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Blasphemy RL October 7, 2025 2:40 pm (Space/Science)

I cannot listen podrock October 5, 2025 9:27 am (CurrentEvents)

Down Under Report ER October 2, 2025 5:41 pm (Space/Science)

The 3 Body Problem (Spoilers) RobVG October 2, 2025 8:04 am (Science Fiction)

The Expanse is back! BuckGalaxy September 25, 2025 11:21 am (Science Fiction)

Trump Restores $20 Billion in Foreign Aid BuckGalaxy September 24, 2025 8:36 pm (CurrentEvents)

They've cured AIDS RobVG September 19, 2025 9:44 am (CurrentEvents)

Get rid of the comedians. podrock September 19, 2025 7:43 am (CurrentEvents)

From heckling to violence. A growing acceptance of both. RobVG September 17, 2025 4:46 pm (CurrentEvents)

Help me out with Charlie Kirk RobVG September 16, 2025 1:07 pm (CurrentEvents)

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. ER September 10, 2025 4:56 pm (Space/Science)

Reusable Falcon 9 first stage? September 23, 2011 7:00 pm TB

Some interesting stuff in this FAA permit application.

The Grasshopper RLV consists of a Falcon 9 Stage 1 tank, a Merlin-1D engine, four steel landing legs, and a steel support structure. Carbon overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs), which are filled with either nitrogen or helium, are attached to the support structure. The Merlin-1D engine has a maximum thrust of 122,000 pounds. The overall height of the Grasshopper RLV is 106 feet, and the tank height is 85 feet.

The propellants used in the Grasshopper RLV include a highly refined kerosene fuel, called RP-1, and liquid oxygen (LOX) as the oxidizer. The Grasshopper RLV has a maximum operational propellant load of approximately 6,900 gallons; however, the propellant loads for any one test would often be lower than the maximum propellant load. Even when the maximum propellant load is used, the majority of the propellant would remain unburned and would serve as ballast to keep the thrust-to-weight ratio low.

Back in the day, Phil Bono had designs for recoverable Saturn V upper stages that would land vertically on the ground.

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