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SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

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Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#141

Post by jws »

MBCook wrote: post #57

So the car is supposed to be in an Earth-Mars orbit. It it stable or is it designed to fall to earth at some point soon (say one or two orbits)?

I think right now the car is in a low Earth orbit. There will be a second ignition of the top stage later to shift it to the Mars orbit. The timeline ends with…

Mission continues on an experimental long coast and third stage two burn to target a precessing Earth-Mars elliptical orbit around the sun

… which I can't completely decode.

Update: SpaceX says "Upper stage restart nominal, apogee raised to 7000 km. Will spend 5 hours getting zapped in Van Allen belts & then attempt final burn for Mars."

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#142

Post by Diederich »

pikchurn wrote: post #118
post_break wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Keep the camera and antennas on the boat instead of the platform with a zoom lens?

What boat?

There is always a ship with SpaceX (and other) folks on it a number of miles away from the barge.

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#143

Post by bolasanibk »

johnohara wrote: post #98
nafizh wrote: post #14

Anybody saw the 'Don't panic' thing on the Tesla? Made me chuckle, they sure have a sense of humor.

Saw the don't panic. Wondering if they packed a towel.

They did. The glove box has a copy of the 'The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy' plus a towel

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#144

Post by Swenrekcah »

leonroy wrote: post #135
johnohara wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Saw the don't panic. Wondering if they packed a towel.

Apparently they stuck in the glove compartment ‘a copy of Douglas Adams' book "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," along with a towel’. Source: http://m.dw.com/en/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-falcon-he...

As awesome as all that was, I can't help but feel sad that neither Douglas Adams nor David Bowie lived to see this.

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#146

Post by thaumaturgy »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #117
skykooler wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

According to SpaceX, the orbit could potentially last for a billion years if the timings work out.

Source? I was poking around for the orbit's parameters last night...

It was mentioned in the livestream.

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#147

Post by alangibson »

noonespecial wrote: post #114

Remembered watching an old Star Trek film where the Cochrane character wouldn't launch without playing "Magic Carpet Ride" on the way up and thinking that space travel could never ever be so glib... Well played Mr. Musk. Well Played.

After the rocket took off, I told my wife that Elon Musk is our Zephram Cochrane. She looked at me like I was a 40 year old virgin.

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#148

Post by Klathmon »

peterwaller wrote: post #127
djaychela wrote: post #16

That was like watching a sci fi film when the two cores landed.... I watched it with my mother (who is 80!), and she said it was as significant as the moon landing. Do we know the fate of the centre core yet?

Of the centre core, these are the last few moments before it is lost from the feed. Smoke can be seen... https://youtu.be/wbSwFU6tY1c?t=38m20s ... and then back to the presenters. As someone said to me, "That's their lying face!" :) Can't fault them for wanting to dwell on the positives though, was an amazing moment to watch. Edit: You can switch cameras on the above youtube video to the countdown net; you can clearl…

Can't fault them for sure, but it's strange for them. SpaceX tends to be very upfront with their failures, and tends to broadcast and in many cases re-upload video of their failures.

Doubly so when the "failure" isn't part of the primary mission.

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#149

Post by gehsty »

pikchurn wrote: post #70
nicpottier wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do find that super weird. You would think one of the nearby ships would have a feed as well no?

What nearby ships?

The landing barge is towed into position by tugs, and once the boosters are landed I presume it is towed back out, so there will be some tug boats nearby.
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