Space Stuff
 

Today, SpaceX launched their 2nd Falcon rocket with a real payload on board.

Falcon 9 took off perfectly, went up into space, and then the first stage detached.

2nd stage, deploying JASON 3 - a complete success. A satellite observing the oceans and able to detect a rise or fall in the ocean up to 1.3 inches.

Stage 1, at about 25KM above Earth, detached. It was short on Delta V to make a RTLS, so the decision was to land on a barge. A barge in the Pacific about 50 miles off the coast.

The barge was in swells about 1.3 meters back and forth. Stage One did a retro burn and made it to the barge. But the swells made it too much for Stage 1 to land safely.

As it returned to land on the barge, it attempted landing, but one of the landing legs broke off and the rocket was destroyed.

An amazing attempt to land on water failed, but with lessons learned. The last attempt to RTLS was an amazing success. Today was kind of a sad day, but a great attempt at the future.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/17/tech...spacex-launch/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkz_lclGXNg

Re: SpaceX Launch
 

For those that are interested in the specs...

Stage 1 detached with too much Delta V to RTLS. For this launch, it was planned. If Stage 1 detaches with +6000 Delta V, there is no way for it to reach the launch pad. This was planned to land on the barge.

Re: SpaceX Launch
 

Luckily... for those interested in space. On Friday, three companies were given approved contracts for CRS2 missions.

The means that the Dream Chaser will go to the ISS. Absolutely mind blowing! This is what the original STS (the space shuttle) should have been. Not a heavy pig with payload.

Re: SpaceX Launch
 

Thank you for the summary, still pretty good given the conditions.

Re: SpaceX Launch
 

At least the satellite launched, that is still good news. Pretty amazing regardless, landing on a moving barge is nuts. Im sure they will get it down once they get more azns to process the maths.

Re: SpaceX Launch
 

Is the person that owns Space X and Tesla the same guy?

Re: SpaceX Launch
 

Yup.

UPDATE: So landing on the barge was a success! Kind of.

The rocket did successfully land on the barge, but the landing gear was the failure. One of the legs did not lock into place, causing the leg is retract and tipped the rocket over.

Many people online are saying that the landing was a success. Hitting a moving target within 10 feet, with ocean swells, from 25KM above the Earth... I call it a success too.

http://www.space.com/31653-spacex-ro...hip-video.html

Re: SpaceX Launch
 

There might be a 9th, or 10th, planet orbiting our system. I still believe Pluto is considered a planet. F the haters haha!

But really, this is very cool. The math suggests there might be another planet in our solar system. We know so much about other galaxies, but yet, we know almost nothing about our home.

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/2...r-beyond-pluto

Re: Space Stuff
 

I did see the landing, thats just amazing, it actually landed. Sucks the leg fell out and made the whole thing fall over though. Seems like a minor technical issue. lol

Also where was this other planet hiding and how have we not found it yet?

WHAT IF
http://memesvault.com/wp-content/upl...e-Blank-09.jpg

The planet is really an alien cloaking device that just came into our solar system to spy on us. Or maybe its a death star?

Re: Space Stuff
 

Deathstar! Justine said that last night.

You're probably right.
http://www.krowmark.com/wp/wp-conten...83-300-355.jpg