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There is a great thread on r/spacex discussing the logistics around trying to save the booster. In the end it was generally agreed not to be possible. A VERY
by 51Cards 7y ago
There is a great thread on r/spacex discussing the logistics around trying to save the booster. In the end it was generally agreed not to be possible.
A VERY brief summary of reasons from memory: deceleration causes fuel to rise up in the tanks likely rupturing them from hydralic impact alone, lack of thrust even momentarily causes the rocket to become unstable end to end, only 3 engines are equipped to be relightable and may not relight because the fuel would be at the top of the tanks, too much fuel mass to burn off before landing, too much mass with second stage, etc.
Elon tweeted out the same, that they played with it and deemed it not possible. As such I beleive the rocket was stripped of landing legs and grid fins too. Was a one way ride only.
- jtms 7y agoI’m guessing since this test was not focused on the rocket itself that they just decided it wasn’t a problem worth trying to solve simultaneously with the dragon
- Tuna-Fish 7y agoIt's a problem that does not need to be solved. If all goes well, this was the very last time the launch abort system is ever fired. It's an emergency escape system for when things have already gone pear-shaped, and in most cases would only be triggered after the rocket below it has failed in some way.
- DuskStar 7y agoExactly = even if this isn't the last time the launch escape system is used, it'll almost certainly be the last time it's used to escape from a perfectly good booster.