SpaceX plans ocean platform landing

[Rheazombi]

I don't think it's a joke. (well, I mean obviously it is a cheeky name, but I mean it is not a practical joke) The name is a reference to The Culture series of sci fi novels, whose author recently died. It's a tribute to him. The photo Elon shared may have been a photoshop mockup of what they plan on doing, but was not the real thing. Some people on reddit claim they have seen people laying down stencils on the deck of the ASDS via a cruiseliner webcam.


edit: whoa, spooky how doug and I wrote the same thing at the same time! lol

 

[Grendal]

Since Elon has opened up the can of funny, the moderators at SpaceFlight Now Forum have a ASDS landing bingo:

SpaceX ASDS Landing Bingo

Where will the booster actually land? Pick a square! It's pretty filled in by now....

 

[ecarfan]

It's humorous, but I don't think it's just a joke. The names were in honor of SF author Iain M. Banks in reference to the Culture series of novels.

Culture series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It appears that my post earlier today was about a different photo that Elon tweeted than the one your are referencing?

 

[Robert.Boston]

It's humorous, but I don't think it's just a joke. The names were in honor of SF author Iain M. Banks in reference to the Culture series of novels.

Culture series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

FWIW, my Model S is named "Wit Amidst Folly". RIP, Ian M. Banks.

 

[Grendal]

FWIW, my Model S is named "Wit Amidst Folly". RIP, Ian M. Banks.

Off topic but I really need to read those books.

 

[Bgarret]

Off topic but I really need to read those books.

Just ordered the box set from Amazon...

 

[chickensevil]

Here we go! Launch still scheduled for tomorrow at 6:10PM!!! Landing anticipated roughly 30min from the launch time. Near ideal weather on the forecast for tomorrow! So unless something is wrong with the rocket that forces a scrub we should be on point for a perfect launch and landing. So excited!!!!

Near-ideal weather expected for Sundays Falcon 9 launch | Spaceflight Now

 

[hockeythug]

From the press conference:

Added more hydraulic fluid. Added weight will now "double the dynamic pressure" and will make the landing more difficult. Only two burns instead of 3. Whole thing will take about 9 minutes.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Not quite. It isn't the added weight that will double the dynamic pressure on the 1st stage fly back, it is the much steeper trajectory due to the primary mission.

 

[hockeythug]

Not quite. It isn't the added weight that will double the dynamic pressure on the 1st stage fly back, it is the much steeper trajectory due to the primary mission.

Makes sense. I'm still kind of a rocket noob.

 

[Grendal]

Not quite. It isn't the added weight that will double the dynamic pressure on the 1st stage fly back, it is the much steeper trajectory due to the primary mission.

With a steeper trajectory, does that mean the ASDS will be located much closer to land?

Losing an entire burn will definitely make the landing much harder to "stick."

This will be exciting. I really hope they pull it off with this one.

 

[Auzie]

This will be exciting. I really hope they pull it off with this one.

Maybe they do, maybe they don't. Eventually, they will.

 

[ecarfan]

I am missing the meaning of the photo you posted.

Hope all goes well for SpaceX tomorrow!

 

[Auzie]

I am missing the meaning of the photo you posted.

Hope all goes well for SpaceX tomorrow!

After the last launch:

Before the launch:

Lets hope for a cigar this time

 

[Lump]

SpaceX, Air Force sign deal for landing pad at Cape

SpaceX and the Air Force have reached an agreement to use a former Atlas launch pad on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as a landing site for returning Falcon rocket boosters, the 45th Space Wing has confirmed.

 

[chickensevil]

SpaceX, Air Force sign deal for landing pad at Cape

So cool! I am glad to see this happen

- - - Updated - - -

Looking over the wiki page on the various launch sites I never realized that of the 40 something sites only 3 are active with the rest just sitting there doing nothing... It is quite depressing how much we have pulled back on shooting stuff into the sky (granted a lot of that testing was military based testing... but still) Here is hoping for a future that sees the Cape return to its full former glory!

 

[hockeythug]

Reading that weather in the Atlantic could force them to ditch the landing attempt. Will be a launch time decision though.

 

[chickensevil]

Also in case anyone was curious the next launch (scheduled for the end of the month currently) will *not* have a landing attempt. There are no legs on that rocket.

 

[mknox]

Here is hoping for a future that sees the Cape return to its full former glory!

Agreed! I can still remember being at the Cape in the fall of 1967 as a kid and seeing one of the first full up Saturn V test vehicles coming out of the VAB. Probably the unmanned Apollo 4 based on the timeline.

 

[zbarni]

Does anyone know when will the next landing attempt take place? March, early April? I've googled it, but I haven't found any detail on the Dragon V2's pad abort test. When will that be?
Hope today's landing will be a succes though.