Blue Origin's vertical landing rocket

Here is a link to a 2008 thread about this rocket Jeff Bezos secret private rocket

And heres the news article about the successful space launch, vertical landing. Blue Origin Launches

This is basically the same thing as space X grasshopper right?

the video looks pretty cool all im saying, i didn't even know any other company was doing this aside from space x.

a reply to: sociolpath

We just missed getting to see this. We were in Arizona Monday and came through West Texas Tuesday.

They make it look easy. To understand how difficult it is for the onboard systems to effect such a vertical landing, balance a pencil on your palm and set it on the table without it falling over.

a reply to: intrptr

That is what I kept thinking as I watched the video... a hell of an achievement.

I haven't seen the numbers, but can someone explain why this is a preferable option to a disposable rocket? There has to be a ton of refitting that needs to occur to reuse the main body.

So cool. It's like 1950's science fiction coming to life.

that's very impressive. no mean feat

originally posted by: slip2break
a reply to: intrptr

That is what I kept thinking as I watched the video... a hell of an achievement.

I haven't seen the numbers, but can someone explain why this is a preferable option to a disposable rocket? There has to be a ton of refitting that needs to occur to reuse the main body.

Rockets are custom made items. As as a result the cost of research and development, manufacturing and use is concentrated into a one-off product. Now if you throw that item away ie. disposable rocket, that's billions thrown away.

Imagine if passenger jets were built that way, "Oh, let's not bother about landing gear, let's just use parachutes instead". Given that the cost of plane is $250,000,000 and the number of seats is 250, then each ticket = $1,000,000. Make that passenger jet reusable, and suddenly you reduce the cost of the ticket by the number of times that that jet can be reused. Spread the lifetime over 30 years x 365 days x 1 flight, then the ticket price drops down to less than $1000 or even $100

This is fantastic news. SpaceX was also working on a reusable rocket system that unfortunately failed.

It's good to hear Blue Origin had a successful test. People have no clue what a boon to space exploration it will be when we are able to routinely land rockets after use. The cost of sending people and equipment to the ISS, asteroids, the Moon, and other exploratory missions will become considerably cheaper.

Just brilliant.... keep watching it over and over.... love this..

a reply to: slip2break

There has to be a ton of refitting that needs to occur to reuse the main body.

Not once you identify the critical wear parts.
And if you standardize and fix the design.
Then just replace the filters and reattach loose insulation, etc.