SpaceX Falcon I Launch 2 3/20/2007

[nagualdesign]

Yeah, the second stage motor took a real blow at (T+) 2:52, then appears to billow and shed some material at 3:13. The camera cuts off, or is edited out, right at the crucial moment :(

...Cool though

[weav8060]

what's with late nose cone oscillation about?

[doverdx]

you mean the second stage engine oscillation (the part in the frame is the nozzle exit)

i've been told by the vp of structures that there was a control system problem. apparently the control system was not robust enough resulting in the oscillations.

[ultraflash]

I know they lost communication with it but where would the rocket have gone? Would it have got lost in space or was it not high enough and would come back to earth?

[hyperthreaded]

It was high enough, but not fast enough. 2.7 km/s is not enough to achieve orbit. So it would've come back in a ballistic trajectory (whose highest altitude may well have been several hundred kilometers).

[cartagenaw]

Space X said that 1st stage sep went well. I don't know about that...  The 2nd stage engine got the crap knocked out of. I'm glad they made it into space though. Third try's a charm.

[FeoAmante]

Yow! Looked like separation whacked the hell out of the exhaust cone. Also, why are there no flange rings around the exhaust cone? The exhaust cone appeared to be heating unevenly.

[svenp]

Sweet.