Elon Musk at LZ-1 standing next to one of the two Falcon Heavy side boosters.
Source: SpaceX via Instagram (https://t.co/UyiNd2fmi5)
Elon Musk at LZ-1 standing next to one of the two Falcon Heavy side boosters.
Source: SpaceX via Instagram (https://t.co/UyiNd2fmi5)
Unless you have been living under a rock, you now know that yesterday SpaceX accomplished something spectacular. That being the launch and partially successful landing of the Falcon Heavy boosters and the delivery of “Starman” in Elon Musk’s vintage cherry red Tesla Roadster. Both side boosters landed successfully back at the Cape as shown below. Unfortunately the core section failed to initiate the final landing burn and crashed next to the recovery drone ship. YouTube, Reddit, and Twitter are replete with coverage and discussion.
I have selected a few choice (short) videos below for your enjoyments.
Note that even though the bottom videos from the returning side boosters shown above are supposed to be from each individual booster, someone goofed and we see the same video stream displayed on the left and right. SpaceX corrected this with a later video, but that is not currently available on YouTube.
Below is one of the better spectator videos of the landings. (There are many)
Let the New Space Race begin!
SpaceX launch of the US Air Force “minishuttle” Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) X-37B
Another successful launch and landing for Falcon 9. It is beginning to remind me of watching planes take off and land at the airport.
Side note: the contract to launch OTV-5 was awarded to SpaceX directly, without bid
SpaceX Press Kit
From yesterday’s Falcon 9 launch to resupply the International Space Station. I never get tired of watching these.
Note on the entry burn … first the center engine fires up (circular burn pattern), followed by the addition of two outer engines (oval burn pattern).
SpaceX is now successfully relanding the Falcon 9 on every attempt. Impressive!
OK … somebody had to do it. The complete list of every Falcon 9 launch is on Wikipedia!
As of June 25, 2017
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Falcon_9_and_Falcon_Heavy_launches
So … compare this to the Blue Origin numbers also care of Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Origin)
Just sayin’
Watch (almost) EVERY SpaceX Falcon 9 landing attempted … in 80 seconds
And that doesn’t even count two back-to-back landings last week on an Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship (Atlantic AND Pacific) plus the landing at LZ-1 at the beginning of June. Oh … and don’t forget the May 1st landing at LZ-1. So that makes it 18 landings?
See also
https://contrafactual.com/2017/06/25/spacex-iridium-2/
https://contrafactual.com/2017/06/23/bulgariasat-1/
https://contrafactual.com/2017/06/13/yaf9lv/
https://contrafactual.com/2017/06/07/crs-11-falcon-9-landing-close-up/
https://contrafactual.com/2017/06/04/crs-11-falcon-9-landing/
See also LZ-1 vs ASDS, also by Every Day Astronaut
Yet Another Falcon 9 Landing Video
(No sound, aerial view)
June 3rd landing close up
Yet another Falcon 9 landing (from yesterday June 3rd) at LZ-1. Note the arrival of the sonic boom just before landing. Starting to get routine (as it should). This was also the first re-use of a Dragon capsule (Woo Hoo).
For more info on LZ-1 see:
For more on the CRS-11 mission see:
Feels like the 60s again.
SCRUBBED DUE TO WEATHER
From http://www.spacex.com/webcast
New milestones for SpaceX
Click to access crs11finalpresskit.pdf
Launch windows:
Or Blue Origin vs SpaceX*
Note the dates of the quotes and video clips
Props to Jeff Besos and Blue Origin for effort … but seriously?
* compare to Soapbox Derby vs NASCAR
From another view
I can’t get enough of this stuff …
The video below does an excellent job of explaining exactly how the Falcon 9 survives re-entry
The heat of re-entry is due to the compression of the atmosphere ahead of the re-entering vehicle, NOT air friction. Think of a diesel engine that works by highly compressing the air in the cylinder above the ignition temperature of the diesel fuel which is then injected at maximum compression and temperature.
Credit XKCD
I am replaying the video for your convenience
Falcon 9 first stage by the numbers
Speed of sound = 343 m/s
Max speed on ascent = 1685 m/s (Mach 4.9 @ 68 km)
Max altitude (apogee) = 166 km
Max speed on descent = 1407 m/s (Mach 4.1 @ 65km)
Stage separation (2:47) to touchdown (9:24) = 6m 37s
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Go back and rewatch the video while paying close attention to SPEED and ALTITUDE
The Falcon 9 first stage trajectory is quite interesting …
SpaceX – Landing Zone 1 (land) vs Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship (sea)
Why??? The following video (not by me) explains it all.
For the BEST EVER footage of a Falcon 9 landing see my previous post.
SpaceX – today’s launch and landing. Fourth return to Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral. SpaceX makes this look easy!
Wow
Blue Origin’s got nuthin’ on this
SpaceX successfully launches CRS-10 from LC-39A | Falcon 9 first stage lands at LZ-1
Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Airforce Station
Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A, the southern most of the two most northerly pads) with SpaceX modifications
Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1 formerly LC-13 midway down ICBM road )
LC-39A launch
Aerial view of LZ-1 landing
Full coverage with some SpaceX provided historical clips
Links
Aerial snapshots from Apple Maps (TOMTOM)
Welcome to the Future – the revolution will be Tweeted
The post was originally titled Landing Complex 1, however SpaceX now refers to it as Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1).
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Canaveral_Air_Force_Station_Launch_Complex_13