ygelman Loc: new -- North of Poughkeepsie!

A beautiful video of the launch and first stage recovery of a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station.

The landing of the first stage onto the drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean occurs just after the 27 minute mark.

Just thrilling. The link:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-spacex-landing-20160409-story.html

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Amazing!

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

I have the feeling Spacex is really gonna change things in space travel. They hope to send people to the ISS sometime next year.
They have begun "printing" some rocket engines on a 3D printer, one of which has already been used to get to orbit.
Another engine went from conception to test firing in just 3 months.

SHUTERED Loc: SO. CAL.

Having worked all my life in aerospace before retiring, I fully appreciate the difficulty of that vertical landing. To add a real twist, I also feel funny and strangely attached because I used to work in the building now owned by Space X, when it was owned by Northrop.

ygelman Loc: new -- North of Poughkeepsie!

Maybe you can answer a question I have. At the point of touchdown, how fast would the rocket be moving? It seems to me it came in really fast; did it suddenly slow down? I mean Really suddenly?

SHUTERED Loc: SO. CAL.

To be honest I would say the maximum speed would have to be no more than about 10 mph upon touch down. Remember those same rockets lifted 100's of thousands of pounds off the launch pad. The deceleration would be one hell of a sign curve too. As those rockets burned thru the remaining fuel at a rate of thousands of gallons a minute, the rockets overall weight would be dropping just as fast, and as such so would the vehicles speed as it got lighter. Those rockets burn at a constant rate without regard to vehicle weight. As I don't know the amount of remaining fuel, vehicle weight and thrust, as you already read in my phrasing, this is just a guess. :roll: