SpaceX’s second first stage barge landing
Below is video of the Falcon 9 first stage landing last night. There isn’t really much to see, because this happened at night. However, I must repeat that this happened at night. In other words, SpaceX was able to bring its first stage down accurately in the middle of the ocean onto a tiny barge in the dark.
Who says the impossible is not possible?
During the live telecast, the audience broke out into a chant of “USA! USA!”, as they did after the previous first stage landings. Can you guess why?
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
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Below is video of the Falcon 9 first stage landing last night. There isn’t really much to see, because this happened at night. However, I must repeat that this happened at night. In other words, SpaceX was able to bring its first stage down accurately in the middle of the ocean onto a tiny barge in the dark.
Who says the impossible is not possible?
During the live telecast, the audience broke out into a chant of “USA! USA!”, as they did after the previous first stage landings. Can you guess why?
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
What was viewed as impossible yesterday is now everyday.
Dreams drive force of vision, force of vision married to the fruit of capitalist endeavor and the willingness to risk it can under the right circumstances result in the impossible becoming the everyday. JGL
(Government’s roll? Creating the proper atmosphere for it all to occur)
Wow. Just Wow.
What a great video. Every mission they do gets better in every aspect, and the hosts enthusiasm is infectious! :-)
I will be showing this to my young son, we both love space and I am certain that these SpaceX videos will encourage him towards a career in science or engineering. (Right now he just wants to be the first Astronaut on Mars… )
I even love how they signed off at the end “So say we all” Sounds like someone there is a BSG fan :-)
I recall you posting the other day that Space X didn’t expect this to succeed due to the mission profile (I assume not as much fuel left for the recovery).
But they nailed it anyway!
I heard the podcast of you on Livingston’s show.
Your bubbly enthusiasm for Space X (and private space in general) is quite understandable.
Musk and Bezos make me think of characters from a Heinlein story.
We’re living in the Sci-Fi age!
(BTW I also understand Livingston’s discomfort considering the ad spot he kept delaying was for Orbital/ATK!)
Mitch S. wrote: “We’re living in the Sci-Fi age!”
Science fiction becomes science fact. We just have to pay attention to see notice that it happened:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqo4p3HYwLQ (1 minute)
It looks like they have figured out how to do it at the limits of their capabilities. With the impossible becoming routine, on to the next challenge.