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Biologist, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Biologist and Payload integrator, Editor of NASAWatch.com and Astrobiology.com, Lapsed climber, Explorer, Synaesthete, Former Challenger Center board member... More by Keith Cowing
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I wonder how long it will be before the cows (and horses and other animals) become accustomed to hearing the sound and feeling the air pressure that doesn’t hurt them and just ignore it. SpaceX could hold a contest to predict how close a cow can be to the pad at launch without panicking and running off. The winner gets to stand 3 feet closer to the pad than the cow on the next launch.
That would rapidly mutate into a new extreme sport – ignition shock-wave body-surfing (wearing a wing-suit).
It reminds me of the tractor tipping from the animated movie Cars.
Holy cow (sorry) I hadn’t appreciated the lean on that sucker during manoeuvres. That’s a lot of inertia being fought.
Reminds me of DC-X. I wonder what the SpaceX landing gear looks like.
Well, there’s one of em. https://twitter.com/elonmus…
Their website has another angle, and shows how they’ll look at launch.
Landing leg prototype for F9R. Operated by the helium gas system, Musk said a set of 4 will mass about the same as a Tesla Model S.
http://www.spacex.com/news/…
Funny that you should ask. I just noticed yesterday that SpaceX had redesigned their site and with new Falcon 9 1.1 images… this page shows just how sexy landing legs can be: http://www.spacex.com/falcon9
Now that’s more like it 🙂 We all knew it would change but it’s good to see nice and aerodynamic like that.
I’m a space cowboy
Bet you weren’t ready for that!
Yes, but can it Fly Like an Eagle?
I might be wrong, but it seems to me that SpaceX has made pretty rapid progress in the VTVL systems. Guess it’s a matter of funding. Armadillo, Masten, et al, took a number of years whereas SpaceX seem to have progressed in a matter of months. Even NASA is still screwing around with that vehicle they got of Masten I think. Are they off tethers yet?
Oh and further to my previous post, SpaceX are about to attempt a return of their first stage from orbit. This entails a re-entry burn lighting 3 engines to burn off some velocity and orient the stage, and then a ‘crash’ burn with one engine just above the water. Also think they’re using thrusters at the top of the stage to help with orientation. Not sure of the height above water that the burn starts. And they are going out to pick up the pieces or just maybe a whole stage.
Mind you, that’s better than simply letting the stage disintegrate on the way back to Earth like everyone else before them.
Nice to see some innovation coming back into the space-game.
All the best SpaceX.
All of the rocket scientists here know darn well that Flash Gordon type rocket landings are simply impossible. The Grasshopper is clearly a silly attempt by SpaceX to be Flashy Gordon; didn’t anyone notice the cows running backwards as the rocket began its descent and landing?
http://www.youtube.com/watc…
LOL
Now come on, there have got to be cheaper ways!
(facetiousness kick today, apologies)