Are You Kidding Me?
Computing a new ascent profile to rendezvous with a moving target plucking along at a "mere" 17,224 MPH…ON THE FLY!
How awesome is that?
Reshared post from +Lacerant Plainer
The “anomaly” that almost destroyed SpaceX’s rocket launch
According to a statement released by SpaceX:
Approximately one minute and 19 seconds into last night's launch, the Falcon 9 rocket detected an anomaly on one first stage engine. Initial data suggests that one of the rocket's nine Merlin engines, Engine 1, lost pressure suddenly and an engine shutdown command was issued. We know the engine did not explode, because we continued to receive data from it. Panels designed to relieve pressure within the engine bay were ejected to protect the stage and other engines. Our review of flight data indicates that neither the rocket stage nor any of the other eight engines were negatively affected by this event.
As designed, the flight computer then recomputed a new ascent profile in real time to ensure Dragon's entry into orbit for subsequent rendezvous and berthing with the ISS. This was achieved, and there was no effect on Dragon or the cargo resupply mission.
In other words, the rocket did exactly what it was supposed to do (kind of), namely: deal with its pesky engine situation (i.e. one of the more explosive-looking non-explosion we've ever seen) and carry out the mission of lifting Dragon safely into orbit. According to SpaceX, "no other rocket currently flying has this ability."
The “anomaly” that almost destroyed SpaceX’s rocket launch
Last night, SpaceX kicked off its brand new cargo-hauling contract with NASA by launching a supply-laden Dragon capsule on a trip to the International Space Station;
I know eh? We watched, and thought maybe something little (not this big) might have happened – but… wow – on the fly the 'computer' handled a failed engine and recalculation and EVERYTHING
The awesomest part is that it could have lost another engine and still gotten its payload delivered. And if one engine blows, it's designed to protect the neighboring engines from being too affected. The Falcon 9 is a beautiful piece of engineering from what I've been learning about it today.