[ExI] space-x sticks the landing

[spike]

On Dec 22, 2015 19:22, "Dan TheBookMan" <danust2012 at gmail.com <mailto:danust2012 at gmail.com> > wrote:
>
>>… I'm guessing, without have done any research, this first one will be dissected and analyzed to see what the wear and on it is like. Am I wrong about that?

>…I am sure you are right about that.  Still experimental, though I suspect a fast tempo… Steve

 

We can build re-startable rocket motors if we accept the weight penalty.  We already do that for some applications.  The one-use throwaways sacrifice everything to get weight down.  

It is completely believable to me that Musk’s group has developed a gas-and-go rocket motor.  Good chance he needs to run it fuel-rich to keep nozzle temperatures down out of the high-erosion regime, so there are known performance compromises to that approach.  But after all these years, I am convinced the lower performance reusable rockets are the way forward.  I don’t know what SpaceX has in mind for recovering a second stage, but this tail-landing first stage is the most exciting development in space tech in a long time.

spike

 

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