SpaceX and other space stuff

[MJ5150]

That was a cool breakdown of the Argentinian satellite, what's it's going to do, and how it got to the launch pad.
700 gallons of fuel per second at full throttle. That sounds like my Dodge.
Wow, that entry and landing burn was awesome. That's the first time I've seen a landing on solid ground.

-Mike

 

[MJ5150]

I don't think you'll find a better hour of video programming than these SpaceX launches. Today's seemed especially educational.
Next up, Rocket Lab in a couple hours.

-Mike

 

[StereoPlayer]

Looks like SN6 is cancelled until further notice.

 

[MJ5150]

Congratulations Rocket Lab and the Electron rocket's return to flight.
Still my favorite launch site on earth. Maybe some day I will get to visit the area.
At the customer request, payload deployment was not televised.

-Mike

 

[Downunderwonder]

Congratulations Rocket Lab and the Electron rocket's return to flight.
Still my favorite launch site on earth. Maybe some day I will get to visit the area.
At the customer request, payload deployment was not televised.

-Mike

Very Special Secret Squirrel Detection payload, only 100kg worth.

 

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Very Special Secret Squirrel Detection payload, only 100kg worth.

I'd like to take this opportunity to say the words "Moose und Squirrel". Ahhh. So satisfying.

 

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Sadly, though, SN6 hopped scrubbed for the time being. Sounds hella windy there:

 

[MJ5150]

Some really amazing views of the moon the last few nights around these parts.
I woke up just a few minutes ago to use the bathroom. The moon was so bright through the skylight, I didn't even turn the light on. Since I was awake, I went outside with the dog. It was bright enough for us to walk around outside with no flashlight.
I heard some rustling in the woods, and there's been signs of a cougar in the area, so I got a little freaked out and we hurried back home.

-Mike

 

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Shall we dance?

Martian dust devil dancing across Curiosity's background...

 

[MJ5150]

Full moon tonight.
Get out your binoculars, telescopes, cameras, and the like.

-Mike

 

[Krisfield]

Rocket Lab's rocket catching demo.

 

[MJ5150]

Rocket Lab's rocket catching demo.

Hmmmm. Why try to catch it at that point? Maybe because they don't want it getting wet?

-Mike

 

[Downunderwonder]

Hmmmm. Why try to catch it at that point? Maybe because they don't want it getting wet?

-Mike

Salt water and rocket engines probably don't mix well.

 

[Krisfield]

I think it's to try and compete with SpaceX. I read on the Rocket Lab website, that SpaceX having the ability to land their rockets a on pad is a commercial advantage. Rocket Lab at the moment, are doing more small rocket launches than SpaceX. They have a license the launch every 72 hours.

Could be just a gimmick catching and landing rockets. This 2nd wave space race is heating up, and people love seeing rockets landing on pads. I know I do.

Hmmmm. Why try to catch it at that point? Maybe because they don't want it getting wet?

-Mike

 

[Downunderwonder]

I think it's to try and compete with SpaceX. I read on the Rocket Lab website, that SpaceX having the ability to land their rockets a on pad is a commercial advantage. Rocket Lab at the moment, are doing more small rocket launches than SpaceX. They have a license the launch every 72 hours.

Could be just a gimmick catching and landing rockets. This 2nd wave space race is heating up, and people love seeing rockets landing on pads. I know I do.

Not at all competitive with SpaceX. They are launching modern lightweight mini satellites into low orbit cheaply. Recycling rockets offers magnificent efficiency!

 

[Krisfield]

Sure...

Not at all competitive with SpaceX. They are launching modern lightweight mini satellites into low orbit cheaply. Recycling rockets offers magnificent efficiency!

 

[TinIndian]

SAOCOM 1B looking good - first stage up and back landed already. Waiting on 2nd stage orbital insertion verification.
Edit: Orbit confirmed, SAOCOM 1B deployed successfully, another hour's coast before deploying 2 more rideshares.

I live in Brevard County Florida about 30 miles from the cape. I've seen every type of rocket go up there going back to when I was a kid and the huge Saturn V's.

I forgot about the launch on Sunday and a little after 7 started hearing something that sounded like thunder outside but it wasn't quite right. I ended up going outside even trying to figure out what was going on and it stopped. I went back inside and a couple minutes later heard the sonic boom from the 1st stage coming back in for a landing. At that point I knew what it was. Funny thing was it all sounded quite different than normal. I found out later it took a more southerly trajectory than normal, in fact more southerly than any shot since 1969 and that was why it sounded so different.

When I was in high school a lot of friends parents worked up at the cape and we used to get passes for the 1st shuttle launches at the closer viewing areas. Those were really cool. I was outside watching when the Challenger exploded and you knew it was bad as soon as you saw the puff before the boosters started shooting of in crazy directions. The eerie thing that day is that cloud from the explosion hung in the air for over an hour. It just wouldn't dissipate like normal. Maybe because it was an unusually cold day that day.

Been interesting around here over the years.

 

[SBassman]

Wow - if I lived close, I would be so excited to see launches live. I'd catch every drop.

 

[SBassman]

Meet 'Lunar Cruiser': Japan's big moon rover for astronauts gets a nickname | Space

 

[TinIndian]

Wow - if I lived close, I would be so excited to see launches live. I'd catch every drop.

It is a pretty awesome thing to see. The ones you really want to see are the night launches. You get one of those on a clear night and watch down by the ocean or even the Indian River here and it is spectacular.

Side note. A couple months back when SpaceX launched Bob and Doug (loved that, eh) to the ISS Elon Musk swung by the local Five Guys in Palm Bay afterwards because that was the closest location for one of his Tesla charging stations. He hung out for about an hour or so talking with people and by all counts he was a super nice and cool guy. He has been my hero ever since he launched his Tesla into space a couple years ago. Just that was funny enough but the dashboard display almost knocked me out of my chair. "Don't Panic". I figure if the guy has that good of a sense of humor he must be ok.