SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Discussion of all things technological and/or gadgety
User avatar
slowpoke
Posts: 1231
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:09 pm

Re: SpaceX Landing Attempt 4/14/15

Post by slowpoke »

Odahi wrote:SpaceX did a couple of soft landings in the ocean. However, that is not their goal. Even the barge landings are just a baby step. The ultimate plan is to land back close to the launch pad. They have even leased a second site from NASA at the cape, and renamed it "Landing Complex 1." At this early stage of the game, it would be a bad idea to try to set down on land, unless it were in the middle of nowhere. You certainly don't want your rocket making a crater in anyone's back yard. Their website has a video showing the entire plan. They would return not only the capsule and first stage, but the second stage as well. It has the potential to cut the cost of a launch to a tiny fraction of what it costs now. ULA even announced their "Vulcan" rocket yesterday, with a lot of refinements from the Atlas and Delta platforms that are clearly in response to the advances SpaceX has made. When they get Falcon Heavy flying, it will be the most powerful launch vehicle since the Saturn V. If I were twenty years younger, and could talk Mrs. O into it, I'd be busting a gut to work for them. Future of the species, and all that. They DO have big plans, and I'm pulling for them.
Go find their costing analysis. when they get the re-usability down they will be an order of magnitude cheaper than the chinese. He's planing to get to mars, and executing.
"Islam delenda est" Aesop
Post Reply