Here is a video of a recent Blue Origin launch and recovery. The return to earth definitely looks like an E-Ticket ride. All the flight characteristics of an anvil (referring to the 1st stage recovery). Looks like they are taking the Russian approach to capsule recovery - a combination of parachutes and "braking thrust".
[EDIT] The engines on the 1st stage seem to engage as the rocket intercepts the ridgeline of the mountains in the background.
The static fire is complete, and the repaired barge has left port in time plausibly to be ready for a sea landing.
SpaceX's own site does not seem to have set up a countdown clock on a video yet, but the independent SpaceX stats sites lists the scheduled launch time as 8:43 p.m. April 8 (UTC).
The weather here today is perfect for a launch although surface winds are a bit high at times. Hopefully it will hold for the launch tomorrow. Looking forward to it.
Quite noticeable pitching of the barge, but given how wide the legs spread, I think it is a long way from toppling over.
It touched down a bit more off-center than I'd have guessed. Maybe as did the Blue Origin team they adjusted the final guidance to go a bit more for stability and a bit less for un-needed pinpoint accuracy.
Was that on ascent or coming back down? I assume ascent. Did you catch any glimpse of the return? I speculate that had it been at night you might have been able to discern the re-entry burn from your location.
It seems likely to me that they reverted to a 1-engine burn for the landing proper. I only spotted a single plume, and the dynamics did not seem nearly so sporty as I imagine they will be for a 3-engine burn.
This, coupled with the generous boostback that allowed use of a not so far away barge location all says that boosting a CRS flight to ISS is well within performance margins for the current Falcon 9 with barge landing.
Was that on ascent or coming back down? I assume ascent. Did you catch any glimpse of the return? I speculate that had it been at night you might have been able to discern the re-entry burn from your location.
This pic was of ascent. It was quite strange. I was tracking with one eye "through the camera" and the other looking in the direction of the flight path with the non camera eye. Suddenly the Falcon was gone as if it flew through a low ceiling. There was a light layer but I certainly did not think it was heavy enough to block out the rocket. I waited stayed outside for a while longer but I believe that I could not "see" any return path due to my location. Had I gone to the beach I might have been able to see something, but it is a wide horizon. And where do you look? Its all about getting back down, i.e., it does not hang in the sky very long.
Quote:
It seems likely to me that they reverted to a 1-engine burn for the landing proper. I only spotted a single plume, and the dynamics did not seem nearly so sporty as I imagine they will be for a 3-engine burn.
This, coupled with the generous boostback that allowed use of a not so far away barge location all says that boosting a CRS flight to ISS is well within performance margins for the current Falcon 9 with barge landing.
I think I can say that the Atlantic was extremely kind to the recovery attempt. Yes it was rough but the vertical displacement of the barge was not like I think they experienced on other missions.
Here is a video of a recent
)
Here is a video of a recent Blue Origin launch and recovery. The return to earth definitely looks like an E-Ticket ride. All the flight characteristics of an anvil (referring to the 1st stage recovery). Looks like they are taking the Russian approach to capsule recovery - a combination of parachutes and "braking thrust".
[EDIT] The engines on the 1st stage seem to engage as the rocket intercepts the ridgeline of the mountains in the background.
The static fire is complete,
)
The static fire is complete, and the repaired barge has left port in time plausibly to be ready for a sea landing.
SpaceX's own site does not seem to have set up a countdown clock on a video yet, but the independent SpaceX stats sites lists the scheduled launch time as 8:43 p.m. April 8 (UTC).
The weather here today is
)
The weather here today is perfect for a launch although surface winds are a bit high at times. Hopefully it will hold for the launch tomorrow. Looking forward to it.
As of now the countdown timer
)
As of now the countdown timer is advancing with less than an hour to go.
The "fewer talking heads" version of the webcast is hosted at this youtube url.
fewer talking heads
for more chatter try:
standard version
Awesome !
)
Awesome !
I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...
... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal
unbelievable video of drone
)
unbelievable video of drone ship landing. THEY DID IT!!!!!!!!!
they used an aerial feed to capture the landing. perfect
and a pic from my backyard (not so perfect).
[edit] did some editing to get the size down while providing as much detail (????) as my camera could supply.
[edit] they are also carrying a "bounce house" on this mission which will be installed on the ISS. a lot going on.
Hurrah for the team. Quite
)
Hurrah for the team.
Quite noticeable pitching of the barge, but given how wide the legs spread, I think it is a long way from toppling over.
It touched down a bit more off-center than I'd have guessed. Maybe as did the Blue Origin team they adjusted the final guidance to go a bit more for stability and a bit less for un-needed pinpoint accuracy.
Wow! That's just
)
Wow! That's just awesome!
Although not dead center I notice that one of the landing struts is more or less pointing at it!
RE: a pic from my
)
Was that on ascent or coming back down? I assume ascent. Did you catch any glimpse of the return? I speculate that had it been at night you might have been able to discern the re-entry burn from your location.
It seems likely to me that they reverted to a 1-engine burn for the landing proper. I only spotted a single plume, and the dynamics did not seem nearly so sporty as I imagine they will be for a 3-engine burn.
This, coupled with the generous boostback that allowed use of a not so far away barge location all says that boosting a CRS flight to ISS is well within performance margins for the current Falcon 9 with barge landing.
RE: RE: a pic from my
)
This pic was of ascent. It was quite strange. I was tracking with one eye "through the camera" and the other looking in the direction of the flight path with the non camera eye. Suddenly the Falcon was gone as if it flew through a low ceiling. There was a light layer but I certainly did not think it was heavy enough to block out the rocket. I waited stayed outside for a while longer but I believe that I could not "see" any return path due to my location. Had I gone to the beach I might have been able to see something, but it is a wide horizon. And where do you look? Its all about getting back down, i.e., it does not hang in the sky very long.
I think I can say that the Atlantic was extremely kind to the recovery attempt. Yes it was rough but the vertical displacement of the barge was not like I think they experienced on other missions.
This really is an amazing effort.