SpaceX Performs Long Duration Test of F9-R
SpaceX Falcon 9-Reusable 1st Stage Firing, SpaceRef Business
“SpaceX has released a video of the 1st long duration firing of their new Falcon 9-Reusable (F9-R) rocket, an advanced prototype for the world’s first reusable rocket. The test took place at SpaceX’s rocket development facility in McGregor, TX, lasting 112 seconds.”
Super cool!! Can’t wait for the next launch…
Is this one engine or nine?
all 9 Merlin 1-D engines, 112 seconds. that must have been loud.
Still amazes me that one (1) Saturn V F-1 engine put out more thrust than nine (9) modern day Merlin 1-D engines. Impressive test, nonetheless. Great to see continued progress from Space X…where it seems like they accomplish more in one year than NASA human space flight does in ten.
it says alot about the engineers around in the Apollo days
“it says alot about the engineers around in the Apollo days”
No, not really. It only says something about different goals and different funding levels in the Apollo days.
Apollo was a mad, unsustainable dash to a single goal. With huge amounts of money, they made the goal, but everything they did to get there was far too expensive to continue, so it was all cancelled afterward.
The firing of the F9-R stage is so much more exciting to me because it represents the best shot yet at a realistic program to make access to orbit really, really cheap. And access to orbit is the gating factor for everything else in space, bar none.
just had to go and ruin my nostalgia with your facts… lol
Good morning McGregor!
Fyi higher thrust to weight than F-1
Something didn’t look right. What’s all the glowing junk falling out of the bottom after shutdown?
Aborted test.
More info: http://www.nasaspaceflight….