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Skotty
2014 S P85 | 2023 F-150L
I wonder why they can't just fold the legs back up for transport. Maybe they have to take them off anyway for inspection and, if reused, cleaning. Hmm...
NikeWings
Active Member
i attended a celebratory bar bash with SpaceX folks last weekend and asked a similar question between beers and a ton of questions for that matter between more beers.
Most everything is disassembled and reassembled for QC, R&D, copious stress testing, haz analysis etc. essentially everything imaginable and as much unimaginable as possible. He described the breakdown and disassembly process following recovery as "beyond civilian imaginable" heavily secured, monitored, recorded, and documented processes developed from NASA playbooks and in close conjunction with NASA on an ongoing basis. About 4-6 months depending on speed, heat and stress testing results to get fully reassembled and test firing. Goal is <2 months. Discussing the procedures around unplanned disassembly were even more interesting to me. Rocket forensics. And I imagine I only got the public byline anyway. But still fascinating. (Non engineer here)
BTW, I had many payload questions and was provided an interesting link http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/falcon_9_users_guide_rev_2.0.pdf
I'm a rocket enthusiast but so so so novice, so this is fundamental learning for me.
The brainiacs consumed beyond civilian imaginable quantities of alcohol. They deserved it.
Most everything is disassembled and reassembled for QC, R&D, copious stress testing, haz analysis etc. essentially everything imaginable and as much unimaginable as possible. He described the breakdown and disassembly process following recovery as "beyond civilian imaginable" heavily secured, monitored, recorded, and documented processes developed from NASA playbooks and in close conjunction with NASA on an ongoing basis. About 4-6 months depending on speed, heat and stress testing results to get fully reassembled and test firing. Goal is <2 months. Discussing the procedures around unplanned disassembly were even more interesting to me. Rocket forensics. And I imagine I only got the public byline anyway. But still fascinating. (Non engineer here)
BTW, I had many payload questions and was provided an interesting link http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/falcon_9_users_guide_rev_2.0.pdf
I'm a rocket enthusiast but so so so novice, so this is fundamental learning for me.
The brainiacs consumed beyond civilian imaginable quantities of alcohol. They deserved it.
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Brovane
Member
The landing legs themselves have crush zones on them to help absorb the shock of the landing.
Thanks for the link to the Falcon Users Guide. I laughed reading that title. What a great opportunity to talk to SpaceX employees. I am in awe of all of them.
Nikxice
Active Member
Thanks for that link. It appears written for customers in the initial stages of launch planning. Not overly technical and has plenty of good info. If not already linked, this file might be a good supplement to
Space(X) acronyms and abbreviations
Laughed too. Perhaps should be called, A Falcon Users Guide to the Galaxy!
This article has a few details about how that amazing stage landing shot was done How did SpaceX snap this stunning rocket-landing photo?
It looks like the stage touched down less than 20 feet off center (my very rough estimate). Almost dead on.
It looks like the stage touched down less than 20 feet off center (my very rough estimate). Almost dead on.
To day (Tomorrow?) the first stage will probably be moved from San Pedro harbor to Hawthorne. For some reason I image it to be a ticker tape parade...
Oddly many NHL-fans seems to be also space flight enthusiasts.
Oddly many NHL-fans seems to be also space flight enthusiasts.
Thanks for the link. Fascinating article.
As usual, I think the rocket landed dead center and skidded the 20 feet to an off center position. If you take the opportunity to watch the landing again (any excuse for that), you'll see that last moment slide to the left that we've seen on other ASDS landings.
WAG on my part but I would think that at that last moment where the booster is dead center and at 0 feet off the target but the rocket still has no weight on the ASDS. At that point the movement of the ASDS can cause a slide or possibly the correction of the tilt of the rocket itself causing what looks like a slide effect.
It's pretty meaningless overall as long as the landing happens. I think it just highlights what an incredible thing that SpaceX is achieving. The number of variables that they are juggling to make that landing happen has to be astounding.
To day (Tomorrow?) the first stage will probably be moved from San Pedro harbor to Hawthorne. For some reason I image it to be a ticker tape parade...
Oddly many NHL-fans seems to be also space flight enthusiasts.
SpaceX certainly deserves a parade for what it has accomplished but space and rockets just don't get the same appreciation that they did after the first moon landing. We're lucky SpaceX even makes the news.
NikeWings
Active Member
e-FTW
New electron smell
Am massively jealous. I need better friends...
Am back in LA in a few weeks. When's the next bash?
I don't know if it has been mentioned yet but SpaceX is now labelling their boosters. Besides being an awesome picture, this picture shows clearly that the recovered Iridium booster is good old number 29. Hopefully, to be reused sometime soon.
Piney999
Member
I got it from Facebook SpaceX Group. I think they got it from SpaceX Flikr account.
They did. It's a zoomed in picture there.
SpaceX
Thanks for the great photos.
Whatever they are using now looks like it fades far too easily- I suggest Spacex use a Sharpie or lipstick to label the boosters. Essentially permanent.
Whatever they are using now looks like it fades far too easily- I suggest Spacex use a Sharpie or lipstick to label the boosters. Essentially permanent.
Nikxice
Active Member
Great photo, could almost be mistaken for a painting. It reminded me of this Saturn V piece by NASA sketch artist Paul Calle. Hard to believe it was almost 50 years ago. He named it "Power To Go".
