With all this fuss about SN9, it's easy to overlook Blue Origin. Succesful launch and landing today.

 

 

Edited January 14, 20215 yr by martin-w

Mannequin Skywalker

Very happy to see successful spaceflight being undertaken by private enterprise. Cheaper options than NASA, Roscosmos and ESA opens up opportunities that these expensive launches and governmental underfunding have restricted.

As impressive as the launch and landing was, the 14 year old in me laughs at just how phallic the Blue Origin rocket looks...

Is it me, or does New Shepherd seem more stable in decent than SN9? 

Do you mean Starship (SN9) or Falcon 9, Martin? The Falcon first stage generally looks very stable to me, but you have to remember that Starship is coming down on its belly, so that final descent burn and landing looks quite dramatically unstable in comparison!

Edited January 15, 20215 yr by Christopher Low

2 minutes ago, Christopher Low said:

Do you mean Starship (SN9) or Falcon 9, Martin? The Falcon first stage generally looks very stable to me, but you have to remember that Starship is coming down on its belly, so that final descent burn and landing looks quite dramatically unstable in comparison!

 

Both really. Its the last few moments before touchdown I mean. There's something about New Shepard that seems more in control. Maybe just my imagination. 

Edited January 15, 20215 yr by martin-w

Ah, I think I know what you mean. New Shepard seemed to take longer to descend the final few metres before touchdown when compared to the SpaceX rockets. Of course, the longer that you hang around, the more fuel is required in those final moments of descent. Whatever the reason, it was a very nice landing

28 minutes ago, Christopher Low said:

Ah, I think I know what you mean. New Shepard seemed to take longer to descend the final few metres before touchdown when compared to the SpaceX rockets. Of course, the longer that you hang around, the more fuel is required in those final moments of descent. Whatever the reason, it was a very nice landing

 

Yep, you got it Chris. That's precisely it. Those last few seconds look more stable and less rushed, like IF it were to hover it would do so with utter control. 

I wonder when they will release the internal footage from the capsule? 

1 hour ago, HighBypass said:

I wonder when they will release the internal footage from the capsule? 

 

I think we have seen internal footage on previous flights. 

Notice how big the windows are? 

Edited January 15, 20215 yr by martin-w

 

 

Notice how quick the sky gets dark. 🙂 Looks a very smooth flight. And fantastic to have those big windows. Blue Origin's approach seems to be slow but steady. It might pay off. 

Edited January 15, 20215 yr by martin-w

Posh inside now!

 

 

5 hours ago, martin-w said:

 

Yep, you got it Chris. That's precisely it. Those last few seconds look more stable and less rushed, like IF it were to hover it would do so with utter control. 

Keep in mind to the relative sizes of the rockets and speeds they coming in at. While the New Shepard flights are impressive in their own right they are still not capable of reaching orbit, and the far higher speeds associated with that. On the flip side, SpaceX has done plenty of test flights where their rockets hover, and move around, quite well too.

Edited January 15, 20215 yr by goates

Yes, very true. New Shepherd is 1/4 the size of SN9.

Edited January 15, 20215 yr by martin-w

Here's a pretty good comparison between them.

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