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Old December 22nd 15, 06:54 PM posted to sci.space.policy
Jeff Findley[_6_]
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Default SpaceX launch and landing attempt scheduled for Sunday

In article ,
says...

perhaps the rockets exhaust moves the bardge laning more difficult.


This is surely a far smaller force than ocean waves.

since a pad landing is easier and safer its not a problem,


For flights that have enough fuel margin this is true. But, Elon Musk
has stated (on Twitter) that for the Falcon Heavy, they'll still need to
use a barge to recover the core stage. It will fly higher, faster, and
further downrange than Falcon 9's first stage. The Falcon Heavy
boosters should be able to fly back to Landing Complex 1.

get the stage back, inspect and refurb and fly again.


In theory. But this stage will not fly again. Musk says it's too
historic and does not want to lose it. He's also said it will be used
at their new launch pad at KSC (former shuttle pad) for pad fit checks.
He's also stated that they will likely test this stage, on the ground,
to prove that it could have flown again.

My guess is this recovered stage will eventually find its way back to
SpaceX headquarters in California. The first flown Dragon is hanging
there (and was visible in the live video stream of this last flight when
the cameras were on the crowd of SpaceX employees who were watching the
flight on screens at their HQ). These artifacts are surely quite
inspirational to SpaceX employees and represent their historic
achievements as a private company.

Jeff
--
"the perennial claim that hypersonic airbreathing propulsion would
magically make space launch cheaper is nonsense -- LOX is much cheaper
than advanced airbreathing engines, and so are the tanks to put it in
and the extra thrust to carry it." - Henry Spencer