[ExI] space-x sticks the landing

[Dan TheBookMan]

On Dec 22, 2015, at 7:47 AM, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:
> All payloads to orbit would need to be fired eastward, but the landing sequence we saw is the endgame.  There was time to bring the eastward velocity to zero and start back westward (or any other direction) without a significant weight penalty.  It makes sense to do it that way, so if the thrusters or anything else fails during the landing sequence, the bird overshoots the landing site and drops into the sea rather than some litigious prole’s back yard.  

Wouldn't there be some fuel savings by having it land east of the launch side?

> As for deceleration, the atmosphere does most of the work for us.  For the very first time in launcher history, air is our friend.

True!

Regards,

Dan
  Sample my Kindle books via:
http://author.to/DanUst
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