Linguofreak
Well-known member
Most importantly, the 2nd stage has not yet detonated.
Launch News SpaceX Falcon 9 Return to Flight - Iridium NEXT Mission 1 (January 14, 2017)
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Kyle
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F9 currently over Antarctica.
ADSWNJ
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The 2 video streams (technical and public) were awesomely done. The hi-res launch, the maneuvers and boostbacks, the orientation for lading through to the bullseye landing - just stunning to watch live.
Merlin's second burn was good ... nominal orbit for the 10 x Iridium demates.
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And successful completion after all Iridium sats have spun off. (Minor technical issue with a single ground station tracking, but the next station confirmed all OK).
Merlin's second burn was good ... nominal orbit for the 10 x Iridium demates.
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And successful completion after all Iridium sats have spun off. (Minor technical issue with a single ground station tracking, but the next station confirmed all OK).
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Kyle
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BrianJ
Addon Developer
Seconded. Spectacular views. Well done SpaceX.
K_Jameson
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I agreee. Finally a new complete success. Great performance.
But still I don't like the flyback rockets. Still seems instinctively "wrong" to me... don't ask why... I'm unable to explain my sensation.
A concept as Skylon makes more sense in my view for the future, but it's me...
But still I don't like the flyback rockets. Still seems instinctively "wrong" to me... don't ask why... I'm unable to explain my sensation.
A concept as Skylon makes more sense in my view for the future, but it's me...
Col_Klonk
Member
Interesting that they using one engine for the return trip.. right on the X too 
Skylon (the last time I looked at it) has too many sharp edges - it'll burn up quickly.
Skylon (the last time I looked at it) has too many sharp edges - it'll burn up quickly.
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MaverickSawyer
Acolyte of the Probe
Interesting that they using one engine for the return trip.. right on the X too
Skylon (the last time I looked at it) has too many sharp edges - it'll burn up quickly.
Not really. It'll be very light and low density, so they'll slow down early.
Besides, my understanding is that they'll not even be doing much of a lifting reentry. What I've seen shows a full-on, 90*AOA belly flop into the atmosphere.
ADSWNJ
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They do a 3-engine boostback burn for the high dV launches (e.g. geostationary transfer orbit), and a single engine for low dV (e.g. LEO). This Iridium launch was to LEO, so the landing was a bit more gentle.
Still stunning accuracy though, hitting a pitching landing pad dead center, right in the open ocean.
Still stunning accuracy though, hitting a pitching landing pad dead center, right in the open ocean.
Kyle
Armchair Astronaut
F9/JRTI returning to port in Los Angeles.
Nicholas Kang
Tutorial Publisher
Here is the live webcast with some animations. Cool graphs.
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