SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
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Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#2Technically, it exploded well before it delivered the satellite.
edit to add some facts since this seems to be getting downvoted pretty quickly: Stage 1 landed and exploded at around T+10min, the satellite was deployed at T+56min. This was just two minutes after it was delivered on its final orbit. Both of those could be considered "delivered to space", neither of which happened before the failed landing.
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#3Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#4a) isn't this from last year? IIRC they had two failed barge landings. This looks like the first one.
b) The headline makes this sound like a miserable failure - still beats "fell into the ocean never to be found again", as all other current first stages do.
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#5a) isn't this from last year? IIRC they had two failed barge landings. This looks like the first one. b) The headline makes this sound like a miserable failure - still beats "fell into the ocean never to be found again", as all other current first stages do.
a) No this has just happened yesterday. tweet confirming: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/688837706005131264
b) true :)
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#6a) isn't this from last year? IIRC they had two failed barge landings. This looks like the first one. b) The headline makes this sound like a miserable failure - still beats "fell into the ocean never to be found again", as all other current first stages do.
new launch. they need the barge for heavier payloads, because it costs much more fuel to go all the way back, so they'll keep testing.
Musk posted an early statement blaming icing due to bad weather conditions. https://www.instagram.com/p/BAqirNbwEc0/
...and of course press is overly sensationalistic. nothing new there to report.
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#7a) isn't this from last year? IIRC they had two failed barge landings. This looks like the first one. b) The headline makes this sound like a miserable failure - still beats "fell into the ocean never to be found again", as all other current first stages do.
Its a failure because it didn't do what it is supposed to do.
Current first stages do exactly what they are supposed to do extremely well.
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#8SpaceX actually got very close to sticking this landing. Sea conditions were reasonably rough, with 3-meter waves. It's also the first time SpaceX launches in fog, IIRC. Everything about the landing except the stuck leg seemed to be perfect.
So IMHO, the fact that the rocket exploded is not the most pertinent fact about this experiment. The main piece of news is that SpaceX is exceedingly likely to be able to recover rocket boosters intact from sea, even in non-perfect weather conditions.
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#9SpaceX actually got very close to sticking this landing. Sea conditions were reasonably rough, with 3-meter waves. It's also the first time SpaceX launches in fog, IIRC. Everything about the landing except the stuck leg seemed to be perfect. So IMHO, the fact that the rocket exploded is not the most pertinent fact about this experiment. The main piece of news is that SpaceX is exceedingly likely to be able to recover…
>It's also the first time SpaceX launches in fog
Musk said the "root cause may have been ice buildup due to condensation from heavy fog at liftoff."
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#10Speaks volumes for Mr. Musk's character that they're being completely open and honest about this problem. Turns the conversation from "What happened? What are they hiding?" to "Interesting Engineering problem. How can it be addressed?"