# Space X Launch Today--Return to Space
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [May 27, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556 "2020-05-27T17:50:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2020, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/41 "2020-05-29T23:09:32Z")
> [@running\_coach](#):
>
> [Welp, SpaceX’s Starship Prototype Just Blew Up](https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/welp-spacexs-starship-prototype-just-205200174.html)
Nothing to do with the Crew Dragon launch, of course.
Note that SpaceX’s approach with Starship development is that the hardware is cheap. The materials are cheap, as are the production techniques. This is their 5th (ish) prototype, but the 6th is almost ready and the 7th is partially done. The main structure is made from nearly identical rings of stainless steel, easy to produce and stack.
The loss of a Raptor engine is a bigger deal, but they have \>20 of them at this point in various stages of refinement, and are also looking to mass-produce those.
As long as they keep human safety as the top priority (and no one has been hurt in any of these incidents), taking a “hardware rich” approach to development is the right choice.
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/42 "2020-05-30T15:50:10Z")
All systems go. 50/50 chance for launch because of weather. Looks beautiful at the cape now.
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/43 "2020-05-30T16:47:31Z")
Astronauts are in the capsule. T- 2 hours 35 minutes
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/44 "2020-05-30T17:00:38Z")
Quick question…when the launch vehicle is jettisoned, will it land like we see in the youtube videos…sort of a backwards takeoff? If so, where will it land?
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### Author:  [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/45 "2020-05-30T17:16:25Z")
You can watch a [live video here on Facebook.](https://www.facebook.com/watchparty/1949160721883424/) (as of my writing this post)
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/46 "2020-05-30T17:52:12Z")
Storms at the cape which the talking heads are saying is a good thing as they have a better chance of moving off by launch time. All systems go, downrange weather go. Only no go is weather at the cape.
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/47 "2020-05-30T17:55:11Z")
My eyes on the ground says the weather is (and I’m quoting here) “iffy”.
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/48 "2020-05-30T18:00:18Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#):
>
> My eyes on the ground says the weather is (and I’m quoting here) “iffy”.
But we have an hour and a half. And it’s Florida. Could be a hurricane now and wonderful in ten minutes.
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### Author:  [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/49 "2020-05-30T18:02:05Z")
Discovery is broadcasting the launch. I wish it were on CSAN again. They tend to stick to just the launch activities.
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/50 "2020-05-30T18:07:20Z")
> [@Morgyn](#):
>
> Discovery is broadcasting the launch. I wish it were on CSAN again. They tend to stick to just the launch activities.
NASA TV has it online at their website and it is on YouTube.
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### Author:  [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/51 "2020-05-30T18:10:54Z")
> [@UltraVires](#):
>
> Quick question…when the launch vehicle is jettisoned, will it land like we see in the youtube videos…sort of a backwards takeoff? If so, where will it land?
The 1st stage, the long, tall tube like thing, is scheduled to return to earth on the drone-barge about 200-300 miles offshore. Won’t be landing on land at LZ1 (Landing Zone 1) at The Cape like some have. Why, is a function of fuel remaining after launch. Some payloads require more fuel to go where they’re going and only have enough to land on the barge, named… “Of Course I Still Love you,” like this launch.
After the launch takes place keep watching SpaceX for the 8 minutes it takes for the 1st stage to return to earth. There are cameras on the rocket as it falls to earth. Very cool.
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/52 "2020-05-30T18:11:30Z")
I’m glad that they have a real countdown instead of the goofy shuttle countdown where they would do the “T Minus 9 minutes and holding” for hours before the launch. I never understood that.
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/53 "2020-05-30T18:12:44Z")
> [@Alex\_from\_CB](#):
>
> The 1st stage, the long, tall tube like thing, is scheduled to return to earth on the drone-barge about 200-300 miles offshore. Won’t be landing on land at LZ1 (Landing Zone 1) at The Cape like some have. Why, is a function of fuel remaining after launch. Some payloads require more fuel to go where they’re going and only have enough to land on the barge, named… “Of Course I Still Love you,” like this launch.
>
> After the launch takes place keep watching SpaceX for the 8 minutes it takes for the 1st stage to return to earth. There are cameras on the rocket as it falls to earth. Very cool.
But it will still do the cool “reverse launch” landing on the barge?
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### Author:  [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/54 "2020-05-30T18:27:24Z")
> [@UltraVires](#):
>
> I’m glad that they have a real countdown instead of the goofy shuttle countdown where they would do the “T Minus 9 minutes and holding” for hours before the launch. I never understood that.
Weather guys last Wednesday said if they could have done a 10 minute hold they thought they might have been able to launch. This mission must go at the exact second the launch is scheduled due to it’s mission of having to catch… rendezvous, with the space station.
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### Author:  [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/55 "2020-05-30T18:27:29Z")
> [@UltraVires](#):
>
> But it will still do the cool “reverse launch” landing on the barge?
Yes. You can watch any number of 1st stage barge landings from previous launches on the SpaceX Youtube channel. Well, you usually don’t get to see landing itself, because the barge gets shaken around enough by the rocket exhaust that the satellite uplink is usually lost for a few seconds, and even if that doesn’t happen the camera is too close to see much besides a giant plume of fire and smoke, but hey.
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/56 "2020-05-30T18:29:46Z")
> [@Alex\_from\_CB](#):
>
> Weather guys last Wednesday said if they could have done a 10 minute hold they thought they might have been able to launch. This mission must go at the exact second the launch is scheduled due to it’s mission of having to catch… rendezvous, with the space station.
Ah, very good point. I now see the purpose of that hold.
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### Author:  [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/57 "2020-05-30T18:33:00Z")
> [@UltraVires](#):
>
> But it will still do the cool “reverse launch” landing on the barge?
Yes. And a few days later it comes into Port Canaveral pulled by a tug boat right between the cruise ships. It’s vertical and there are burn marks on the paint from the rocket burns that slow the rocket’s return to drop like a feather. They change the spark plus, air filter and launch it again.
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/58 "2020-05-30T18:38:34Z")
All go including weather. 30% chance of no go for weather.
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/59 "2020-05-30T18:39:39Z")
> [@Alex\_from\_CB](#):
>
> They change the spark plus, air filter and launch it again.
No wiper blades? 🙂
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### Author:  [@Alex\_from\_CB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_from_CB)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-x-launch-today-return-to-space/854556/60 "2020-05-30T18:42:54Z")
A few other Fun Facts… The Dragon, that is, the capsule or space ship that holds the crew and the supplies they’re taking to the space Station, will arrive at the space station 19 hours after launch. Bob and Doug… (not McKenzie) unload the stuff and go into the space station and join the other 3 guys who are already there and will stay for 1 to 3 months. Then they’ll detach the Dragon and return to earth with parachutes only 25-30 miles off shore.
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