Space News #6

[ottarrus]

This is some interesting footage from SkyNews Australia of SpaceX catching their super-heavy Falcon booster after a controlled descent.
I've had my issues with Elon Musk, and still do, but I have to admit that this is impressive!

 

[Limpin Legin]

Two boosters cause double supersonic boom. Cut power down to three Raptor engines slows the speed. From supersonic speed to landed within one minute. Caught by the giant launch pad "chopsticks." SpaceX spokesperson says "Folks, this is a day for the engineering history books."

(Various News sources.)

 

[Geir]

This is some interesting footage from SkyNews Australia of SpaceX catching their super-heavy Falcon booster after a controlled descent.
I've had my issues with Elon Musk, and still do, but I have to admit that this is impressive!

I thought for sure it was going to smack the tower with the engines, but it was probably just the viewing angle. Though I have to wonder if today will make them rethink making the arms shorter on the second tower.

 

[Limpin Legin]

I thought for sure it was going to smack the tower with the engines, but it was probably just the viewing angle. Though I have to wonder if today will make them rethink making the arms shorter on the second tower.

Yes, the top and bottom of the heavy booster rocket looks misaligned by about 15 to 45 degrees, for about 10 seconds or more, then it miraculously finds the landing sweet spot.

 

[ottarrus]

I thought for sure it was going to smack the tower with the engines, but it was probably just the viewing angle. Though I have to wonder if today will make them rethink making the arms shorter on the second tower.

Yeah it damned sure did look like it was gonna go all 'Chinese rocket' for a second there.
This is a big piece of the Project Artemis puzzle that's for sure.
My wife as some college friends who work as Boeing mechanical engineers and they once told me figuring out what went right is often tougher than figuring out what went wrong.

 

[Sigtrygg]

The wobble before it is caught is deliberate - it gives them the option to abort and just crash land the booster away from the tower.

The tower catch mechanism means they don't need landing legs or shock absorbers on the booster, starship is going to be caught the same way.