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Originally posted by Phage
reply to post by tauristercus
The Falcon is a two stage rocket. The first stage was dropped over the Atlantic. The second stage takes the payload into orbit. Once in orbit there is no hurry to separate the payload (the Dragon mockup) from the second stage. In fact, being the first orbital flight, it is reasonable to assume that they would have waited until the spacecraft was within tracking range of Woomera to perform the separation.
The empty Dragon will remain attached to the Falcon 9 second stage after achieving orbit.
Source: spaceflightnow.com...
Originally posted by tauristercus
Originally posted by Phage
reply to post by tauristercus
The Falcon is a two stage rocket. The first stage was dropped over the Atlantic. The second stage takes the payload into orbit. Once in orbit there is no hurry to separate the payload (the Dragon mockup) from the second stage. In fact, being the first orbital flight, it is reasonable to assume that they would have waited until the spacecraft was within tracking range of Woomera to perform the separation.
Just some additional info relating to my earlier query to you asking for confirmation that the payload did indeed seperate from the 2nd stage. You indicated (above) that such a seperation did indeed take place quite late in the flight and possibly over the east Australian coast.
I have just obtained info indicating that the dragon payload was NOT in this test, designed to seperate from the 2nd stage and instead remained connected to it. Therefore the event as observed over the east coast of Australia could NOT have been due to a simple seperation procedure.
The empty Dragon will remain attached to the Falcon 9 second stage after achieving orbit.
Source: spaceflightnow.com...
Originally posted by dragnet53
reply to post by ocker
I didn't realize there was a spiral over china a few years back.
Originally posted by Phage
Seeing a rocket stage spewing fuel is not common. I didn't say it was. It takes the right timing to be visible. Australia was lucky. The Sun was rising as the rocket passed overhead, spewing left over fuel.
[edit on 6/5/2010 by Phage]
Originally posted by 12voltz
reply to post by ocker
sorry i didn't put (sarcasm) at the end of my post.I wonder why ancient people's drew spirals on caves rocks etc,must have been those ancient rockets that kept flying over them.
Originally posted by Maybe...maybe not
Originally posted by dragnet53
reply to post by ocker
I didn't realize there was a spiral over china a few years back.
Dragnet53.....
Here's some info regarding the Chinese spiral.....it was also a failed rocket / missile launch as per the info I posted in that thread.
www.abovetopsecret.com...
Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not
Originally posted by dragnet53
and the skeptics were the ones that told us it was flat. They also stated we couldn't fly.
Originally posted by Chadwickus
i = 34.50°
Hp = 236.6 km
Ha = 273.3 km
P = 89.47 min
I know that i is inclination and that p is perigee and a is apogee, but I don't know what H or P stands for.