SpaceX CRS-3

in space on 2014-04-26 16:34 (#3JB)

Here are some of the highlights from the latest resupply mission by SpaceX to the ISS:

This was the 3rd NASA contracted resupply mission for SpaceX
It was the 5th flight for the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft
The Dragon freighter berthed to the ISS Harmony module
Falcon 9's reusable rocket booster stage performed a successful propulsive-return over-water test

7 comments

In the spirit of adding a comment (Score: 2, Insightful)

by rocks@pipedot.org on 2014-04-27 05:11 (#16J)

these links reminded me of visiting the Air and Space Museum in the Mall in Washington, DC -- which was awesome. I can't believe all of those museums are free to the public. NASA has a pretty amazing history of accomplishments. Suffice it to say that it still blows my mind that we've gone from hunter and gather to flying spacecraft to the moon.

Re: In the spirit of adding a comment (Score: 1)

by bryan@pipedot.org on 2014-04-27 05:26 (#16M)

to flying spacecraft to the moon.

Lets just hope they can recreate that one some day :)

Re: In the spirit of adding a comment (Score: 2, Insightful)

by fnj@pipedot.org on 2014-04-27 12:27 (#16N)

NASA has a pretty amazing history of accomplishments.

Absolutely, but pretty much ending in 1986. I'm much more impressed by SpaceX than NASA in the 21st century.

Last is most important (Score: 2, Informative)

by danieldvorkin@pipedot.org on 2014-04-27 15:20 (#16T)

Not to sell the other point short, but making a soft water landing (even if they had really lousy luck on the timing) strikes me as a Big Deal. Reusable spacecraft for far, far less than the Shuttle cost would be revolutionary.

Re: Last is most important (Score: 1)

by danieldvorkin@pipedot.org on 2014-04-27 15:20 (#16V)

s/point/points

Re: Last is most important (Score: 1)

by fnj@pipedot.org on 2014-04-27 23:32 (#170)

AFAIK the soft ocean "landing" is only intended as an experiment/demonstration, and that is its only conceivable use. As such it represents commendable progress. The reason I am confident that SpaceX does not consider ocean landing as an end in itself is (1) they have brilliant talent and surely recognize what salt water immersion would do to the thin aluminum alloy bodies and to the rocket engines, and (2) the fact that the vehicle extended landing legs clearly indicates the intent to work toward a soft touchdown on land.

Re: Last is most important (Score: 1)

by danieldvorkin@pipedot.org on 2014-04-29 00:37 (#18C)

Fair enough. So if it's a warm-up for soft landing on land ... well, so much the better.