Rare footage of SpaceX's attempted first stage landing

I was at the launch this morning with my telescope, recording video with a Canon T5i. After coming home I was surprised to find that I could not find any footage of the landing attempt and SpaceX seems to indicate they did not get any useful footage of their crash landing. I was able to get footage of the braking burn as the first stage fell back to earth. It was over the horizon by the time the terminal landing burn started, but I have not seen any other footage that even includes this braking burn. Here it is:

a reply to: ngchunter

I had to run outside when I heard it lift off. No one really expected them to nail it on the first go round though, did they? Excellent attempt though. As always I applaud Space-X for their ingenuity and innovation.

a reply to: ngchunter

It was over the horizon by the time the terminal landing burn started, but I have not seen any other footage that even includes this braking burn.

Nice video.

You don't see that everyday that's for sure.

a reply to: CagliostroTheGreat

Excellent attempt though. As always I applaud Space-X for their ingenuity and innovation.

It's a shame NASA doesn't have that kind of gumption when it comes to being innovative in the launch vehicle arena.

a reply to: ngchunter

Excellent video. I can't wait until they perfect the controlled descent. It will have lasting effects into the future for landing on other celestial bodies like the moon, Mars, and beyond.

That was some great footage, had to be a chore just keeping it in the frame with a telescope. Good job.

The fact they managed to even hit a 100m target in the ocean, with a technology barely out of its infancy.
Its a pretty amazing achievement. I was expecting it to just dump in the ocean somewhere.

a reply to: tsurfer2000h

credit where credit is due, NASA were the pioneers and the first to land a man on the moon.

without their innovation and gumption things like spacex probably wouldn't exist

originally posted by: Agit8dChop
a reply to: tsurfer2000h

credit where credit is due, NASA were the pioneers and the first to land a man on the moon.

without their innovation and gumption things like spacex probably wouldn't exist

Don't forget that even back during the Apollo days, it was the private/commercial sector who designed and built the hardware that went to the Moon. Give credit to NASA for having the vision and general plan for getting to the Moon, but it was still the private sector who created the innovative designs and manufacturing techniques needed to get NASA to the Moon...

The Saturn V rocket was designed and built by three companies -- Boeing (first stage), North American Aviation Corporation (second stage), and The Douglas Aircraft Company (third stage). The engines of the Saturn V were designed and built by Rocketdyne corporation.

The Command module and service module were built by North American Aviation. The engine for the service module was designed and built by Aerojet Corporation.

The lunar module was built by Grumman Corporation. TRW made the descent engine; Bell Aerospace made the ascent engine.

The lunar rover was made by a joint venture between General Motors and Boeing, with GM providing the expertise in vehicle design, and Boeing proving knowledge of space systems..

The space suits were designed and built by the International Latex Corporation (ILC), who oddly enough is the parent company of Platex (the people who make women's undergarments). The experience ILC had in making latex bras and girdles for women served them well in designing a flexible spacesuit. The spacesuit backpacks were designed and built by Hamilton Standard.


NASA has a long history with the private sector. NASA provides the general vision, and the private sector provides the innovations.

I don't care what anyone says, this was a lot worse than a "hard landing"

vine.co...

a reply to: Zaphod58

I don't care what anyone says, this was a lot worse than a "hard landing"

A no fly again landing is more like it.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
I don't care what anyone says, this was a lot worse than a "hard landing"

vine.co...

Definitely a Kerbal-esque "landing."