[extropy-chat] SpaceX launch attempt later today

[Brian Atkins]

spike wrote:
> 
> I spoke to my propulsion guy today who said a wobble like that can get the
> fuel sloshing around the outside of the tank such that the bird runs out of
> fuel with some still in the tank.  A sophisticated rocket can deal with that
> level of roll, but this one probably didn't have the high end fuel slosh
> scavenging equipment.  {8-[  Damn.
> 

Yes, fuel slosh issues are one popular theory right now in the armchair 
rocketeer forums. Also it appears the first stage actually touched/hit the 2nd 
stage nozzle at stage sep, so something was off there that will have to be 
looked at. Another theory is a stuck cold gas thruster on the second stage which 
might have caused both above issues.

SpaceX should have plenty enough data to figure this out quick, and so far they 
are sticking with doing their first real commercial launch at the end of the 
summer, with another to follow in the fall.

Here's a youtube video of it all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE4HkniM3Vc
-- 
Brian Atkins
Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
http://www.singinst.org/