Elon Musk shares images of the failed Falcon 9 landing

Mashable ^ | Jan 16, 2015 | Stan Schroeder

[Vince Ferrer]

SpaceX's recent attempt to land the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket on an ocean platform in Florida was unsuccessful, but there were no visuals to tell the full story — until now.

The company CEO Elon Musk shared four images from the failed landing on Twitter, in a response to Oculus VR CTO and game developer legend John Carmack.

SEE ALSO: SpaceX comes close, but fails to land rocket on ocean platform

While the image quality is far from perfect, Musk's descriptions help explain what happened to the rocket during landing.

Before impact, the rocket's fins ran out of fuel and lost power. Its engines tried to restore the proper landing angle, but failed, with the rocket hitting the ocean platform's surface hard at a 45 degree angle. The legs and the engine section were smashed, and residual fuel, combined with oxygen, caused an explosion.

[IronJack]

Elon Musk just rose another step in my estimation. It's one thing to have the guts to dare the untried. But then to man up to your "failures" and lay them bare before the world ... THAT'S guts!

Here's hoping he continues to inspire a new generation with what can go RIGHT, not what's WRONG.

[freepersup]

Wondering... about the usefulness of drogue chutes to keep the load upright, and slow it's decent? During my active duty service, protocol permitted the airdrop of loads weighing 18 tons, while testing at YPG was ongoing in the 25 ton range. I'm not sure what the protocol is today, nor am I sure what a used booster rocket weighs.

Here's a C-17 disgorging loads. ALL of the airborne troops have a front row seat. The importance of the rigger work functioning without error, is imparted on everyone as their lives and the aircrew lives depend on the load exiting the aircraft properly. Additionally, troops on the ground await the loads and expect to find them fully intact, ready for battle use. Rigger trainees undergo the front row seat tradition at rigger school and it's a powerful lesson you never forget. AIRBORNE!

https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=AwrTcdsGL7lURRIAra8lnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBsOXB2YTRjBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2dxMQR2dGlkAw--?p=heavy+drop+parachute+protocol&tnr=21&vid=A233BA4941697C7E61DDA233BA4941697C7E61DD&l=31&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DUN.608032344365993174%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzSUmn7PMPM0&sigr=11b7a357k&tt=b&tit=Heavy+Heavy+Drop!&sigt=10hfi3cco&back=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fyhs%2Fsearch%3Fp%3Dheavy%2Bdrop%2Bparachute%2Bprotocol%26ei%3DUTF-8%26hsimp%3Dyhs-001%26hspart%3Dmozilla&sigb=139jbg8je&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

[VTenigma]

I’m going to say that’s pretty darn good, from the pics it looks almost pinpoint on the x.

[freepersup]

I forgot to mention that this was a sequential drop... loads are attached to each other and the first load extracts the second load and if there are subsequent loads- they would follow suite.

Also; there's protocol for loads that can take a high rate of descent impact, and protocol for loads that cannot take a high rate of descent impact.

The booster rocket would fall into the latter category.

[mabarker1]

So we are having a Test Today or on Monday ?

I’m confused...

[freepersup]

Here's a link to a heavy drop load utilizing retro rockets, which I suspect was the technique for the booster rocket's landing attempt on the platform, sans the chutes.

The booster rocket landing attempt on the barge platform was one hell of a first evolution.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=heavy+drop+parachute+protocol&vid=e2a2af42f9ebfed80858cbf2697247b5&l=00%3A38&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608019008492604846%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D4uGfOppQD_g&tit=Parachutes+with+Retro+Rockets&c=14&sigr=11bdsgfp4&sigt=10tuitv2u&sigi=11rukpj4k&back=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fyhs%2Fsearch%3Fp%3Dheavy%2Bdrop%2Bparachute%2Bprotocol%26ei%3DUTF-8%26hsimp%3Dyhs-001%26hspart%3Dmozilla&sigb=139jbg8je&ct=p&age%5B0%5D=1161919998&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av%2Cm%3Asa&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla&tt=b

[Vince Ferrer]

Wondering... about the usefulness of drogue chutes to keep the load upright, and slow it's decent?

Spacex already tried that and said it didn't work. They gave up on it and went on to this powered landing.

[TexasGator]

“Wondering... about the usefulness of drogue chutes to keep the load upright, and slow it’s decent?”

I would suspect that chutes would ruin the accuracy of the landing.

[impactplayer]

In earlier messages they said that the next Falcon has twice the reservoir of fuel for the fins. I suspect they new they were on the edge with this one and had already designed a fix. But they did prove they had the precision to fix on the barge, which they had not demonstrated until now. Sounds like an early success to me.

[null and void]

For heavy loads, like main battle tanks, the Russians have a retrorocket between the chute and the load. It fires during the last few meters of the descent to soften the impact.

[offwhite]

"In earlier messages they said that the next Falcon has twice the reservoir of fuel for the fins."

Well let's hope so. Wouldn't you think that "sufficient fuel for landing" would have been real high on the checklist to begin with?

"But they did prove they had the precision to fix on the barge"

Cruise missiles and laser-guided bombs have had that precision for decades. Why did they want to land on a barge?

[Moonman62]

They ran out of hydraulic fluid for the fins used to slow and control the descent.

...

Yes. It’s an open system to save weight. Once the fluid is used, it’s dumped. They have 50% more fluid for the next attempt, which is in two weeks. all else being equal, the next landing will be a success.

[offwhite]

"For heavy loads, like main battle tanks, the Russians have a retrorocket between the chute and the load. It fires during the last few meters of the descent to soften the impact."

That's how they land the Soyuz capsule. More like a bomb going off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2X2kaqYatI

[freepersup]

Roger. Wondering about the balancing act having to take place out on the ocean regarding a heaving barge? Perhaps- putting it in the drink where the ocean is shallow and a tether from the rocket to an incredibly durable inflatable float allowing for discovery and recovery? I'm not suggesting the float keep the booster suspended and off the ocean bottom completely. The tether could unfurl in a methodical braking manner. I'm all for pursuing the platform idea, but it's an all or nothing venture. Granted the GPS technology and guidance systems are fully capable of pinpoint accuracy. I just see the stability of an upright long heavy tube swaying on a barge in the ocean as the Achilles heel, if there's to be one. That being said- go for it! Round two. Ding Ding Ding.

I've thought about a somewhat similar idea on a miniscule scale for avalanche rescues. A skier finds themselves in an avalanche and pulls a handle initiating an inflatable balloon tethered to the skier's body, including a breathing tube that uncoils out of a small backpack.

[freepersup]

Wondering about the corrosive effect of sea salt on the rocket wherein one is seeking to reuse said equipment, thus defeating the idea of reuse due to the water landing? Is that something driving this novel recovery approach?

[OftheOhio]

This whole concept of an open hydraulic system to save weight on a reusable piece of hardware makes no sense to me at all. After being in a squadron or two I just love to be around hydraulic fluid, lol. hydraulic fluid slime covering your whole first stage doesn’t sound like something you would want to do. Adding 50% more hydraulic fluid will increase the weight too.

[freepersup]

Good copy. I ran across one video wherein the crew of a Russian armored personnel carrier "rode" down in the vehicle, utilizing retro rockets at landing. Pucker factor!

Radio controlled ram air parachutes are being used more and more frequently for highly improved airdrop accuracy... they aren't able to bunch them together. As an example: eight round parachutes are bunched together (as is done with the G-11's) so the weight limitation is drastically less. The size of the ram air chute has to be increased to raise it's weight limits. I'm not sure if any "bunching" has succeeded, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn it's been tried.

[null and void]

KEWL! Thanks!

[Wonder Warthog]

"...about the usefulness of drogue chutes to keep the load upright, and slow it's decent?

Sounds like a practical notion to me....big enough drogue can also reduce fuel usage, saving more for that "critical ten feet".

IMO, this test was an AMAZING success. The fact that they got the damned thing even OVER the platform so as to hit it is itself a great accomplishment.

Test, fail, improve, re-test, fail, more improvement (iterate as necessary)....SUCCESS. How humans make progress.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Why did they want to land on a barge?"

So they could cart it back to the shop for re-fit/refuel/etc. And they may eventually plan for takeoffs as well, due to the large fuel savings available by launching from near the equator.