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Re:SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit by dmlittle on Saturday May 30, 2020 @03:44PM (#23363979)
Does anyone know what happens to the 2nd stage engine? Does it stay in orbit or does it eventually fall back to earth/go into space?
Re:SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit by Gwypaas on Saturday May 30, 2020 @03:48PM (#23364017)
Depends on the mission, for something like this it deorbits fairly quickly due to the drag of the low orbit. To geostationary transfer orbit it takes longer but the periapsis (lowest point) is low enough to slowly deorbit it.

Then we have launches straight to geostationary orbits and similar, for those the second-stages will essentially never come down and they end up positioned in a graveyard orbit.

Re:SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit by thepete2 on Saturday May 30, 2020 @03:50PM (#23364035)
Even the ISS needs burns now and then to stay up, so yes at that altitude it will fall down eventually.
Re:SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit by nyhc99 on Saturday May 30, 2020 @06:31PM (#23365394)
SpaceX was talking about trying to recover the 2nd stage back in 2018, Elon suggested they would use a giant "party balloon" and land it on a "giant bounce house." I haven't heard any talk of progress made since then.

https://hackaday.com/2018/05/23/spacexs-next-giant-leap-seco...

Re:SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit by efxhoy on Sunday May 31, 2020 @05:44AM (#23368381)
They scrapped that idea last year afaik and are now focusing all efforts on starship which will be fully reusable.
Re:SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit by drmpeg on Saturday May 30, 2020 @04:18PM (#23364299)
It's does a deorbit burn to actively fall back to Earth.
Re:SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit by johncalvinyoung on Saturday May 30, 2020 @03:53PM (#23364070)
Saw a diagram showing that the 2nd stage should deorbit and splashdown somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Not sure when, precisely, though.
Re:SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit by trp1 on Saturday May 30, 2020 @03:47PM (#23364005)
It'll do a couple orbits then fall back down to Earth.
Re:SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit by noir_lord on Saturday May 30, 2020 @03:47PM (#23364006)
burns up.