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SpaceX launch webcast: Orbcomm-2 Mission [video]

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Re: SpaceX launch webcast: Orbcomm-2 Mission [video]

#211

Post by hackuser »

dbh937 wrote: post #209
hackuser wrote: post #205

What changed that made this cost-effective? 1) The companies pursuing this, SpaceX, Blue Orgin, etc., can't be the first to think of it. If the first stage accounts for 75% of the cost of a launch, as one article I read says, I'm sure many have considered, going back to the first launches decades ago, how to reuse it. 2) The technology to land rockets vertically has existed for a long time, going back to the lunar la…

"New-space" aerospace companies are operating on a different funding framework from the old aerospace juggernauts. Instead of cost-plus funding that came almost solely from the government and which allowed rockets like ULA's Delta IV and Atlas V to stay competitive in the $300-400 million range without having to find ways to cut costs. SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Orbital Sciences, as well as other new companies, have to…

Thanks. I've heard the story but I haven't seen evidence of it, it smells too much like a marketing story (we're young and exciting, those old people are boring and stuck in the past), and it seems very unlikely: I don't buy that the 'old' companies wouldn't want to reduce their costs by 75%, greatly increasing demand for their very expensive service, greatly increasing their bottom line - even in a cost-plus arrangement.

Usually changes like this result from a technical or economic development.

Re: SpaceX launch webcast: Orbcomm-2 Mission [video]

#212

Post by yincrash »

lovelettr wrote: post #49

I live on the south end of Merritt Island, FL (~25 miles from the launch complex) and the sudden noise reminded me I wanted to watch this! For a second, based on the sound, I thought it may have catastrophically failed until I caught the live stream and people cheering. Are there any replay videos?

Replay of just the landing, the HN link has the full video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B6oiLNyKKI

Re: SpaceX launch webcast: Orbcomm-2 Mission [video]

#213

Post by sillysaurus3 »

grkvlt wrote: post #124
jacquesm wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you underestimate the degree of difficulty between these two achievements. They are both very impressive but what SpaceX just did is many times more difficult than what Blue Origin did.

OK, explain how the landing of the SpaceX first stage was many times more difficult? They used different mechanisms, yes (suicide burn vs. hover-capable) and the purpose of the overall system was different, but they are both VTOL rockets. Blue Origin was first , and Bezos can quite rightly welcome SpaceX to 'the club' as the second company to achieve this, without being accused of being classless, surely?

Why is this downvoted? There is some serious tribalism going on in this thread. You all need to chill out and start thinking again.

Who cares whether BO or SpaceX was first, or whether China or America was first? We should be happy that humanity is closer to Mars.

Re: SpaceX launch webcast: Orbcomm-2 Mission [video]

#214

Post by [deleted] »

hackuser wrote: post #205

What changed that made this cost-effective? 1) The companies pursuing this, SpaceX, Blue Orgin, etc., can't be the first to think of it. If the first stage accounts for 75% of the cost of a launch, as one article I read says, I'm sure many have considered, going back to the first launches decades ago, how to reuse it. 2) The technology to land rockets vertically has existed for a long time, going back to the lunar la…

[deleted]

Re: SpaceX launch webcast: Orbcomm-2 Mission [video]

#215

Post by sqldba »

I just wanted to ask, what kind of technology or science understanding do they have now which was required to make this happen now rather than X years ago?

(Also, is it fair to say that while this is an achievement, it is only more-so when they can reliably repeat it; I mean it's not exactly safe yet for people, who knows what a gust of wind could do?)

Re: SpaceX launch webcast: Orbcomm-2 Mission [video]

#216

Post by __d »

escape_goat wrote: post #189
bryanh wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The money quote: > Musk said that a rocket's first stage accounts for three-quarters of its total price tag, so a vehicle with a reusable first stage can be produced at far less cost — assuming the hardware is fully and rapidly reusable. ~75% savings seems like a "best case scenario" number.

If I understand correctly, even if they can only reuse the rocket motors, that would still be most of the 75% figure.

Aside from the cost savings, the other goal of reusing boosters is to reduce the time between launches.

The challenge for SpaceX is to inspect the booster, integrate a new second stage & payload, and relaunch in a few weeks. With a few years of work, it should be almost like a cargo jet turnaround.

ULA's Vulcan plan is to parachute the engines and pumps back, catch the rope with a helicopter, inspect and reattach to a new set of tanks. That seems likely to be a little more complex to me.

Re: SpaceX launch webcast: Orbcomm-2 Mission [video]

#217

Post by shpx »

weaksauce wrote: post #210
TeMPOraL wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not implying that they were holding back on purpose, but I did not expect the quality of the whole streaming event to go up so highly. It feels different than before.

It does definitely... though they really drop the ball after the main event is over at least from a perspective of the news. the news would beat this to death and then after 3 days stop covering it. This was maybe 5 min after the mission was a success that they cut the feed. milk it for all it's worth and show some of the other successes and failures from past missions. It definitely feels like the mission pr was han…

> show some of the other successes and failures from past missions

And confuse people that happen to be tuning in at the wrong time? No thanks. This is a live stream not a news broadcast.

Re: SpaceX launch webcast: Orbcomm-2 Mission [video]

#220

Post by CamperBob2 »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #213
grkvlt wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OK, explain how the landing of the SpaceX first stage was many times more difficult? They used different mechanisms, yes (suicide burn vs. hover-capable) and the purpose of the overall system was different, but they are both VTOL rockets. Blue Origin was first , and Bezos can quite rightly welcome SpaceX to 'the club' as the second company to achieve this, without being accused of being classless, surely?

Why is this downvoted? There is some serious tribalism going on in this thread. You all need to chill out and start thinking again. Who cares whether BO or SpaceX was first, or whether China or America was first? We should be happy that humanity is closer to Mars.

It probably wouldn't have come up if Bezos hadn't thumped his chest in Musk's direction, or if Musk hadn't taken the bait.

Competitive people are competitive. Film (and Twitter fight) at 11...

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