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Nikxice
Active Member
The ground camera provided a nice clear view of stage separation and boost back burn. The RTLS landing looked dead center and silky smooth. The fly reappeared at T-22, but understand his government security connection ends after 1/20/21.
Cleanest images of reentry ever. Great stuff- looked like the rocket was pretty nonchalant about the whole thing 
"NRO launches second dedicated mission with SpaceX
CHANTILLY, Va, Dec. 19, 2020 —
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) successfully launched its NROL-108 mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 9:00 a.m. EST on Dec. 19, 2020.
The mission carried a classified national security payload designed, built, and operated by the NRO in support of its overhead reconnaissance mission.
“We are excited to partner with SpaceX again,” said NRO’s Principal Deputy Director Dr. Troy Meink. NRO’s first dedicated launch with SpaceX was NROL-76 in May 2017.
“The successful launch of NROL-108 by SpaceX just days after the launch of NROL-44 by United Launch Alliance, underscores NRO’s commitment to a robust launch schedule supported by a growing number of partners and locations,” Meink continued. “Despite the challenges of 2020, NRO this year has successfully launched six missions from two countries. We are dedicated to delivering reconnaissance capabilities that keep this nation and our allies safe, while prioritizing the security and health of our launch teams.”
Data collected by NRO’s national security systems are used to provide intelligence to United States’ senior policy makers, the Intelligence Community, and Department of Defense, as well as U.S. allied partners. Additionally, information collected by NRO systems can be used to assist emergency and disaster relief efforts in the U.S. and around the world."
NRO launches second dedicated mission with SpaceX > National Reconnaissance Office > News Articleshttps://www.nro.gov/News/News-Artic...aunches-second-dedicated-mission-with-spacex/
CHANTILLY, Va, Dec. 19, 2020 —
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) successfully launched its NROL-108 mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 9:00 a.m. EST on Dec. 19, 2020.
The mission carried a classified national security payload designed, built, and operated by the NRO in support of its overhead reconnaissance mission.
“We are excited to partner with SpaceX again,” said NRO’s Principal Deputy Director Dr. Troy Meink. NRO’s first dedicated launch with SpaceX was NROL-76 in May 2017.
“The successful launch of NROL-108 by SpaceX just days after the launch of NROL-44 by United Launch Alliance, underscores NRO’s commitment to a robust launch schedule supported by a growing number of partners and locations,” Meink continued. “Despite the challenges of 2020, NRO this year has successfully launched six missions from two countries. We are dedicated to delivering reconnaissance capabilities that keep this nation and our allies safe, while prioritizing the security and health of our launch teams.”
Data collected by NRO’s national security systems are used to provide intelligence to United States’ senior policy makers, the Intelligence Community, and Department of Defense, as well as U.S. allied partners. Additionally, information collected by NRO systems can be used to assist emergency and disaster relief efforts in the U.S. and around the world."
NRO launches second dedicated mission with SpaceX > National Reconnaissance Office > News Articleshttps://www.nro.gov/News/News-Artic...aunches-second-dedicated-mission-with-spacex/
Cleanest images of reentry ever. Great stuff- looked like the rocket was pretty nonchalant about the whole thing
I still think NROL-76 was the best. This was pretty spectacular though. The dramatic wobbling as the booster was getting close to the LZ was new. Since it steadied out halfway through the landing burn I surmised it was a strong crosswind kicking the booster around.
e-FTW
New electron smell
What I especially liked about the view from the ground was the speed at which both stages moved away from each other, first when the second-stage lit the MVAC and then the first-stage boost-back burn.
Also, focusing on the fist stage (and showing the telemetry for it) allowed us to see how much the thicker air closer to the ground slows down the stage. Like an invisible force (ugh, humans and their inability to see air density) working against gravity. The speed increases a little after entry burn shutdown, but not for long: pretty soon the numbers go down dramatically as the stage gets closer to the ground (and its landing burn) and encounters thicker and thicker air.
Entry burn shutdown @ 2258 km/h:
13 seconds later, free fall speed peaks at 2495km/h:
35 seconds later, just before the landing burn, speed has dropped to 1108km/h or just a bout the speed of sound:
NROL-76 also followed the booster stage throughout its return to the LZ. That particular shot of the second stage boosting away for NROL-108 was new though. Usually the booster is too busy spinning away. This time it lingered for about a second or two longer.
I wonder if they even have cameras on the second stage.
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