Falcon 9 on the way down...

This picture would not look so much like science fiction to me if there were a
few changes:

http://www.spacex.com/assets/img/201...-landing-s.jpg

Separate the tankage from the engines. OK, well not completely. Make the
tankage stack stageable on recovery. i.e. its a two stage rocket up and a two
stage down. The tankage (and engines) come down most of the way via parachute,
then at an altitude high enough to yield usable cross-range, the engine module
separates from the main tankage section but with a still usable smaller set of
tanks that are either fueled separately or cross fed full from the main
tankage section prior to separation.

Since the tankage section is empty it should be naturally buoyant and easily
sealed off from the effects of sea water. It can splash down under parachute
directly on the ocean's surface.

The engine module proceeds Earthward under rocket assist and lands on a sea
barge that has been pre-positioned along the flight path. The barge is then
towed over to where the tankage is floating, lifted off the ocean surface with
a crane onto the barge and then tanks and engine are towed back to port for
the 3Rs, (repair, refurbishment & reassembly).

If fueled separately, maybe the engine module is not even powered via the
Merlins on decent, but by the same rockets that will eventually be used to
land the Dragon capsule. Ergo: one recovery design, one set of recovery
techniques.

Just my two cents.

Dave

David Spain wrote:
Since the tankage section is empty it should be naturally buoyant and
easily sealed off from the effects of sea water. It can splash down
under parachute directly on the ocean's surface.

The engine module proceeds Earthward under rocket assist and lands

Note to Elon: Mastering this technique would also prove useful on a particular
planet beginning with the letter 'M'...

;-)

Dave

On 22/11/2011 4:55 PM, David Spain wrote:
David Spain wrote:
Since the tankage section is empty it should be naturally buoyant and
easily sealed off from the effects of sea water. It can splash down
under parachute directly on the ocean's surface.

The engine module proceeds Earthward under rocket assist and lands

Note to Elon: Mastering this technique would also prove useful on a
particular planet beginning with the letter 'M'...

;-)

Dave

Moon? Mercury? thinking.... OHHHHH! That one!

Definitely the Moon as well as the 'other M'.

On Nov 22, 12:55*am, David Spain wrote:
David Spain wrote:
Since the tankage section is empty it should be naturally buoyant and
easily sealed off from the effects of sea water. It can splash down
under parachute directly on the ocean's surface.

The engine module proceeds Earthward under rocket assist and lands

Note to Elon: Mastering this technique would also prove useful on a particular
planet beginning with the letter 'M'...

;-)

Dave

How so when you don't have water to make a gentle splashdown?


Bob Clark

On 26/11/2011 5:55 PM, Robert Clark wrote:
On Nov 22, 12:55 am, David wrote:
David Spain wrote:
Since the tankage section is empty it should be naturally buoyant and
easily sealed off from the effects of sea water. It can splash down
under parachute directly on the ocean's surface.

The engine module proceeds Earthward under rocket assist and lands

Note to Elon: Mastering this technique would also prove useful on a particular
planet beginning with the letter 'M'...

;-)

Dave

How so when you don't have water to make a gentle splashdown?


Bob Clark

Take a look at the image!

On Nov 26, 7:38*am, Alan Erskine wrote:
On 26/11/2011 5:55 PM, Robert Clark wrote:









On Nov 22, 12:55 am, David *wrote:
David Spain wrote:
Since the tankage section is empty it should be naturally buoyant and
easily sealed off from the effects of sea water. It can splash down
under parachute directly on the ocean's surface.

The engine module proceeds Earthward under rocket assist and lands

Note to Elon: Mastering this technique would also prove useful on a particular
planet beginning with the letter 'M'...

;-)

Dave

* How so when you don't have water to make a gentle splashdown?

* *Bob Clark

Take a look at the image!

I'm asking about the part about recovering the tanks at sea.

Bob

On 11/26/2011 8:09 AM, Robert Clark wrote:
On Nov 26, 7:38 am, Alan wrote:

How so when you don't have water to make a gentle splashdown?

Bob Clark

Take a look at the image!

I'm asking about the part about recovering the tanks at sea.

Bob

Many Mars landing scenarios use a dual landing system consisting of parachute for most of the decent followed by a rocket assisted
landing at the end. You'd gain experience with such systems when recovering the engine module.

Dave