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SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

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Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#421

Post by simonh »

unethical_ban wrote: post #270
simonh wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Apollo missions were one-offs. They left nothing behind that future missions could utilize. Everything was disposed of after use, even Spacelab which had a very short life and completed a specific programme of missions and then burned up. The shuttle was the first attempt at re-usability but was far too expensive to be viable. Only the space station is genuinely long term re-useable infrastructure. It's something…

The only two questions I see in your post are in the P.S. What am I missing?

I was referring to the question I was answering, which was getting greyed out. My bad, it was ambiguous and I should have tried to that clearer.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#422

Post by placeybordeaux »

lmm wrote: post #229
justifier wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Runway rather than barge but that's not really an important difference. it is an important difference when you look beyond earth the moon, mars, and any future site that has yet to send robots to pave a runaway that is: 4,500 meters long, 91 meters wide, and 40 centimeters thick(o); will necessarily be vertical take off and landing (o) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuttle_Landing_Facility

If and when SpaceX land rockets beyond Earth, that will very much be something to get excited about.

We can agree on that!

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#423

Post by Inconel »

Kutta wrote: post #403
Inconel wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I too find it hard to see how so many have conflated chanting for a group, in this case the USA, as being equivalent to actively admonishing another group. The employees at SpaceX aren't burning the flags of foreign countries or otherwise disrespecting or mocking them, they are simply expressing pride in the nation that many of us view as playing an instrumental part in our success. I also don't know what could be do…

You have given a fairly comprehensive explanation (here and in other comments) as to why it's unreasonable to be disturbed by the chanting and why it would be beneficial for SpaceX employees to be let chanting as they wish. I don't think is enough or appropriate. A significant fraction of global viewership is disturbed and alienated by the chants. It might well be that they're having the wrong feelings for wrong reas…

Thanks for sharing your point of view and I appreciate you doing so in a respectful manner and taking my own feelings on the subject into account.

I'm still not sure what the best solution to this problem would be. While I certainly believe that everyone, including and perhaps especially Americans, should be more cognizant of how our actions are viewed by others, I don't in general like the idea of constantly being fearful that some action, no matter how innocuous you may think it is, will cause offense to someone else and thus needs to be avoided. I think it's fair to assume that some of the things you or I may do or believe will be offensive or alienating to someone somewhere. I hope you can find my attempt at understanding your point of view sincere and that I don't mean to be dismissive of your concerns.

I also don't know what could be done to address the issue internally without upsetting many people here. Even I would find a banning of the chants to be heavy handed on the part of management.

As I said previously, perhaps the best course of action would be to simply stop broadcasting from within the Hawthorne facility. The launch and recovery feeds are far more interesting than the employee celebrations anyway.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#424

Post by aetherson »

celticninja wrote: post #373
aetherson wrote: post #366

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've got $10,000 says they do not get it to market before 2010. :) (ITYM 2020)

I think he is saying it is already too late as spacex has hit both those milestones.

Well, but SpaceX hasn't. They have not reused any rockets. They've landed a few rockets, they've test-fired one of the landed rockets. But that's far from a track record of reliably recovering their rockets, turning them around and sending them back up that could drive the massive cost benefits that they hope for.

I'm not really playing skeptic here -- SpaceX's progress has been incredible, and I'm inclined to believe them that they can do it -- but it hasn't happened yet.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#425

Post by Inconel »

deanCommie wrote: post #193
Inconel wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who works here and doesn't join in the chants but works closely with and respects many of the people that do, I find your description of them as "douchebags" to be rather uncalled for. You are certainly free to disagree with the chants or the overall tone that celebrations like this set within the company, but I don't think that resorting to personal insults is the best approach to having a nuanced discuss…

You're right, I should not have used that term. I apologize.

No apology necessary but I appreciate the sentiment nonetheless.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#426

Post by blater »

sandworm101 wrote: post #386
est wrote: post #321

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By the time the rocket lands, there's very few fuel left, basically you see a near empty Pepsi can. It's as stable as it can get.

Ever see an empty pepsi can in a stiff breeze?

More like a Pepsi can with a bloody big brick in the bottom 9*470 kg merlins). Main threat to stability would seem to be wind, but doesn't seem to be the case in practice

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#427

Post by Inconel »

lostlogin wrote: post #389
Kratisto wrote: post #328

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm an American, and I'm just wondering why it makes you uncomfortable? Does chanting at sporting events make you uncomfortable as well? edit: Reply button showed up finally

Watch a Hitler rally and that feeling you get is what I feel about chanting, clapping nationalism.

The idea that a group of SpaceX employees chanting "USA", not "Europe Sucks" or "Death to Russia", or some other chant that specifically calls out and demeans another group, but simply USA-USA-USA, is somehow analogous to a Nazi rally is very surprising to me.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#428

Post by odonnellryan »

thrownear wrote: post #280
odonnellryan wrote: post #264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Sorry. We are living in a period where mediocrity and even complete fraudulent stuff is hailed as profound and "amazing". Like what? Even the transistor is pretty damn amazing. It's fine to be critical, but let yourself get excited sometimes too.

>Like what? Look around. If you don't see it already, I won't be able to make you see. And what does the transistor has to do with the period we live in? I mean, right now, not 50 years earlier. >It's fine to be critical, but let yourself get excited sometimes too. Do you know why landing a rocket in salt water is bad. I mean, do you really, really know? From Spacex subreddit.. https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comment…

> I mean, right now, not 50 years earlier.

I'm saying even the transistor is amazing. Be amazed!

> Do you know why landing a rocket in salt water is bad. I mean, do you really, really know?

I'm not working for SpaceX. Are you?

I didn't design the rocket. I assume they have some idea of what they're doing. They just landed a rocket on a damn barge.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#429

Post by Coincoin »

cloudwalking wrote: post #313
samstave wrote: post #309

Can someone please explain to me how the falcon orients itself during this total process?? Does it use fins, or simply engines and whatever those little jets are that, say, the space shuttle had around its nose... How does the falcon manage to physically orient its body? Also, is that process completely autonomous? Is there a remote flight engineer steering this to the barge - or is it completely self-guided

In space it uses nitrogen thrusters to orient. Once in the atmosphere it uses grid fins to orient. The entire liftoff and return is piloted by Falcon's flight computers -- no humans involved.

Also, the engines are gimbaled. This is essential for the landing burn.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#430

Post by Inconel »

warrenmiller wrote: post #180
neals wrote: post #28

I always try to watch the webcasts and I can't help but cringe so hard when they start chanting 'USA USA USA', every single time. What is up with that?

Maybe they don't know their CEO is South African?

I'm pretty sure Elon considers himself thoroughly American at this point.

You may find this surprising but there are in fact many foreign born employees working at SpaceX. Some of us even have accents and unusual names to go along with certain cultural quirks.

I don't consider them, or myself, any less American.

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