SpaceX just made history.

[GhostTX]

Pretty damn close. They had 13 foot waves too, before the live feed cutout you could see the platform rocking pretty hard.

I wonder if it's possible to design some kind of catch towers that fly up and catch it as soon as it lands. Twice now it's made the landing but tipped over afterwards.

No doubt. Something like the aircraft carrier crash nets.

[Strychnine]

No doubt. Something like the aircraft carrier crash nets.

His goal is interplanetary exploration. There won't be nets on Mars, so I doubt you'll see them design any landing assistance systems.

[svauto-erotic855]

Yes. Founded by Elon Musk - same guy who founded PayPal, Tesla, Solar City, etc. Basically Tony Stark.

Elon Musk could not tell you how to use a screw driver. He is a great promoter but he is not a tech guy at all.

I want to know how they protect the landing gear and underside of the rocket form damage cause by back blast. I would also like to know what material the deck they are landing on in made of. Both of these things were huge engineering hurdles during the Apollo program and were solved but the "Cures" were massive.

[svauto-erotic855]

His goal is interplanetary exploration.

I get a huge laugh out of the people who are prepaying 500k for a ride to Mars from a man who can not get a car to run for more then 3 hours.

[347Mike]

Elon Musk could not tell you how to use a screw driver. He is a great promoter but he is not a tech guy at all.

I want to know how they protect the landing gear and underside of the rocket form damage cause by back blast. I would also like to know what material the deck they are landing on in made of. Both of these things were huge engineering hurdles during the Apollo program and were solved but the "Cures" were massive.

So he founded 4 tech companies solely on his promoting abilities?
Got it.

[jw33]

I get a huge laugh out of the people who are prepaying 500k for a ride to Mars from a man who can not get a car to run for more then 3 hours.

I almost forgot, Elon is riding your coattails with the Model S.

[bcoop]

Elon Musk could not tell you how to use a screw driver. He is a great promoter but he is not a tech guy at all.

I want to know how they protect the landing gear and underside of the rocket form damage cause by back blast. I would also like to know what material the deck they are landing on in made of. Both of these things were huge engineering hurdles during the Apollo program and were solved but the "Cures" were massive.

Well he certainly didn't score a 172 on his LSAT...

[svauto-erotic855]

So he founded 4 tech companies solely on his promoting abilities?
Got it.

Go read up on the man and get back with me. Until you do a tiny bit of research STFU.

[347Mike]

Go read up on the man and get back with me. Until you do a tiny bit of research STFU.

I know enough about him to know your statement is far-fetched.

[Ruffdaddy]

His goal is interplanetary exploration. There won't be nets on Mars, so I doubt you'll see them design any landing assistance systems.

Theres also risk associated with adding more shit to a landing pad...as well as the needd for an even more precise landing...otherwise the catch mechanism suddenly causes your crash.

[GhostTX]

His goal is interplanetary exploration. There won't be nets on Mars, so I doubt you'll see them design any landing assistance systems.

I was under the impression that landing the boosters was so they could be reused to launch more stuff into space, thus reducing the costs of space launches. Not to land the boosters on Mars.

[Strychnine]

I was under the impression that landing the boosters was so they could be reused to launch more stuff into space, thus reducing the costs of space launches. Not to land the boosters on Mars.

Good call, you're right. They have the capsule (Dragon?) that they plan to land.

[jw33]

The Falcon 9 is a $60 mil piece of hardware and only about $250K of that is the fuel.

[GhostTX]

Good call, you're right. They have the capsule (Dragon?) that they plan to land.

So, again, having some sort of redundant "catch" system would be prudent, then, no?

[Darren M]

Or just drop the thing in the ocean.....