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Do you have a source for that?

It's certainly not autonomous, that would be a giant software project in itself since it has to chase down the falling fairing. I've never heard anyone suggest it was remotely controlled and I'm not even sure that's possible. There are also pictures that seem to be from the boat.

Sorry, seems I was wrong, the boat does have a crew.

Anyhoo, catching the faring isn’t super dangerous as the fairing is coming down under a parachute.

 

[e-FTW]

You know, all those operations in orbit look so serene, and smooth. But when you take a look at the onscreen data, that last burn by the second stage was brutal! It only lasted about 4 seconds, but added north of 450 km/h (280 mph) to the speed!

You would definitely feel that if you were riding it! That is one heck of a shove, like what a top fuel dragster does to a driver on a quarter mile run.
Now, I may be forgetting some important fact about orbital mechanics, but I am impressed nonetheless.

 

[GWord]

You, all those operations in orbit look so serene, and smooth. But when you take a look at the onscreen data, that last burn by the second stage was brutal! It only lasted about 4 seconds, but added north of 450 km/h (280 mph) to the speed!

You would definitely feel that if you were riding it! That is one heck of a shove, like what a top fuel dragster does to a driver on a quarter mile run.
Now, I may be forgetting some important fact about orbital mechanics, but I am impressed nonetheless.

Just 0.2 G. Not too dramatic. Top fuel dragsters experience 4Gs although the launch can spike at 8 for a moment.

 

[Brass Guy]

Just 0.2 G. Not too dramatic. Top fuel dragsters experience 4Gs although the launch can spike at 8 for a moment.

280mph / 4sec= 70mph/sec
* 5280 ft/mile = 369,600' /h /s
/ 3600 sec/hr = 102.7' /s /s
/ 32 ft/s/s /G = 3.2G
Is my math right? If so it's a lot more than 0.2G.

 

[GWord]

280mph / 4sec= 70mph/sec
* 5280 ft/mile = 369,600' /h /s
/ 3600 sec/hr = 102.7' /s /s
/ 32 ft/s/s /G = 3.2G
Is my math right? If so it's a lot more than 0.2G.

Shoot, you're right. I started with 450m/h, not km/h.

 

[Electroman]

280mph / 4sec= 70mph/sec
* 5280 ft/mile = 369,600' /h /s
/ 3600 sec/hr = 102.7' /s /s
/ 32 ft/s/s /G = 3.2G
Is my math right? If so it's a lot more than 0.2G.

Yes I think your math is correct.

The best Tesla Roadster 2.0 can do is 0-60 in 2s. Here it is 0-60 in less than 0.5 seconds, which is 4 times more acceleration than the Roadster. And it keeps that acceleration for 4 seconds.