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SES-10 Mission

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Re: SES-10 Mission

#161

Post by elihu »

vickychijwani wrote: post #114
grondilu wrote: post #82

I've noticed that during the webcast they talked much more about their planetary colonisation project than they usually do. I guess it makes sense since today is the first time they actually implement the re-usability plan they believe is the key to this colonisation. But frankly, is the cost of going to mars really that important for its colonisation? I mean, I wouldn't move to mars even if going there was free. For…

The way I think about this is: if not SpaceX, some govt or company will one day establish a base on another planet. Something like the stations we have in Antarctica. So SpaceX taking a shot at this isn't totally absurd - over-ambitious, sure, but not so ridiculous as to be out of the question. Maybe it won't happen for a few decades, or a century - but IMO it's very likely it will happen some time. And that's what u…

I think who gets there first is going to have a huge impact on what kind of society is established on Mars (the economy, the legal system, the culture, how infrastructure is managed, government, etc...). SpaceX may change its culture over time, but as things stand now I would rather live in a society established by SpaceX than one established by, say, Boeing.

Re: SES-10 Mission

#162

Post by pilsetnieks »

gallerdude wrote: post #100
Cyph0n wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And when, say, an amazing archeological artifact is uncovered, we probably won't appreciate the complexity that went into that, and the folks at ArcheologistNews will be pissed. There are so many fields and so many complex processes. I can assure you that any one of: the world of power transmission, or offshore oil drilling rigs, or commercial shipping, or chemical process design and optimization, or tons of other st…

I've always pondered that I'd love to read in on these other fields, see what they find interesting and new.

Yeah, I think it's not that you're focused on your one field, just that some people have the curiosity to look into things and appreciate the work being done; some people have that for their field only; and some people just don't give a crap at all about things that don't directly affect them.

Re: SES-10 Mission

#164

Post by JshWright »

SEJeff wrote: post #53

I can't wait until I have a talk with my kids when they realize the significance of this day: Kid: Daddy, ou mean when you were growing up, they threw away rockets each time? Me: Yes Kid: Doesn't that make them expensive? Me: Yes. And then not long after will be the other talk: Kid: Daddy, you mean people used to be in charge of driving themselves in cars? Me: Yes Kid: Did people ever die? Me: Millions Good job Elon…

>I can't wait until I have a talk with my kids when they realize the significance of this day

https://goo.gl/photos/7rT5rxvsP9AxVZxn6

My four year old daughter, watching the launch with rapt attention.

When we watched the Echostar 23 launch two weeks ago, she asked why it didn't land... Crazy that rockets landing is already totally normal for her.

Re: SES-10 Mission

#165

Post by acover »

grondilu wrote: post #82

I've noticed that during the webcast they talked much more about their planetary colonisation project than they usually do. I guess it makes sense since today is the first time they actually implement the re-usability plan they believe is the key to this colonisation. But frankly, is the cost of going to mars really that important for its colonisation? I mean, I wouldn't move to mars even if going there was free. For…

There are several reasons: adventure, incentivize cheaper space travel, drastically improve humanity's chance at survival.

Waitbutwhy has an amazing explanation of the how's and why's.

http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/08/how-and-why-spacex-will-coloni...

Re: SES-10 Mission

#166

Post by JshWright »

mholt wrote: post #163
rrmm wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They apparently did recover the fairings successfully.

Not quite: https://twitter.com/SpaceBrendan/status/847599001746644996

It sounds like the test was successful. They weren't planning to catch them, but wanted to demonstrate soft landing in a targeted area (much like the early Falcon 9 landing tests).

Re: SES-10 Mission

#167

Post by vermontdevil »

theothermkn wrote: post #158
mr_overalls wrote: post #87

The obvious question: how much cheaper will a reusable rocket make it, per pound, to put a payload in orbit?

I've run through this calculation here before, but it's always interesting to rehash: Both LOX and kerosene are about the price of milk. If we assume that a gallon of either weighs about 7 lbs, then it takes, at 1% mass fraction, 99 lbs, or about 14 gallons, of fuel and oxidizer to put a pound of payload into orbit. At a 2% mass fraction, it's only 7 gallons. Call it $3.50 per gallon, so the fuel cost for a pound of…

Musk has often said that the first stage is 70% of the cost. And that the fuel cost are negligible.

Re: SES-10 Mission

#168

Post by aaronblohowiak »

jacquesm wrote: post #39
ploxiln wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm pretty sure the plan is to put this one in a museum. Later variants are supposed to be easier and more reliable to re-fly.

Something to think about: pretty soon there will be nothing strange about a rocket that has flown before. Contrast it with the feeling you have for a 737 that has done 2500 starts and landing prior to you going on board, it's a sign of confidence that it did that. Now it will be many many years before there will be boosters with numbers of take-offs and landings > 20 or so but at some point insurance premiums for unf…

"Flight tested" rockets is an interesting spin on this

Re: SES-10 Mission

#169

Post by JshWright »

cmsimike wrote: post #16
themgt wrote: post #11

It looked like one of the grid fins got toasted. Will they still be able to stick the landing? fingers crossed edit: and they did it! I was pessimistic for a minute there!

I saw that! I wonder if it was from the entry burn. I was worried because as I saw the fin get toasted, the video cut out, but that was because stage 1 went trans-sonic.

The video cut out because the stage fell below the horizon (from the perspective of the tracking station on the Cape).

Re: SES-10 Mission

#170

Post by vermontdevil »

themgt wrote: post #11

It looked like one of the grid fins got toasted. Will they still be able to stick the landing? fingers crossed edit: and they did it! I was pessimistic for a minute there!

Musk has said SpaceX is working to replace the material with titanium and a new redesign.
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