Category: Fun & Curios

Initial test flight of Terran-1 (3D-printed rocket using methane as fuel)

Stage-1 flight looked nominal (pretty blue methane exhaust),
buuut Stage-2 failed (watch velocity drop and exhaust sputter after Stg-2 ignition).

Ah, well. First test flights and Stg-2s are problematic, historically.
Good news: it didn’t break up or explode on ascent, as some are wont to do.
Hey, as the post title says…

Stay tuned for an update when available.
Also, Electron and Falcon9 are both scheduled to launch on Friday morning.

Electron launch from NZ was successful
Stg-1 recovered via parachute and water landing

Falcon9 launch was successful

Next Falcon9 launches (2) are scheduled for Wednesday from Vandenberg and the Cape

…somebody needs to run with this

[insert Halfman joke, here]
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• Picked up by Pookie’s Toons

RocketLab’s Electron from Wallops Is, VA
Interesting points: stage separation, fairing halves falling away, battery hot-swap/eject

Falcon9 Starlink from Vandenberg
Bull’s eye from me ol’ stompin’ ground, SLC-4

Falcon9 SES from the Cape
Ten-ring landing with a nice view of the big pieces after stage & fairing separations @~T+4m10s

St Patricks Day double-header !

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• Story (for you whippersnappers, philistines, and eremites)
• Title cultural ref

Routine night launch, landing on barge

Bonus:
Real robot flying on an alien planet populated entirely by robots

Dragon Crew-5 undock from ISS (splashdown ~9pm EST, will put the link here)
Terran maiden launch of 3-D printed rocket, 4pm EST (scrubbed for the day)
Electron launch from NZ, 6pm EST (scrubbed for upper-air winds)

Wellp…
That threefer fell apart.
Ah well, try, try again.

Dragon Crew-5 splashdown

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• Picked up by Pookie’s Toons

Routine
Return to Launch Site (RTLS) Stg-1 landing and pretty Earth views, so great video

Things to watch for:
• After Stg-1&2 separate, Stg-1 flips and ignites to return to the Cape
• Fairing half being left behind illustrates Stg-2 acceleration
• Landing-burn startup transient (green flame of starting chemicals, TEA-TEB + LOx) @T+7:23
• Satellite deployment vid @T+1:29:45 to 1:35:30

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• Cultural ref