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SpaceX first stage landing failed for Starlink-4 launch

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Re: SpaceX first stage landing failed for Starlink-4 launch

#61

Please all keep in mind that the primary mission is a success and that landing the booster is an optimization , not a failure if it does not work. A failure is when the primary mission fails, everything else is a success.

Trying to recover the first stage significantly reduces available payload.

Re: SpaceX first stage landing failed for Starlink-4 launch

#62
post #61

Please all keep in mind that the primary mission is a success and that landing the booster is an optimization , not a failure if it does not work. A failure is when the primary mission fails, everything else is a success.

Trying to recover the first stage significantly reduces available payload.

That's probably not significant for Starlink specifically, as they're constrained by fairing volume rather than maximum payload mass (which is to say: even if they weren't recovering the booster, they wouldn't be able to increase the number of satellites).

Re: SpaceX first stage landing failed for Starlink-4 launch

#63
post #3

well it would become noteworthy that their failures make news simply because they had taken the concept of recovering the first stage to the point of people just assuming it was how rocket launches are meant to be. I remember the first video of one successfully landing after launching and being wowed but when two landed together then it truly felt like science fiction had become reality

I was at a company off-site where we were supposed to be inventing the future of our company. I streamed it on my phone while listening to the lecturer blather on. The CEO, sitting next to me, got quite excited when the rockets both landed :)

Re: SpaceX first stage landing failed for Starlink-4 launch

#66

Please all keep in mind that the primary mission is a success and that landing the booster is an optimization , not a failure if it does not work. A failure is when the primary mission fails, everything else is a success.

Also worth keeping in mind: Every other launch system out there "Fails" to recover their first stage on every single launch. SpaceX "Failing" here is reverting to norm.

Not quite, they re-flew this particular booster 3 times after the initial launch. Reverting to the norm would be a crash after the first flight. Makes you wonder what the maximum life expectancy is for these boosters.

Re: SpaceX first stage landing failed for Starlink-4 launch

#67
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how it is when you're on site, it's hard to appreciate the scale on video

It's hard to appreciate the scale in person too, it doesn't look real (I was there). Like the other poster said, it's surreal. But the sonic booms help remind you the boosters are large and moving very fast.

The sonic booms are just... breathtaking. One of the coolest things I've ever witnessed. (Was there for the first night launch of the FH. Just amazing.)

Re: SpaceX first stage landing failed for Starlink-4 launch

#68

Please all keep in mind that the primary mission is a success and that landing the booster is an optimization , not a failure if it does not work. A failure is when the primary mission fails, everything else is a success.

Success is measured by cost too... How much money is saved by recovering the booster?

Re: SpaceX first stage landing failed for Starlink-4 launch

#70
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm giving the number of successful landing after the first successful drone-ship landing, which doesn't include the first successful pad landing. (This seemed a more fair way to count because drone-ship landing are harder; if you start counting after the first successful pad landing you include two failed drone ship landing which should be considered still total experiments.)

Dammit. I read that 3 times before commenting and still missed that point of emphasis. Touché

No worries :D
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