SpaceX: full test burn landed stage (again! 3x in 3 days)

[Dr Mordrid]

JCSAT-14 landed stage, a high & hard fastball GTO launch, doing a FULL DURATION test firing at McGregor!!

If that thing could fly after coming in at max strsses.....

The dark discoloration is residual soot, discolored paint etc. Other spaces have shined up nicely.

[Dr Mordrid]

ANOTHER firing of JCSAT-14!!!!

Can't have been much refurb this time. Reams more data, plus some plain old fashioned showing off.

Sheesshhhh....

[Dr Mordrid]

Make it THREE refires for JCSAT-14 in 3 days.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2387...54437920066318

Total fires = 6.5 if you count,

McGregor qualification
LC-40 Static Fire
LC-40 Launch
LZ-1 landing (.5)
McGregor refire 1
McGregor refire 2
McGregor refire 3

[MultimediaMan]

Run it until it breaks... that's what they are doing. I bet they are going to keep firing the rocket until they have a mechanical failure.

[Dr Mordrid]

The goal was 10 refire tests. The rate is limited by how fast they can generate superchilled LOX (66°K, -340.87°F ), which is just under a day per supply tank load.

Odds are they'll keep this up until the next stage for a scheduled flight arrives. The stage for the next mission has already been sent to KSC.

[Umfriend]

I wonder what the cost is of a single tank load...

[Dr Mordrid]

The propellants cost for both the lower and upper stage is about $250,000. The first stage is about 79% of the load so the props cost of a test should be about $197,500. Not counting the cost of helium tank presaurant, the TEA-TEB pyrophoric ingnition fluids, refilling the 500,000 gallon water tank (acoustic suppression), and the human and infrastructure costs.

Rocket R&D ain't cheap.