There was something doubly awesome about the two falcons landing at the same time right next to each other!
So true. Was that just a happy coincidence? I wonder how much work went into coordinating there landings.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches
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Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches
#242Earlier quoted context omitted.
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...
Does anyone know how long a book (paper) would last in space?
Why wouldn't it last functionally forever? It's now in vacuum, and eventually will get to whatever temperature the sun can bake it to at that distance from the sun... I'm guessing it'll be there as long as the car is.
Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches
#243That 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?
https://youtu.be/wbSwFU6tY1c?t=34m8s
You can hear "Centre core defect on shutdown". Definitely didn't make it.
Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches
#244Anybody 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.
The Roadster was in use by Musk for years. They didn't build it for the occasion
Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches
#245Reposting my comment from the other thread:
Someone noticed there was a camera feed on the mission control wall that shows the Center Core's drone ship, after the smoke clears no ship can be seen: https://twitter.com/Darkphibre/status/960990105581240321
9:00 into the feed, it's likely the core either missed or failed to land properly. Although the screen is partially out of view. So this is still speculative.
Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches
#246Center core going to Mars?
https://twitter.com/FalconMainCore/status/960992022575374336
Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches
#247Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
It's not that elliptical (at least not for another 5 hours or so when burns resume)
Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches
#248I'm just an amateur following along, but this seems likely to be one of the most important launches in modern rocketry history. This sets the stage for deep-space missions with reusable launch materials, which can greatly reduce the cost of future space exploration. Absolutely incredible achievement by the SpaceX team.
It's definitely another inflection point. The Falcon 9 is 75% reusable by cost of components, the Falcon Heavy is 90% reusable. And it's capable of much, much more. That might open up the heavy lift launch market to a whole new gaggle of players and begin really expanding out what is done there. It'll certainly put a lot more missions on the table that weren't there before, like low cost outer planets space science probes.
Also, something nobody has talked about yet. Falcon Heavy is capable of something no other US rocket is really able to do yet, launch new space station modules (or new space stations period).
Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches
#249Re: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches
#250Love that SpaceX’s own team shoots, announces, and switches the live production in-house rather than hiring a production company. Also love seeing machinists side by side cheering with software engineers, standing by a mission control which is placed feet from where engines are assembled on the shop floor. Open company culture well-executed. Congratulations to all there!
Totally agree. But where are the women?
So topical and edgy