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SpaceX Falcon 9 FT Launch of JCSAT-14 & First Stage Drone Ship Landing Attempt. May 6

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William

Member
I love these SpaceX launches and landing attempts. This has put a big grin on my face first thing on a friday before work. Thanks SpaceX!
 

Mindlog

Member
Damn showed up outta nowhere
hlu8EBr.gif


The reaction really was marvelous.
 

jambo

Member
*camera buffers*

"awww..."

*footage of rocket standing on droneship*

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
 

Jacir

Member
Awesome stuff. It's about to pass Sao Tome(my birthplace) in less than 5 minutes. I'm excited 🙌🙌.

Edit- it just passed. Stats nominal. Woohoo.
 

subrock

Member
Stream ended. That was cool. Where do they go from here?

Next interesting milestone will be actually flying a reused rocket for a paying customer. If they can do that, they basically have a money printing machine. Oh and also the Falcon Heavy.
 

Bowdz

Member
Ahh duh. I guess the moon isnt being further focused on by any other space agency?

I'm confident that SpaceX will do a lunar flyby with a Dragon V2 at some point to: a) demonstrate more complex orbital maneuvering and b) test the Dragon landing under a high velocity entry (ala Mars).
 

Jacir

Member
China is planning manned moon missions.

China recently announced they want to put men on the Moon in the 2030s.

China is actively working towards it (so they say).

I'm confident that SpaceX will do a lunar flyby with a Dragon V2 at some point to: a) demonstrate more complex orbital maneuvering and b) test the Dragon landing under a high velocity entry (ala Mars).

Thanks for replies. China increasing their efforts is a good thing I see. Hopefully India isn't too far behind.

That lunar flyby is going to be amazing. I think it's also going to get more attention in a way. No moonlanding?
 

nekkid

It doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan.
Shouldn't we be celebrating both companies having success, rather than trying to make it into some sort of sports team us-vs-them mentality? Space flight is a positive thing for everyone, I would think.

Jeff Bezos' attitude to the competition (without actually being a true competitor) has well and truly earnt my lack of respect.
 

JoseJX

Member
Shouldn't we be celebrating both companies having success, rather than trying to make it into some sort of sports team us-vs-them mentality? Space flight is a positive thing for everyone, I would think.

The only reason why I support mocking Bezos is that Blue Origin tried to patent landing rockets on a barge. Actively trying to hold back progress like that deserves mocking.
 

Nocebo

Member
Thanks for replies. China increasing their efforts is a good thing I see. Hopefully India isn't too far behind.

That lunar flyby is going to be amazing. I think it's also going to get more attention in a way. No moonlanding?
As for what's beyond people's memories of recently posted threads, the European Space Agency's general director has stated a clear interest of constructing a moon village. With many nations contributing like for the international space station:
http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2016/02/ESA_Euronews_Moon_Village

NASA has/had plans of redirecting an asteroid to lunar orbit.
https://www.nasa.gov/content/what-is-nasa-s-asteroid-redirect-mission
Not sure if that's still on, though.
 

Nelo Ice

Banned
It was the "welcome to the club, SpaceX" tweet that got me.

What's that, Jeff? The glorified pogo stick club?

Lol yeah. Shit like that is like ok screw you Bezos. Speaking of which I think he's shut up since. Musk and SpaceX just continue to lay the smackdown on him and BO. And I didn't even know he tried to patent barge landings.

edit: With that said have no problem seeing BO have success but it's great seeing SpaceX just continue to make history.
 
Stream ended. That was cool. Where do they go from here?

Here's a list of interesting milestones in the future for SpaceX. Of course, all dates are tentative and may very well slip.

June? 2016 - First launch with a re-used first stage. They said it might happen in June but I don't think they've confirmed anything.

November 2016 - Maiden flight of the Falcon Heavy.

Later 2016 - In-flight test of the abort system for the crew-rated Dragon V2, basically testing the escape sequence for astronauts in the worst possible scenario (unmanned of course).

May 2017 - Demo flight of the uncrewed Dragon V2 to the ISS.

Mid-2017 - First crew of astronauts sent to the ISS aboard Dragon V2.

Late 2017 - Delivery of a lander to the Moon for team SpaceIL competing for the Google Lunar X Prize.

Spring 2018 - Red Dragon uncrewed mission to Mars.

2025-2027 - First humans sent to Mars!

Ahh duh. I guess the moon isnt being further focused on by any other space agency?

The US, China, India, Japan, as well as three Google Lunar X Prize teams, have one or more robotic missions to the Moon planned this decade. These include landers, rovers, and sample return missions.

For more ambitious manned missions, the US, Europe, Japan, China, and Russia have mission proposals for next decade. The US currently plans a manned test of its Orion spacecraft in Lunar Orbit around 2023. The European Space Agency has a proposal for a Moon landing in 2024, Japan in 2025, China between 2025 and 2030, and Russia in 2030.

We'll see, but with the delays, cost overruns and outright cancellations typical of governmental agencies, it's not impossible that SpaceX might land people on Mars before any government ever returns to the Moon's surface. ;) Though of course, SpaceX itself is no stranger to delays...
 

Jacir

Member
As for what's beyond people's memories of recently posted threads, the European Space Agency's general director has stated a clear interest of constructing a moon village. With many nations contributing like for the international space station:
http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2016/02/ESA_Euronews_Moon_Village

NASA has/had plans of redirecting an asteroid to lunar orbit.
https://www.nasa.gov/content/what-is-nasa-s-asteroid-redirect-mission
Not sure if that's still on, though.

Interesting. Well let's hope more collaboration is done so all of our hopes and dreams are not only within reach but a reality.
 

cameron

Member
The only reason why I support mocking Bezos is that Blue Origin tried to patent landing rockets on a barge. Actively trying to hold back progress like that deserves mocking.

Yea, those patent attempts weren't a good look for Blue Origin. It does hold back progress. News story from last year via The Orlando Sentinel:
All the while, though, Blue Origin, which likely will soon be launching its rockets from Cape Canaveral, was holding an approved patent for barge landings. That patent was issued last fall and SpaceX immediately challenged it.

After a preliminary decision in March threw out two of Blue Origin's patent claims and established SpaceX's rights to challenge the other 13 claims held in the barge-landing patent, on the grounds that there may be nothing new about the procedures being patented, Blue Origin decided to drop all claims to the patent. Late last week a three-judge panel of U.S. administrative patent judges officially threw out the patent.

That leaves SpaceX free to continue to try to land its rockets on an ocean barge, without risking violating anyone's patent.

Meanwhile, Blue Origin has filed for a "reissue application" for the patent, which would require the company to make new claims for novel procedures and equipment that are distinct from those challenged in the original application.


Incidentally, from yesterday: "NASA Makes Dozens of Patents Available in Public Domain to Benefit U.S. Industry"
NASA has released 56 formerly-patented agency technologies into the public domain, making its government-developed technologies freely available for unrestricted commercial use. In addition to the release of these technologies, a searchable database now is available that catalogs thousands of expired NASA patents already in the public domain.
A few examples include:
  • Technologies designed to mitigate the dangerous gases created as humans live and work in space
  • Inventions related to rocket nozzles, injection systems and propellants that might help launch a new generation of commercial spacecraft
  • Methods for controlling airflow around vehicles in hypersonic flight
NASA's patent portfolio, managed by the agency’s Technology Transfer Program, includes more than 1,000 technologies in categories such as manufacturing, optics and sensors, and is available for industry use through licensing agreements.
 

nomis

Member
Wow, the gall of them. I had not heard about this. Blue Origin hasn't even attempted anything to do with a ship landing, have they?

And people actually wonder why some are treating SpaceX "vs" Blue Origin like a nasty sports rivalry and being Musk fanboys... Jeff Bezos is basically the Justin Hammer of real life. Except somehow more self aggrandizing.
 
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