Monday, August 04, 2008

SpaceX launch 3 failure

I watched the YouTube video, which shows launch through 6:16 indicated (T+2:11). Two comments:
  • Can we please get a heater on the on-rocket camera lens cover? It's hard to see much through the condensation.
  • It looks like the rocket has a 5 second roll oscillation that starts as soon as they go supersonic. I don't know if this is fuel slosh, like on the second stage of the last launch, but it doesn't look like other rocket launches to me. Any kind of wobble before seperation could cause the first stage to ding the second stage, as happened on the last launch.
I really hope their next attempt goes better. This launch wasn't obviously progress.

3 comments:

  1. The future of spaceflight lies with BEP (Beamed Energy Propulsion), prof. Myrabo just re-funded the company (lightcraft technologies) and haven't been idle all these years, if he can fund the hardware (5 to 10 mil) I think it's really the way to go. I'm looking forward to this, maybe we'll finally reach space in our lifetimes in a reliable and relatively cheap way.

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  2. The future of spaceflight is identifying a $100 billion business opportunity there. Once that is done, the rest will follow, in short order.

    Look at the problems associated with drilling miles into hard rock undersea while being battered with 80 foot waves. Once there is money to be made, problem solved.

    So, what can we get up there that we can't get down here, that ordinary Joe Blows are willing to pay $100/year for? It's something Joe uses almost every day.

    Solar power satellites seem like the only obvious answer, and the economics just aren't there. As Elon Musk once said, as the majority owner of both the largest solar installer and the largest private space launch company, if there was a business case for SPS, he would know about it.

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  3. tha't's why I sent him the business plan for a BEP company.....even if he has bigger fishes to fry right now...
    biglio

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