01-24-2018, 11:53 AM
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Master Modeler
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 6,507
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by tbzep
Finally had time to watch the full launch video. Seemed weird that the first stage just tumbled away instead of returning to land. Space-X has me spoiled! Video showed the payload fairing in view, which doesn't always make it into the camera's frame on many launches.
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The vehicle moved around quite a bit, too, judging by the shifting of the Earth; I imagine that was because Electron is so small and light (its climb-out and sound, with the rapidly Doppler-shifted roar, were more akin to those of a large sounding rocket). The second stage's exhaust blew the first stage horizontal, too (its empty mass is quite low). While Peter Beck plans for eventual Falcon 9-type first stage recoveries, maybe Electron is light enough that parachute recovery--perhaps with a helicopter mid-air "snatch"--could work for its first stage? It was nice to see the payload fairing and, later, the two jettison-able battery packs fall away from the second stage. |