Headlines Elon Musk Unveils Interplanetary Transport System

[hoffmeister_fan]

I thought it was cheesy to launch the roadster, but it's kinda whimsical seeing earth through the windshield.


Still seems like there's no confirmation regarding the center core according to this guy's webcast

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

SpaceX successfully launches the world’s most powerful rocket

Adding to the launch’s success, two of the Falcon Heavy’s rocket cores successfully touched down back on Earth after takeoff. The two outer boosters broke away mid-flight and returned to the Cape, touching down around 1,000 feet from one another on SpaceX’s concrete landing pads — Landing Zone 1 and Landing Zone 2. The center core then broke away from the vehicle’s upper stage, but did not land as intended on one of SpaceX’s autonomous drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean. That means SpaceX has now landed a total of 23 rockets upright.

Not confirmed by SpaceX yet

 

[Deleted member 25]

Well too bad for the central one then, but still great showing.

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

Per the press conference, the central core (central rocket) missed the landing barge by about a 100 meters and slammed into the water at about 300 mph.

 

[martinbo]

SpaceX's insurers must hate them.

 

[sako97]

I thought it was cheesy to launch the roadster, but it's kinda whimsical seeing earth through the windshield.


Still seems like there's no confirmation regarding the center core according to this guy's webcast

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Yea, but it's market at it's finest for Tesla. Commendable

 

[Sunny]

Maybe you see the panel gaps from earth?

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

SpaceX's insurers must hate them.

As per the press conference, while Musk would have like the 3rd booster (central core) to stick its landing in order to perfect their protocol, he'd prefer to have lost the central core rather than the side boosters. The side boosters have a these titanium fins that were not originally on the Falcon 9 rockets as they are expensive and take time to make. Also this particular central core would not be reused even if it had succesfully touched down, the reason I do not remember right now. I haven't seen enough of Musk's presentation to determine whether he's saying it like it is or if he's spinning it.

Also, they scrapped the idea of retrieving the fairings for this launch.

There were many interesting aspects
- those side boosters coming down side by side in such a graceful manner.
- I know it's gimmicky, but there's something visually pleasing seeing our home through a car's windshield
- despite seeing those rockets touch down the ground, I'd like to see aerial footage of the central core come crashing down into the waters.

 

[klier]

Per the press conference, the central core (central rocket) missed the landing barge by about a 100 meters and slammed into the water at about 300 mph.

Hmm, that's too bad.
Waiting for the footage !

 

[SCOTT27]

Can't wait to see the obligical South Park Episode.
They will probably have it fall from the earth on Trudeau or Lena Dunham.

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

This is just so cool how fast they come in and how it quickly decelerates right before landing....

Caution: it gets loud

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[Cashmere]

Yesterday's event might the most amazing thing I have seen in my lifetime. It was almost hard to believe it was real. Just as I had expected, millions of people tuned in to watch the event. Youtube recorded that it was the 2nd most live streamed video of all time.



Why is the successful launch of FH a big deal?


1) Possibilities of a Lunar Base: FH's payload capacity means it is capable of landing on the moon, dropping off supplies with sufficient fuel to return back to earth (at a fraction of the cost of previous rockets!!) . Building a refuelling depot over the next 3-4 years seems very possible to prepare for BFR's maiden flight to Mars. Tesla's vast experience with Solar arrays, battery storage and EVs means the fundamental infrastructure needed to build a Lunar base & transportation already exists.

2) Kickstarting the Space Economy: FH launch really cements SpaceX's reputation as a Space service provider. Elon mentioned that a few people had already paid deposits last year for a trip to Lunar orbit using the Dragon V2 vehicle. The tourist flights are slated for Q2 this year.

It will be the modern equivalent of taking a supersonic flight on the Concorde. This will be an extra source of revenue for SpaceX and insane publicity which will only encourage more companies to provide similar services. The space race has begun and I think this will be an inspiration for future generations.

Lots to look forward to in 2018!

 

[wL0316]

Monumental achievement! Good time to be alive!
The rocket with Tesla roadster overshot and will reach asteroid belts, is there no course correction rockets available?

 

[Cashmere]

The rocket with Tesla roadster overshot and will reach asteroid belts, is there no course correction rockets available?

From my understanding, all the camera's and telemetry equipment that were wired to the roadster only had enough juice to livestream for 6 hours. Also, the Van Allen Asteroid belt is known to be a zone of high radiation capable of damaging integrated circuit boards.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

The roadster did carry out a third burn just before entering the Van Allen asteroid belt. I'm assuming the last burn was to do some type of course correction which would result in the roadster taking the journey of least resistance around the Sun.

 

[martinbo]

Why are we talking in the past tense with words like exceeded and overshot?

 

[Centurion]

You wouldn't want to stand that close when these bad boys are landing.

 

[Matski]

Monumental achievement! Good time to be alive!
The rocket with Tesla roadster overshot and will reach asteroid belts, is there no course correction rockets available?

From my understanding, all the camera's and telemetry equipment that were wired to the roadster only had enough juice to livestream for 6 hours. Also, the Van Allen Asteroid belt is known to be a zone of high radiation capable of damaging integrated circuit boards.

Why are we talking in the past tense with words like exceeded and overshot?

I'll just chuck in here that the roadster was designed and built to Automotive OEM standards, these test standards do not tend to include temperature cycling from -270° to 150° in 0% humid environment, or being pelted with tiny rocks at 3500 m/s

I really doubt the medium term prognosis for the roadster was good, whatever allowances they'd made for it's course.

 

[martinbo]

The Van Allen belt, by the way, is not an asteroid belt. It's a radiation belt which surrounds the Earth. Had it been an asteroid belt, that would've been pretty bad for us.

 

[klier]

Had it been an asteroid belt, that would've been pretty bad for us.

Gravity says that's not possible
Well, it could be orbiting like the moon, and then it would indeed be pretty hard for us to launch stuff into space..

 

[PanterroR]

Hmm, that's too bad.
Waiting for the footage !

Any footage released so far?