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SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

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Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#211

Post by nohat »

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…

The feed quality drops in a way that makes the shaking antennae explanation seem plausible. I doubt the announcers knew then (why not just say so unless there was some ambiguity?), but it must have been a distinct concern, hence their 'smile nervously' reaction.

It is a bit odd they haven't announced that it was lost yet, but I agree that seems very likely.

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#212

Post by Diederich »

seletz wrote: post #202
Diederich wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> car is in orbit. That is correct...but NOT in orbit of our home planet!

Hmm, I think it's still in parking orbit around earth, no?

Yes, I believe you are correct, I got slightly too excited. (: It's on a highly elliptical earth orbit at the moment. The second big test is doing a long stage 2 burn after passing through the Van Allen belt. I believe that will take place in 6 hours or so.

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#213

Post by madeuptempacct »

jasongill wrote: post #89
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?

There aren't any nearby ships, for obvious safety reasons. Plus, any nearby ships would have the exact same issue - where exactly would you "feed" to, when any ship that far out is going to be using a commercial satellite data feed (ie, very slow and unreliable)?

"ie, very slow and unreliable" Yea, right - Tesla can't afford a radio off shore. Sure.

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#214

Post by DannyB2 »

protonimitate wrote: post #110
aphextron wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can confirm this was the greatest thing I've ever witnessed in my life. https://youtu.be/AGPH_i0ZlyM?t=56

There's something awesome (in the literal sense) and unsettling about watching something and being able to say "I am witnessing history".

When I saw the first successful booster landing I realized I was seeing history.

When I saw the first successful booster landing on a drone ship I realized I was again watching history.

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#215

Post by maxaf »

PinguTS wrote: post #201
nafizh wrote: post #14

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

Still don't understand this waste of ressources. Waste of ressources to build this Tesla Roadster. And then the waste to kick it into space. It is not that we are littering our earth itself. We now do it in space as well.

Considering the historic significance of Musk's mission, a little extravagance is entirely deserved.

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#216

Post by LewYard »

>> [...] the rocket’s payload [...] will pass through the Van Allen belt — a zone of charged particles and extreme radiation surrounding Earth. Assuming it makes it through that radioactive beatdown [...]

What can happen ? Did a payload already exploded passing through the Van Allen belt ? Are batteries a problem ?

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#217

Post by TeMPOraL »

DonaldPShimoda wrote: post #129
rplst8 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It feels like the human race is starting to master space travel. It's probably just an illusion, but I feel like we're entering a new era.

These are only baby steps at the beginning of the adventure.

But. We are making them!

I've almost lost hope around the end of the Space Shuttle program. I thought it will be only satellites, ISS and occasional science probe launches. SpaceX single-handedly restored my faith in the future of space activities again, and with other player on the scene, we now have realistic hope of seeing an actual industry in space within our lifetimes.

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#218

Post by hazeii »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #47
yetihehe wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For some time both streams looked like they were the same. That synchronization!

They were the same. Don't know if they did this intentionally. I actually watched them for two minutes for that, and was 99% sure they're the same image, just translated a bit. The final confirmation came near the end, when the other booster entered the view, and you could see for sure, both rectangles streamed from the same camera.

They certainly looked very similar (as they would from that height) but the thruster firings were not at all synchronised (I thought the same thing, until I saw that).

Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches

#219

Post by JumpCrisscross »

thanatropism wrote: post #167

I like everything about private space exploration except this: when we sent the Voyager golden record to space, we consulted with the great minds about which were the important landmarks of our civilisation. In this model, it's all about idiosyncrasies: the Voyager record had the Vitruvian Man, this has an astronaut on a sports car and largely-irrelevant sci-fi stories. Of course, private space probably means the who…

> the Voyager record had the Vitruvian Man, this has an astronaut on a sports car and largely-irrelevant sci-fi stories

They were both done, principally, for fun. If practical value is constrained to the non-ET, I'll argue for the latter any day. It promotes an electric car; presents space as a fun--instead of austere--place; and gives everyone a laugh. Given the times, I think we need a laugh more than sober awe.

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