Yes! missed and went into the ocean.

BBC Lunch Time News

Elon was very cool and happy as he has every right to be.

Gary

This is definitely someone who doesn't do things in a dull and boring way (hence the Tesla payload). His next rocket is called BFR for Big Falcon Rocket (everyone raise your hands if you think the F stands for Falcon.... yeah that's what I thought).

He never gave this first test flight more than 50/50 odds of success. He said he pictured a big explosion followed by a picture of a wheel of the roadster bouncing by. He apparently also said, "It taught me crazy things can come true. I didn’t really think this would work."

Curtis Eickerman

Yep! you were lucky to get him and he's only been in the US since 2002

But the infrastructure and can do attitude, around Silicon Valley, was just what he needed.

Bought the Kindle Ver of this book, good read.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elon-Musk-Bill ... dpSrc=srch

Gary

Later reports said only one of the three engines ignited, slowing it down to 300 mph by the time it hit the ocean. Unclear reporting indicated the drone ship was damaged, which would mean that it was pretty much on target.

You could tell from the debris clouding lens of the platform video camera that the booster either hit or came very close to the barge.

They might want to rethink one bit of the control software code. If descent velocity is too high, try to NOT hit the barge! Better to lose a booster than both a booster and barge.

Curtis Eickerman

Pretty neat Buzz Aldrin was there to watch the launch from the same pad he took off on.

https://twitter.com/TheRealBuzz?ref_src ... -hearts%2F

Don't we have laws against space junk littering?

Anyone know, perhaps been to a launch how back the spectators are from the pad? Someone asked me who was concerned about safety.

thanks Gary

Impressive rocket and launch. I applaud Space X and Mr Musk. That being said as far as I'm concerned the Saturn V will always reign supreme in the world of rockets. Nothing else will ever come close to those 5 giant Rocketdyne F1 engines pumping out over 7 million pounds of thrust, twice as much as the 9 Merlins on the FH. Sure there will be bigger more powerful rockets in the future but there will never be anything else like the Saturn V and The Apollo Program.

If you are really impressed by the F-1 engines you might like to read through this article I ran across a while back. It is about developing a new F-1 engine based on the original designs (the F-1B)... https://arstechnica.com/science/2013/04 ... k-to-life/

The sound of a Saturn V at liftoff even through a TV was amazing.

Really impressive engines.

Curtis Eickerman

That was back in 2013 Curtis so is their any news of it happening now? Or was it dropped after SpaceX success (didn't read it all) ?

I don't know any figures but I would imagine Falcon Heavy development cost a fraction of that of the Saturn V. Guess that's what finished it, just too many tax payers dollars and lack of interest by Joe Public.

Gary

They were really trying to be the engine for the SLS. Unfortunately for them, that program went for the RS-25 with solids - think Space Shuttle (also a good engine https://www.nasa.gov/feature/first-four ... -to-rumble ). I am not aware of anyone actually planning to use the F-1B.

Curtis Eickerman

Wow! Look at this for a launch schedule: https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

So much more stuff going up there.

So April for the SLC Atlas 5 then.

Exciting stuff, need more live Web broadcasts of the launches.

Gary

JAYoung - hilarious!!!

This Spacex stuff is great, as exciting as the old NASA miracles.

People can say what they want about Elon Musk and his various exploits, but he has vision and provides leadership that seems sadly missing these days.

When I watched the two boosters landing together at Kennedy, I was just mesmerized. Can't wait for the next breakthrough.

Tim

Very much like the opening of the movie "Heavy Metal" where the spaceman was in orbit in a corvette. Cool.

Einstein said the word Genius was much over used. But I would be happy to tag Elon Musk with it. To have achieved so much, in say 20 years, virtually from nothing, is remarkable (he did get seed money of about $25K from a Canadian uncle).

Another thing you have to admire is that he has a purpose for his wealth and just not to get more to pile up unlike some of the other rich guys.

Truly it can be said he is doing his bit to "Make "America Great Again"

Gary

This would have been a much better pilot. ...and include a solid gold DVD with the Airplane movie on it. If humor is universal, the aliens would get the joke.

Almost rivals the moon landing in 1969 that I watched on B&W TV.
The booster landings were out of this world...! Yes, engineering at it's finest!
Cheers,
Roger

I " grew up" in the space program as my father is a retired EE for NASA, so this is right up my alley.
The twin landings of the boosters was the coolest thing I have seen in a long time.