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Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today

nytimes.com

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Re: Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today

#41

Post by mwambua »

Ftuuky wrote: post #19

I'm not american or connected in any form or shape to the aerospace industry and yet I feel so excited for watching this. It has been absolutely mind-blowing watching all those rockets landing perfectly.

Same here. I'm not American, or working in the Aerospace industry... but watching Musk has had a spurring effect for me. He's a constant reminder that the impossible is possible and that you should keep trying even if it turns out it's impossible.

I'm stressed out because I need to get my thesis done soon, but he's worried because he needs to perfectly launch a Tesla Roadster into Solar orbit, and vertically land three first-stages so he can do it again.

Re: Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today

#42

Post by chasd00 »

pensivemood wrote: post #23
verytrivial wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember clearly thinking the whole idea of landing the booster as being completely unrealistic, verging on not possible. I'm really pleased to have been utterly wrong. And 2/3rds of the boosters in today's test have already been into space. Mind blowing. Congratulations to all the hard working engineers at SpaceX!

>I remember clearly thinking the whole idea of landing the booster as being completely unrealistic, verging on not possible Please share why you thought it was not possible. Just curious.

to me it was having to carry the fuel for the landing burn. Also, an empty booster is very fragile, they're basically metal balloons. I figured the landing legs, extra support needed, and the required fuel would make it infeasible in the end.

Re: Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today

#43

Post by michrassena »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #29
pensivemood wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I remember clearly thinking the whole idea of landing the booster as being completely unrealistic, verging on not possible Please share why you thought it was not possible. Just curious.

Not parent, but I was surprised when I first heard of it. I thought it must be infeasible - in retrospect, for no reason other than vertical-standing rockets are associated with kitschy cover arts of old sci-fi stories. It didn't fit the more modern sci-fi aesthetics I grew in. Since realizing that I became more wary of unconscious biases picked up from environment, and how they affect what I think is technologically…

Perhaps I grew up in a different era, but it's precisely that same aesthetic which makes me see these landings as futuristic because they align so well with those images.

The ascent into space looks like a massive show of raw power, and in contrast these vertical landings look so graceful and controlled.

Re: Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today

#44

Post by somesayso »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #32
pensivemood wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An alien won't be this good at human PR.

He really is an alien. Human PR usually involves making a slick show, and having skilled communicators express vague messages full of bullshit. Musk is an exact opposite of that.

Well, hyperloop was kind of bullshit that now appears only made up for cheap publicity aka PR stunt.

Then there is the promise of taking humanity to "mars", which quite honestly, sounds a bullshit claim at this point. It wold have held more water, if they said it after making real tech breakthroughs (Ie not stunts like landing a rockets, which only guillable people finds magical because they were not tech savvy to know that it was possible with tech that is half a century old).

Re: Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today

#45

Post by angrygoat »

chasd00 wrote: post #21
verytrivial wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember clearly thinking the whole idea of landing the booster as being completely unrealistic, verging on not possible. I'm really pleased to have been utterly wrong. And 2/3rds of the boosters in today's test have already been into space. Mind blowing. Congratulations to all the hard working engineers at SpaceX!

hah i felt the same way. I remember when the Sky Crane was used to put Curiosity down on Mars, I thought there's just no freaking way that's going to work but they pulled it off. When SpaceX started talking about landing boosters I shook my head again but then they did it. The older I get the more blown away (and humbled) I am at what people are capable of achieving. On a lighter note there's a Simpons line when Home…

nitpick - it was Curiosity that came down on Mars using a sky crane, Odyssey was an earlier mission

Re: Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today

#46

Post by chasd00 »

Robotbeat wrote: post #37

Falcon Heavy is just a toe in the door of super heavy launch. BFR will have 31 engines at liftoff compared to Falcon Heavy's 27. BFR will be about twice the thrust of Falcon Heavy, and most importantly BFR is not just a launch vehicle (which gives SpaceX a big edge in deploying megaconstellations of low-latency internet satellites), but the upper stage part will be a spacecraft capable of reentering the Earth's atmos…

yeah i think BFR and the upgraded Falcon 9 pretty much obsoletes Falcon Heavy almost immediately. The Heavy just took so long to put together, it was suppose to fly 4 or 5 years ago right? I've heard it reported that the Falcon Heavy engineering was much harder than anticipated. Does anyone know what some of the major obstacles were? The concept seems straightforward but where did they start getting into trouble?

Re: Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today

#47

Post by dogma1138 »

chasd00 wrote: post #13

was planning on buying tickets but they sold out before I could get arrangements made with work and family. I grew up in Port Orange FL and could see the shuttle launch from New Smyrna Beach, there's nothing like seeing a launch in person. My colleagues are a little annoyed how excited I am but I can't help it hah. Weather looks good so here's hoping for no delays!

You can watch the launch without buying tickets to KSC there are plenty of spots hobbiest go to watch them without tickets.

Re: Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today

#48

Post by pensivemood »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #29
pensivemood wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I remember clearly thinking the whole idea of landing the booster as being completely unrealistic, verging on not possible Please share why you thought it was not possible. Just curious.

Not parent, but I was surprised when I first heard of it. I thought it must be infeasible - in retrospect, for no reason other than vertical-standing rockets are associated with kitschy cover arts of old sci-fi stories. It didn't fit the more modern sci-fi aesthetics I grew in. Since realizing that I became more wary of unconscious biases picked up from environment, and how they affect what I think is technologically…

That is exactly what I thought.

Re: Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today

#49

Post by pensivemood »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #32
pensivemood wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An alien won't be this good at human PR.

He really is an alien. Human PR usually involves making a slick show, and having skilled communicators express vague messages full of bullshit. Musk is an exact opposite of that.

I think hyperloop pretty well fit the "full of shit" category and I can only consider it as a PR stunt...
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