The future of space rocketry (Off-Topic)
by CyberKN 
, Oh no, Destiny 2 is bad, Tuesday, December 22, 2015, 01:43 (3263 days ago)
![[image]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWy59kAUkAEvBLa.jpg)
The above photo is a long-exposure of the SpaceX Falcon 9 mission that took place earlier tonight. You can see three phases- launch, re-entry burn, and landing.
This is the first time a payload-bearing rocket has launched into space, delivered it's payload into orbit, and then returned intact under its own power.
:D
The future of space rocketry
This is very cool and a huge accomplishment which deserves much praise. I would like to clarify though that it did not deliver a payload to orbit and then return to land.
It boosted its payload to about 4,800 mph at an altitude of 45 miles then separated, turned, fired its engines and reversed its trajectory so that it could return to land. Meanwhile the second stage accelerated to about 17,000 mph in order to reach orbit. It then successfully delivered 11 satellites into LEO, Low Earth Orbit. The second stage then fired its engine so that it would drop out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere.
A huge success and a turning point in access to space.
The future of space rocketry
by Mid7night , Rocket BSCHSHCSHSHCCHGGH!!!!!!, Friday, December 25, 2015, 05:31 (3259 days ago) @ naturl selexion
This is very cool and a huge accomplishment which deserves much praise. I would like to clarify though that it did not deliver a payload to orbit and then return to land.
It boosted its payload to about 4,800 mph at an altitude of 45 miles then separated, turned, fired its engines and reversed its trajectory so that it could return to land. Meanwhile the second stage accelerated to about 17,000 mph in order to reach orbit. It then successfully delivered 11 satellites into LEO, Low Earth Orbit. The second stage then fired its engine so that it would drop out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere.
A huge success and a turning point in access to space.
45 miles? Ok, technically not "space" (Karman line is 62 miles) but that's still 237,600ft, at which point it still had to make a U-turn at above Mach-7, and successfully hit a target in the middle of a floating barge in the ocean... Baby steps. ;)
McDonnell Douglas started down this path back in the 90's with DC-X. They got as far as takeoff, hover, lateral flight and landing. Never did they even attempt a boost-back maneuver, much less actually boost a second-stage delivery vehicle and return to stick the landing. Yes, I know it wasn't SpaceX's first attempt either, but hey it's not like it's...oh wait, it IS Rocket Science! :P
The future of space rocketry
45 miles? Ok, technically not "space" (Karman line is 62 miles) but that's still 237,600ft, at which point it still had to make a U-turn at above Mach-7, and successfully hit a target in the middle of a floating barge in the ocean... Baby steps. ;)
Nope, not space and not to orbit. That does not in any way diminish the accomplishment. It just makes accurate headlines more difficult.
They landed on land this time. The previous two barge attempts failed.
The future of space rocketry
by Mid7night , Rocket BSCHSHCSHSHCCHGGH!!!!!!, Sunday, December 27, 2015, 23:35 (3257 days ago) @ naturl selexion
45 miles? Ok, technically not "space" (Karman line is 62 miles) but that's still 237,600ft, at which point it still had to make a U-turn at above Mach-7, and successfully hit a target in the middle of a floating barge in the ocean... Baby steps. ;)
Nope, not space and not to orbit. That does not in any way diminish the accomplishment. It just makes accurate headlines more difficult.They landed on land this time. The previous two barge attempts failed.
Missed that they didn't land in the ocean, thanks for that. Sorry if I sounded adversarial, that wasn't my intent. :)
We are in violent agreement that SpaceX did a really cool awesome thing. :D