Small enough payload, for the National Reconnaissance Office, that they had enough fuel for a booster fly-back to Landing zone 1 at Cape Canaveral instead of using the drone-ship at sea.
Using binoculars, this is the first 1st stage booster fly-back where I’ve been able to see all of the boost-back, reentry and landing burns. That sucker sure streaks fast down through the atmosphere. Love the sonic boom.
Thinking of Starship being developed over in Boca Chica Texas: Both 1st stage and 2nd stage will use the retro rocket landing concept. Imagine if you were riding that thing. No winged landing, no para-chute landing, just retro rockets to slow down and land. A whole lot has to go right or . . . smoking hole.
Elon has mentioned the concept of using this system for rapid point to point travel around earth with one hundred souls on board.
I suspect many will have second thoughts of riding through a retro rocket landing.
Regards,
Tom Charlton (If I survived the landing . . . a change of undies would be in order)
Using binoculars, this is the first 1st stage booster fly-back where I’ve been able to see all of the boost-back, reentry and landing burns. That sucker sure streaks fast down through the atmosphere. Love the sonic boom.
Thinking of Starship being developed over in Boca Chica Texas: Both 1st stage and 2nd stage will use the retro rocket landing concept. Imagine if you were riding that thing. No winged landing, no para-chute landing, just retro rockets to slow down and land. A whole lot has to go right or . . . smoking hole.
Elon has mentioned the concept of using this system for rapid point to point travel around earth with one hundred souls on board.
I suspect many will have second thoughts of riding through a retro rocket landing.
Regards,
Tom Charlton (If I survived the landing . . . a change of undies would be in order)
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