On 2020-01-04 3:41, JF Mezei wrote:
On 2020-01-03 09:58, David Spain wrote:

The original plan for Dragon V2 called for propulsive landing using the
same Super Dracos used for the launch escape system that proved
problematical last year.

[snip]

With regards to the landing legs, I assume they folded back up onto the
side of the capsule?

As I recall the SpaceX images, they suggested that the landing legs were
tubular and vertical (in the landed position) and were extruded from the
bottom surface (the blunt end, the heat-shield) like pistons. The legs
had "feet" like flat disks that looked like sealing well against the
holes in the heat-shield.

[snip]

I suspect the other issue for NASA was the potential of compromise to
the heat shield due to the landing legs.

Doesn't Starliner have to compromise heat shield too in order for it to
open up and let the giant balloons inflate?

For Starliner, the whole heat-shield drops off well before the landing,
during the parachuted descent, and this exposes the air-bags. No holes
in the heat-shield, but I assume the heat-shield is not reusable at all.

--
Niklas Holsti
Tidorum Ltd
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