Re:SpaceX successfully lands a Falcon 9 rocket at sea for th...
by rst on Saturday May 28, 2016 @11:45AM
(#11792057)
The particularly high-heat re-entries of manned capsules, the Space Shuttle, and so forth are unpowered; the atmosphere slows the spacecraft down. The Falcon 9 first stage re-entries are powered; three engines light to slow it down. The physics of how this works are complex and a bit counterintuitive, but the upshot is a thermal environment which isn't as brutal as an unpowered re-entry.
Beyond that, the glass in front of that camera's probably formulated to take extreme heat.
And of course, as jdblair points out, it's starting at a slower speed to begin with; faster than just about any aircraft (except maybe the X-15), but well short of orbital velocity.
Beyond that, the glass in front of that camera's probably formulated to take extreme heat.
And of course, as jdblair points out, it's starting at a slower speed to begin with; faster than just about any aircraft (except maybe the X-15), but well short of orbital velocity.