SpaceX will try again to put the Falcon 9 stage of an offshore platform

new missile launch date is scheduled for May 3

Photo


since landing stage on the platform 8 April

As is known, the company SpaceX, after several unsuccessful attempts, still managed to land returned by the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket on an offshore platform. It makes it very difficult for several reasons, but the company has achieved its goal. The stage, which has already reached its hangar at Kennedy Space Center, will soon be tested for suitability for reuse.

The company is now set to repeat its success, and in even more difficult conditions. On May 3 appointed to start Falcon 9 rocket, which will carry a Japanese communications satellite into orbit 22,000 km above the Earth's surface. Accordingly, the rocket will have to develop considerable speed (more than in the previous run), which means that the fuel will be burned and more. Thus, there remains only one option - to use an offshore platform again. On land to plant level is not released - is simply not enough fuel.

The launch will be made early in the morning, and the landing is complicated by the possible lack of fuel, and to return to the offshore platform - perform the maneuvers necessary, but may not have enough fuel. According to company experts, learn the splashdown on the platform necessary, because only half of the missiles, which will be run in the future, will be enough fuel to return to the land of the first stage. In this case, land is much easier to implement. But the other 50% of start-ups will be carried out with a load, which is required to deliver a high orbit (or the load is very heavy), and fuel level on return will be less.

Regarding the stage which has returned, its reuse plan (assuming passage test) in about June.

By the way, after about Falcon 9 we started talking anywhere and everywhere, immediately found conspiracy theorists who claim that nothing SpaceX launched, and if launched, nothing came back. Like this.

And here's a video showing how the stage of the rocket is transported by road on their way to the hangar.

@SpaceX #SpaceX Bringing the landed booster back on the Cape today! Congratz guys, keep pushing! pic.twitter.com/Q5EcOVEFtl- Whiskey Icarus (@kermitdafrag_g) April 19, 2016
 Well, let's hope for another successful phase of implementation of the main project under the mask SpaceX - the creation of a reliable and relatively inexpensive transportation to deliver cargo to orbit the Earth. How do you think the SpaceX will be able to step back intact this time? Yes, of course I doubt, but there is a chance No, it does not, the last time was an accident SpaceX nothing failed and the last time, it's all hype and tricks Voted 632 people. 81 people abstained. Only registered users can participate in the survey. Come in, please.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/274851/

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