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spaceX "makes aerospace history", launches satellite & lands with reused rocket
Decepticon:
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/29/521941656/launch-land-launch-spacex-tries-reusing-its-rocket
--- Quote ---The most expensive part of doing business in outer space is getting there. The private space flight company SpaceX thinks it can change all that, and Thursday's successful reuse of a rocket was a big test of its business model.
SpaceX launched a communications satellite from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida using a rocket stage that had already been to space and back. SpaceX is betting that this kind of recycling will lower its costs and revolutionize space flight.
The rocket landed vertically on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean a few minutes after the launch.
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http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/30/15117096/spacex-launch-reusable-rocket-success-falcon-9-landing
--- Quote ---After more than two years of landing its rockets after launch, SpaceX finally sent one of its used Falcon 9s back into space. The rocket took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, this evening, sending a communications satellite into orbit, and then landed on one of SpaceX’s drone ships floating in the Atlantic Ocean. It was round two for this particular rocket, which already launched and landed during a mission in April of last year. But the Falcon 9’s relaunch marks the first time an orbital rocket has launched to space for a second time.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk appeared on the company’s live stream shortly after the landing and spoke about the accomplishment. “It means you can fly and refly an orbital class booster, which is the most expensive part of the rocket. This is going to be, ultimately, a huge revolution in spaceflight,” he said.
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--- Quote ---This evening’s mission was a critical milestone for SpaceX, which has been working to make its rockets partially reusable since as early as 2011. Up until now, practically all orbital rockets have been expendable, so they’re basically thrown away once they launch into space. That means an entirely new rocket — which can cost tens to hundreds of millions of dollars to make — has to be built for each mission to orbit. SpaceX’s strategy has been to land its rockets after launch in an effort to fly them again and again. That way the company can partially save on manufacturing costs for each mission.
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in summary, based spaceX launched a rocket into space and then landed it onto a boat in the middle of the ocean. today, they took the same rocket, launched it into space a second time with a payload, and and then landed it successfully again, bringing us even closer if not straight to reusable space flight. in turn, this could also cut the cost of flying our stuff into space greatly, which is pretty cool
Refticus:
oh look
actually good news for once this year
Conan:
24 hour reflights?? thats forgetin insane holy stuff
Decepticon:
--- Quote from: Conan on March 31, 2017, 05:12:38 AM ---24 hour reflights?? thats forgetin insane holy stuff
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elon musk is a force of nature
Conan:
elon musk is god
if he wills it it becomes reality
i dont even know how to put that goal into perspective
its like wanting to repair an undrivable car with an unknown number of issues in the span of 30 minutes
idk that doesnt really work either hmm