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Watch SpaceX Catch Both Fairing Halves for the First Time

Discussion in 'SpaceX' started by TMC Staff, Jul 21, 2020.

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  1. TMC Staff

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    SpaceX’s mission on Monday included another milestone for the company – the first time they’ve been able to catch both halves of a rocket’s nosecone fairing as it returns to Earth. The company shared videos of the accomplishment on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/4VHZr8gK6D— SpaceX (@Spacex) July 21, 2020 SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk has said the rocket...
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  2. pgolden

    pgolden Member

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    Is anyone besides me (An east coast of Florida resident) concernEd about that big-ass parachute just dropping in the sea to become more ocean trash and possibly trapping marine life? Seems like with all their engineering know-how they could capture the parachute too. Maybe they do; the video clip doesn’t really say.
     
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  3. Gulbuth

    Gulbuth Member

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    It'll float for awhile. If that's a manned boat they may have turned around and picked it up.

    Gulbuth the Rampant
     
  4. Grendal

    Grendal SpaceX Moderator

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    #4 Grendal, Jul 22, 2020
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2020
    Yes. They recover the very expensive parachute.

    If you're worried about ocean clutter then I'd be more upset that every other launch company in the world just lets their booster drop into the ocean. SpaceX actually recovers their boosters - then reuses them. 56 times so far. So that is 56 boosters that were not just turned into ocean trash.

    In 2019, there was 102 rocket launches around the world and SpaceX had 13 of them. So that is 89 rocket boosters dropped into the ocean or, in some cases, on land (Russia and China does this).

    SpaceX attempts to recover as much of their rocket as possible and has been working on recovering the fairings for years. This is the first time they've recovered both halves without landing in the ocean first.
     
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  5. MichaelP90DL

    MichaelP90DL Active Member

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    Too cool for words!
     
  6. Red Tess

    Red Tess Member

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    I agree, the parachute should be recovered, if only to prevent more trash in the ocean if it can't be reused. Seems that they release the chute on capture. If they just release one side it would de-power the chute and it could be recovered. Anyone have a contact with SpaceX to ask? Inquiring minds want to know...
     
  7. adiggs

    adiggs Active Member

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    I wouldn't trust release on one side - even if it's not 'inflated', it's still a big sheet to grab the wind, and if it pulls the fairing out of the net, that's bad / expensive. If it floats for awhile though, pretty easy to run back around and throw out a fishing line though ....
     
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  8. HankLloydRight

    HankLloydRight No Roads

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    How do they track the fairings? GPS? Is it human-assisted or semi-automated? What's the terminal velocity of the falling fairing with the chute? I wish there was a 5 minute video "How we catch the fairings". ;)
     
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  9. mongo

    mongo Well-Known Member

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    GPS and boat is automated during the landing.
    (please forgive the lack of a link)
     
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  10. mongo

    mongo Well-Known Member

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    Link: Extended transcript: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on putting boots on the moon and Mars

    Found it via:
    Fairing Recovery Compendium – ElonX.net
     
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  11. HankLloydRight

    HankLloydRight No Roads

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    • Like x 3

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