• Save 15% on ALL SFF Network merch, until Dec 31st! Use code SFF2024 at checkout. Click here!

SpaceX finally nails a droneship landing!

Phuncz

Lord of the Boards
SFFn Staff
May 9, 2015
5,948
4,953
That is an awesome view. It seemed like a few seconds between when it was still in the atmosphere and it landed, the timelapse fools the mind.
 

jeshikat

Jessica. Wayward SFF.n Founder
Original poster
Silver Supporter
Feb 22, 2015
4,969
4,783
I really hope they make a version of the video in realtime.

And SpaceX is busy! The next 1st stage arrived at the Cape right before Thaicom 8 launched:

 

jtd871

SFF Guru
Jun 22, 2015
1,166
851
It's really amazing that SpaceX can make it look so damned easy when it's so damned not.

+1 on the heatshrink. I'd like to see that wrapping machine.
 

BirdofPrey

Standards Guru
Sep 3, 2015
797
493
Looks like they missed a landing, so still not solidly reliable, but still, that they landed the last few is progress.
 

EdZ

Virtual Realist
May 11, 2015
1,578
2,107
It'll be interesting to see the footage once Go Quest reaches the ASDS and recovers hard-copy of the footage. Elon said this was the hardest landing yet, but also that it was a RUN on landing, though the few seconds of livestream footage showed the stage stationary on the deck, at least for a few moments. SES-9 impacted at sufficient speed to punch a hole in the steel decking, so I can only assume he didn't count that as a landing attempt.
 

EdZ

Virtual Realist
May 11, 2015
1,578
2,107
According to Elon, the stage ran out of O2 at the end of the landing burn, then impacted hard (not as hard as SES-9 though).
In the video, you can see the spurt of smoke as the LOX runs out and the engines vomit uncombusted RP-1 onto the ASDS, then the stage slowly starting to flop over. From the satellite photowe can see the stage is mostly intact, unlike the Jason-3 bellyflop, so likely the lack of LOX to ignite the liberated RP-1 (and possibly the loss of helium pressurant out the bottom of the empty LOX tank and through the engines) made the flop survivable with just a squashed tank rather than an explosive RUD. Still a total loss of the stage, but having most of the bits still sitting on the barge should aid analysis of why the LOX ran out early.
 
  • Like
Reactions: iFreilicht

EdZ

Virtual Realist
May 11, 2015
1,578
2,107
The first F9 Heavy centre core may have been spotted outside of SpaceX's Hawthorne HQ:

Note the beefed-up Octaweb thrust structure (extra outer ring, overall thicker members) and the enlarged protuberances where two of the holddown clamps would be (12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions), as well as 'divots' to either side of them with flat surfaces perpendicular to the protruberances. These likely constitute the mounting points for the side booster cores
For comparison, this is the thrust structure for the F9-021 core (landed after launching the Orbcomm M2 mission):
 
  • Like
Reactions: jØrd

BirdofPrey

Standards Guru
Sep 3, 2015
797
493
That shouldn't be a surprise.
The crawler that moved Saturn 5 rockets to the launch pad is was reused for the shuttle, and if I am not mistaken is slated to be used for SMS.

Not to mention SpaceX is using the same launch complex.
 

jeshikat

Jessica. Wayward SFF.n Founder
Original poster
Silver Supporter
Feb 22, 2015
4,969
4,783
The Falcon 9 exploded during the test fire on the pad and took the satellite with it :(