Launch News SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.2 with Dragon CRS-8 April 8 2016

[Kyle]

Looking forward to seeing this core at 39A sometime in the next few weeks!

 

[mike-c]

rendezvous

Does anyone know details about how the 1.5day rendezvous is done?
According to aktual orbital data the dragon catched up already...

http://www.lizard-tail.com/isana/tracking/?catalog_number=41452,25544&target=iss&tle=2016-024A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20,1_41452U_16024A___16100.44282499_-.00003576__11306-4__00000+0_0__9995,2_41452__51.6571__40.9792_0108946__48.4635__55.3257_15.96560430____97

 

[indy91]

Does anyone know details about how the 1.5day rendezvous is done?
According to aktual orbital data the dragon catched up already...

I don't know much about the Dragon rendezvous specifically, but it started out in a much lower orbit than the ISS, where it catches up to the ISS very fast. By now it will have done maneuvers to a higher orbit. Still below and behind the ISS, but the catch-up rate should be much lower now than during the hours after insertion.

 

[Andy44]

Does the landing barge have some sort of holddowns or tiedowns to secure
the first stage after landing?

According to this Wired article they actually weld the feet to the deck until it gets into port: http://www.wired.com/2016/04/spacex-just-stuck-historic-landing-now

It also seems to imply that this particular booster, if it checks out good, will be the first one to attempt a re-launch.

 

[Kyle]

According to this Wired article they actually weld the feet to the deck until it gets into port: http://www.wired.com/2016/04/spacex-just-stuck-historic-landing-now

It also seems to imply that this particular booster, if it checks out good, will be the first one to attempt a re-launch.

Yup, that was confirmed by Elon Musk yesterday at the post-launch press conference. NET June for reflight.

 

[Andy44]

I wonder how well it holds up under the salty sea spray. I imagine you'd want to hose it down in a bird bath ASAP after landing to prevent corrosion from taking hold.

 

[Donamy]

I wouldn't want my payload on that flight.

 

[Kyle]

They could consider launching 6,000kg of cheese for the reflight mission.

 

[ADSWNJ]

According to this Wired article they actually weld the feet to the deck until it gets into port:

Not quite. Per Elon, they are welding steel shoes over the Falcon landing feet, rather than directly welding Falcon to the deck.

Hopefully we will have pictures from the return to port tomorrow (Sunday)

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Not quite. Per Elon, they are welding steel shoes over the Falcon landing feet, rather than directly welding Falcon to the deck.

Now that's a practical solution! No need to hit the bull's eye on landing. I like it. Steel is pretty awesome in that you can weld stuff onto it and grind it off again without much effort, but good welds are strong enough to do the job.

 

[Urwumpe]

I wouldn't want my payload on that flight.

I would know a payload...

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I wouldn't want my payload on that flight.

Even at a 50% discount?

---------- Post added at 09:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:58 PM ----------

Coming home!

It's interesting that the area of the oxygen tank seems to be cleaner than over the RP-1 tank. Maybe something to do with skin temperature preventing charring?

 

[Col_Klonk]

Very close to the edge.. could still be touch and go in the future ?
They maybe should have a larger platform ?

 

[Notebook]

Even at a 50% discount?

---------- Post added at 09:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:58 PM ----------

Coming home!

It's interesting that the area of the oxygen tank seems to be cleaner than over the RP-1 tank. Maybe something to do with skin temperature preventing charring?

Are they the same construction, single-skinned, any external insulation?

N.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Are they the same construction, single-skinned, any external insulation?

N.

No, they aren't constructed the same either.

 

[Lmoy]

It's interesting that the area of the oxygen tank seems to be cleaner than over the RP-1 tank. Maybe something to do with skin temperature preventing charring?

I asked about this on Reddit. Not sure about the veracity of the response, but I was told it's because while the rocket is burning retrograde for landing, the wash of the engines covers the rocket in soot, but the frost on the oxygen tank protects it and prevents any from collecting on that section of the vehicle.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Merchandising! Merchandising, where the real money from the launch is made:

SpaceX the T-shirt, SpaceX the Coloring Book, SpaceX the Lunch box, SpaceX the Breakfast Cereal, SpaceX the Flame Thrower....kids love these...*FWOOOSH!*

 

[Andy44]

SpaceX cereal: it comes back up after you eat it, and you can eat over and over again like 40 times!

 

[Col_Klonk]

SpaceX cereal: it comes back up after you eat it, and you can eat over and over again like 40 times!

:lol:
Whichever end it comes back from.... is not a good idea !!

Shame.. is Space-X missing out on love... Tears in my eyes (let's nuke the moon)

 

[Messierhunter]

Here are my videos summarizing the behind the scenes tours for this launch at the NASA Social:
April 7th:

April 8th, launch day (with the launch at the end along with the official launch audio):

Here's the launch with the original audio recorded by my camera: