SpaceX Soft Lands Falcon 9 Rocket First Stage

Re:SpaceX Soft Lands Falcon 9 Rocket First Stage by lefrancaiz on Tuesday July 22, 2014 @05:06PM (#8071551)

Why does the rocket tipping over cause a loss of hull integrity? Does that mean that it actually exploded, just from going horizontal?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:SpaceX Soft Lands Falcon 9 Rocket First Stage by rspeed on Wednesday July 23, 2014 @03:36AM (#8073280)

Compare the amount of force it takes to crush an aluminum can from the sides vs. from the top and bottom. A rocket is the same basic shape and material.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:SpaceX Soft Lands Falcon 9 Rocket First Stage by icegreentea on Tuesday July 22, 2014 @05:14PM (#8071591)

Probably not exploded, just that the lateral stresses that the rocket is designed for.

Rockets have to withstand a lot of different types of forces (axial, all sorts of vibrational, probably hoop type stresses), but massive lateral shocks aren't really one of them.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:SpaceX Soft Lands Falcon 9 Rocket First Stage by mbell on Tuesday July 22, 2014 @05:36PM (#8071702)

> Probably not exploded

I don't know about that: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/488718649515986944

Even with minimal fuel, the tanks are still highly pressurized, a loss in hull integrity would result is a rapid depressurization of those tanks. It may not have been a fiery explosion, but I would bet it made a hell of a bang.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:SpaceX Soft Lands Falcon 9 Rocket First Stage by geetee on Tuesday July 22, 2014 @05:12PM (#8071580)

Think belly flops on a rocket scale.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:SpaceX Soft Lands Falcon 9 Rocket First Stage by bashinator on Tuesday July 22, 2014 @05:22PM (#8071626)

I think it just meant that because it was wholly immersed in water, it's not worth refurbishing.

[ Parent | on HN ]