All Questions
6
questions
17
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Are launch windows to Mars avoided if they result in landings during dust storm season?
This comment suggests that orbit before descent to Mars' surface allows a mission to delay the landing if the weather conditions are bad. I think that Tianwen-1 will be the first to put a lander rover ...
- 149k
19
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Did any of the Space Shuttles land through rain or rainclouds?
My web research resulted in figuring out that launching Space Shuttles in rain, apart from lightning, wind and turbulence related problems, wasn't permitted due to:
brittleness of the heat shield ...
- 6,392
20
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Will SpaceX delay launches, if the landing site weather is unacceptable?
With the initial landing attempts, it was not a big deal, twas all an experiment and they only reused Block 1-4 boosters once at best. So holding a launch because of weather at the landing site ...
- 80k
5
votes
1
answer
116
views
Would landing on mars during a storm considerably increase atmospheric drag?
Any chance we could harvest all those dust particles for an significant improvement in aero-breaking capabilities or would it destroy most heat-shields?
- 658
2
votes
1
answer
523
views
Do the SpaceX ASDS orient themselves in a particular direction before a landing? Is there a "landing ellipse"?
The SpaceX Autonomous spaceport drone ships have longer and shorter direction, both for the flat, apparently land-able area, and total footprint in the water. The ships have vertical projections at ...
- 149k
6
votes
3
answers
954
views
How can Falcon 9 first stage land vertical in a strong wind?
As I see it, Falcon 9 has to land on the barge in a vertical orientation and with no horizontal drift.
It has fins that are ineffective at low speed. It has a rocket motor that can probably vector ...
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