The next launch attempt will be on Friday * The previous two times, the landing was in the sea itself, so it was possible to give a safety range of 10 kilometers, this time the range will be 10 meters, the company says. This is the first step towards reusing rocket components in order to lower the cost of launching into space
The launch of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, carrying a Dragon-type cargo spacecraft made by the same company, which was supposed to take place today at noon Israel time, has been postponed. The reason for the delay according to the company is "strange behavior" of the upper stage of the launcher. The fault was discovered at the last moment and the launch was stopped. As I recall (see below), besides the routine task of bringing equipment and food to the space station, there was supposed to be an innovation this time: the precise landing of the first stage of the Falcon rocket on the back of a rig in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean
The next launch attempt is expected to take place on Friday.
To the original article
Today SpaceX will attempt to land the first stage of a soft landing launcher on a small rig in the middle of the sea
A particularly interesting experiment is planned to be carried out today. At 13:18 (Israel time) the SpaceX Falcon-9 launcher will be launched from Florida, carrying a Dragon-type supply spacecraft to the space station. Now for the particularly interesting part:
The first stage of the rocket, which is as tall as a 14-story building, will return and steer itself to land on a robotic platform that will float autonomously in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. If successful, it would be the first ever landing of a rocket stage launched into space.
When the Dragon spaceship detaches from the launcher carrying it and enters the Sabi orbit on Earth on its way to the International Launch Station, SpaceX engineers will try to return the first stage using a precision landing system built on a barge that serves as a port for autonomous spaceships, said the company's announcement ahead of tomorrow's launch.
SpaceX has already successfully demonstrated two soft landings in the sea, precise navigation of the rocket to land on a barge that is not anchored to the water is a much bigger challenge," the company says, estimating the chances of success at 50% at most.
To help stabilize the first stage and reduce its speed, SpaceX will fire the rocket's engines in a series of three ignitions. The first - boostback will adjust the equilibrium point of the rocket. It will be followed by a rapid supersonic reverse burn which, together with the friction of the atmosphere, will slow the spacecraft from a speed of 1300 meters per second to 250 meters per second. The last burn is the landing burn, during which the legs of the missile will be placed on the landing rig and it will stop.
To complicate matters, the rig itself is not stabilized. Its dimensions are 100 m x 55 m, while the legs of the rocket, when fully extended, occupy a width of approximately 21 meters. While the ship is equipped with engines to hold it in place, it is not actually anchored, so shooting the pinhole would become tricky. In previous attempts, an accuracy of 10 kilometers could be expected, for this attempt, the target accuracy is less than 10 meters.
Since this method had never been tried before, many emergency plans were made in case something went wrong, but that's how it is in space exploration, there are no shortcuts.
Elon Musk, the founder and owner of SpaceX, described the chances of success as 50%, but an 80-90% chance that in one of the 12 additional Falcon-9 launches planned for 2015, not only a successful landing will occur, but also a relaunch of the same Step as part of a new ingot.
Recycling rocket stages may lower launch costs considerably in the future, so there is certainly something to look forward to.
The robotic landing pad of the Falcon-9. Able to remain motionless even in rough seas.
Thanks to Yoav Landsman
6 תגובות
It is possible to establish an exchange in Jerusalem to trade in companies that deal in space. The location of the exchange in Jerusalem will ensure the presence of pro-Israeli companies. In addition, it is worthwhile to open technological incubators on space technologies, in Mitzpe Ramon or in Arad. Leaders like Bibi/Lapid who, in my opinion, are simplistic and incapable of understanding the real problems of The state. These leaders are not leaders, they are public relations people who appeal to the primal feelings of broad publics. Herzog is also trying (pathetically). The future of the country depends (in my opinion) on space, science, and education. Until the leadership understands this, (lowering tuition fees, professional training, and encouraging initiatives). Unemployment in Israel will increase greatly!" And thanks to China"
Government chemical projects - the Dimona reactor was built with donations. The salvation of the country with the help of KKL, and even the Israeli spacecraft to the moon is a donation. A manned space program can be developed in Israel, according to these models. Israel has never been socialist, in a strange way the kibbutz movement grew voluntarily. Therefore, in ultra-capitalist Israel, the government cannot be trusted. Given the continuation of inefficient and low taxation.
Elon Musk with elephant eggs. He developed the Tesla electric car, which revolutionizes electric vehicles in the United States. If someone happened to read my talkback in the article about the need to develop renewable energies, the cost of traveling 1300 km per month charging at home is 30 NIS, compared to about 1500 NIS in a car with a 1600 cc engine and a fuel consumption of 1:10. Sounds crazy but it's measured. One of the auctioneers purchased from Better Place leftovers.
It means that in the absence of combines, the issue of the fuel bill is reduced from the family account, which is money capital, and therefore there may be a hidden objection from the fuel manufacturers. There is the removal of the battery in Israel and the fact that the vehicle is scrapped after 8 years.
Even so in Israel the savings is 5,000 NIS per year. There is also the issue of the limited distance, but when there is an infrastructure to replace the battery at gas stations, within 5 minutes, the vehicle will leave and continue driving.
If anyone is interested and hasn't already seen Elon Musk do/did
AMA on Reddit
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2rgsan/i_am_elon_musk_ceocto_of_a_rocket_company_ama/
They ask him interesting questions there
D.
Is it just me or does the landing cross look "suspiciously" similar
For the Saudi flag and that Elon Musk at all some kind of Dr. No...?
If the landing is successful, it is indeed a breakthrough
Because the idea is very difficult to implement because the missile needs to be braked
and steer himself using the rocket engine - and in order to carry
Enough fuel = weight for the return phase as well.
It might have been better to use GPS guided cargo parachutes
(which the US military uses) in the first part
of the descent to save fuel and weight.