8 ms·

SpaceX: “First stage landing confirmed at LZ-1”

170 points by abhi3 10y ago

grinich 10y ago
Night rocket landings are so beautiful. Check out this screencap from the livestream: http://i.imgur.com/FonyaMv.jpg http://i.imgur.com/FonyaMv.jpg
- joecasson 10y ago
  Great shot. I hadn't watched a night landing before, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Shoot, when I sat down and saw the 43 minute video time, I didn't think I would make it. Time flew ;D
- iamcreasy 10y ago
  Today was even better. On most drone ship landing the ship looses satellite connection because of the extreme vibration cause by approaching Merlin engines.
  - frgewut 10y ago
    I don't quite get why video feed is such a problem. Can't it be recorded and then transmitted a few minutes later?
- luke_s 10y ago
  Actually, check out this long exposure: http://i.imgur.com/sy6cSDV.jpg http://i.imgur.com/sy6cSDV.jpg It shows all 5 burns, in one shot. From a /r/spacex comment [1], we have: 1 - The ascent burn of the 9 Merlin-1D engines: the long bright arc upwards, 2 - the single Merlin-1D-Vac second stage burn: the thin, short line starting after the short pause of MECO, 3 - the 3-engine 'boostback burn' of the first stage, the upwards arcing thin 'fish hook' part that is overlaid with the thin second stage arc - which sent the first stage on a return trajectory towards Landing Zone 1, 4 - the 3-engine 're-entry burn' of the first stage at an altitude of about 50 miles: the bright vertical line above the ascent arc, 5 - and the final 1-engine 'landing burn' of the first stage: the lowest bright vertical line ending at the landing pad! It's a fantastic photo! [1] - https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/4tdi30/heres_my_long_exposure_photograph_of_the_falcon_9/d5gh4v3 https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/4tdi30/heres_my_lon...
blueintegral 10y ago
They've only landed a handful now, but they're already making it look so easy.
- jacquesm 10y ago
  That's what all real innovation is about: making something difficult look easy.
- TrevorJ 10y ago
  So far the success rate is better than even Elon was predicting, which is a really good sign. Biggest unknown now is the cost and reliability of doing a reflight on a used core.
generj 10y ago
Looked like a perfectly nominal launch. SpaceX has some good hardware, hopefully they can pump out some more of it. I liked the Pokemon Go meme at the end of the webcast, even if the host crew's acting was fairly poor.
- batguano 10y ago
  > ... even if the host crew's acting was fairly poor. I find the SpaceX reporters to be much more informative (and much less irritating) that the standard network morons. These are (mostly or all, AFAIK) actual SpaceX employees, with both genuine passion for the program and knowledge of the mission. And if they are a little less polished than many TV journalists, they make up for it in enthusiasm, as well as just dorky adorableness.
  - generj 10y ago
    Oh, I don't disagree with you. There is a depth of genuine emotion, and they inform without dumbing down what is actually going on. By watching several hosted webcasts, I've learned esoteric details I wouldn't have otherwise. Sometimes it is a little too unpolished for me though - the guy running his pencil down a chart of mission activities was pretty weird. The whole time I was thinking: is the timeline for the next few activities not on your laptop screen?
  - gozur88 10y ago
    >I find the SpaceX reporters to be much more informative (and much less irritating) that the standard network morons. Jeez. Talk about a low bar. The problem with most journalists is they don't really know anything, so they just repeat what people tell them. These folks have a huge advantage in that they're only covering a single subject, and they understand that subject very well.
- dogma1138 10y ago
  Iirc the casters are engineering employees that are rotated with every launch. They do selection mostly to make sure they are photogenic enough and can face a camera but they aren't professional reporters.
piquadrat 10y ago
I find this statement from Elon really interesting[1]: > We just completed the post-landing inspection and all systems look good. Ready to fly again. While Elon Musk is known for being a bit optimistic with his predictions from time to time, it really points to where SpaceX wants to be: instant reusability. That's when we really reach a new space age, when rockets are as reusable as airplanes, and SpaceX is working on it. What a time to be alive. [1]: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/754931091891453952 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/754931091891453952
- simonh 10y ago
  > We just completed the post-landing inspection and all systems look good. Ready to fly again. It makes me wonder if they should literally do that. Fuel up the stage, send it off and recover it again. Maybe fit it out with a dummy upper stage. They have a handful of first stages now, so why not? It would reassure insurers and customers that the process is reliable, provide opportunities to trial out and streamline the refit process and provide valuable info on stage wear and tear. They're need to get flight approvals and so on, it would certainly cost a lot more than just the fuel so might not be worth the trouble.
  - typicalbender 10y ago
    Wouldn't it be great if after a few more successful launches and recoveries they just come out and say they've been re-using the rockets all along.
    - ygra 10y ago
      Payload insurance won't like that very much.
      - typicalbender 10y ago
        Them pulling it off doesn't mean that they aren't telling their insurers :)
  - 10y ago
monk_e_boy 10y ago
First landing: 400+ comments Today's landing: 9 comments.
- nicolapcweek94 10y ago
  Elon Musk: "We'll be successful, ironically, when it becomes boring." Well, it's not boring yet, but it's definitely not on "First successful booster landing ever" hype levels, though probably the first few Falcon Heavy flights and the Mars announcement will be
pbosko 10y ago
It was so nominal! :D
Diederich 10y ago
This is some cool video of the landing, split screen. One perspective is from the rocket itself. I think it's DAMN cool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKCU6WfLtjk&feature=youtu.be&t=1m10s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKCU6WfLtjk&feature=youtu.be... Watch the video from the beginning to see the deceleration burn, which is visually pretty interesting.
- mstade 10y ago
  Very, very cool – thanks for sharing!
smpetrey 10y ago
Anyone else watch the webcast until the end? http://imgur.com/RhWlaZC http://imgur.com/RhWlaZC

170 points by abhi3 10y ago

Night rocket landings are so beautiful. Check out this screencap from the livestream: http://i.imgur.com/FonyaMv.jpg http://i.imgur.com/FonyaMv.jpg

joecasson 10y ago
Great shot. I hadn't watched a night landing before, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Shoot, when I sat down and saw the 43 minute video time, I didn't think I would make it. Time flew ;D
iamcreasy 10y ago
Today was even better. On most drone ship landing the ship looses satellite connection because of the extreme vibration cause by approaching Merlin engines.
- frgewut 10y ago
  I don't quite get why video feed is such a problem. Can't it be recorded and then transmitted a few minutes later?
luke_s 10y ago
Actually, check out this long exposure: http://i.imgur.com/sy6cSDV.jpg http://i.imgur.com/sy6cSDV.jpg It shows all 5 burns, in one shot. From a /r/spacex comment [1], we have: 1 - The ascent burn of the 9 Merlin-1D engines: the long bright arc upwards, 2 - the single Merlin-1D-Vac second stage burn: the thin, short line starting after the short pause of MECO, 3 - the 3-engine 'boostback burn' of the first stage, the upwards arcing thin 'fish hook' part that is overlaid with the thin second stage arc - which sent the first stage on a return trajectory towards Landing Zone 1, 4 - the 3-engine 're-entry burn' of the first stage at an altitude of about 50 miles: the bright vertical line above the ascent arc, 5 - and the final 1-engine 'landing burn' of the first stage: the lowest bright vertical line ending at the landing pad! It's a fantastic photo! [1] - https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/4tdi30/heres_my_long_exposure_photograph_of_the_falcon_9/d5gh4v3 https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/4tdi30/heres_my_lon...

blueintegral 10y ago

They've only landed a handful now, but they're already making it look so easy.

jacquesm 10y ago
That's what all real innovation is about: making something difficult look easy.
TrevorJ 10y ago
So far the success rate is better than even Elon was predicting, which is a really good sign. Biggest unknown now is the cost and reliability of doing a reflight on a used core.

generj 10y ago

Looked like a perfectly nominal launch. SpaceX has some good hardware, hopefully they can pump out some more of it. I liked the Pokemon Go meme at the end of the webcast, even if the host crew's acting was fairly poor.

batguano 10y ago
> ... even if the host crew's acting was fairly poor. I find the SpaceX reporters to be much more informative (and much less irritating) that the standard network morons. These are (mostly or all, AFAIK) actual SpaceX employees, with both genuine passion for the program and knowledge of the mission. And if they are a little less polished than many TV journalists, they make up for it in enthusiasm, as well as just dorky adorableness.
- generj 10y ago
  Oh, I don't disagree with you. There is a depth of genuine emotion, and they inform without dumbing down what is actually going on. By watching several hosted webcasts, I've learned esoteric details I wouldn't have otherwise. Sometimes it is a little too unpolished for me though - the guy running his pencil down a chart of mission activities was pretty weird. The whole time I was thinking: is the timeline for the next few activities not on your laptop screen?
- gozur88 10y ago
  >I find the SpaceX reporters to be much more informative (and much less irritating) that the standard network morons. Jeez. Talk about a low bar. The problem with most journalists is they don't really know anything, so they just repeat what people tell them. These folks have a huge advantage in that they're only covering a single subject, and they understand that subject very well.
dogma1138 10y ago
Iirc the casters are engineering employees that are rotated with every launch. They do selection mostly to make sure they are photogenic enough and can face a camera but they aren't professional reporters.

piquadrat 10y ago

I find this statement from Elon really interesting[1]: > We just completed the post-landing inspection and all systems look good. Ready to fly again. While Elon Musk is known for being a bit optimistic with his predictions from time to time, it really points to where SpaceX wants to be: instant reusability. That's when we really reach a new space age, when rockets are as reusable as airplanes, and SpaceX is working on it. What a time to be alive. [1]: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/754931091891453952 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/754931091891453952

simonh 10y ago
> We just completed the post-landing inspection and all systems look good. Ready to fly again. It makes me wonder if they should literally do that. Fuel up the stage, send it off and recover it again. Maybe fit it out with a dummy upper stage. They have a handful of first stages now, so why not? It would reassure insurers and customers that the process is reliable, provide opportunities to trial out and streamline the refit process and provide valuable info on stage wear and tear. They're need to get flight approvals and so on, it would certainly cost a lot more than just the fuel so might not be worth the trouble.
- typicalbender 10y ago
  Wouldn't it be great if after a few more successful launches and recoveries they just come out and say they've been re-using the rockets all along.
  - ygra 10y ago
    Payload insurance won't like that very much.
    - typicalbender 10y ago
      Them pulling it off doesn't mean that they aren't telling their insurers :)
- 10y ago

monk_e_boy 10y ago

First landing: 400+ comments Today's landing: 9 comments.

nicolapcweek94 10y ago
Elon Musk: "We'll be successful, ironically, when it becomes boring." Well, it's not boring yet, but it's definitely not on "First successful booster landing ever" hype levels, though probably the first few Falcon Heavy flights and the Mars announcement will be

pbosko 10y ago

It was so nominal! :D

Diederich 10y ago

This is some cool video of the landing, split screen. One perspective is from the rocket itself. I think it's DAMN cool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKCU6WfLtjk&feature=youtu.be&t=1m10s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKCU6WfLtjk&feature=youtu.be... Watch the video from the beginning to see the deceleration burn, which is visually pretty interesting.

mstade 10y ago
Very, very cool – thanks for sharing!

smpetrey 10y ago

Anyone else watch the webcast until the end? http://imgur.com/RhWlaZC http://imgur.com/RhWlaZC