Space X reusable rocket landing

[glappkaeft]

You have not really produced any reason why you think that? Besides SpaceX thinks they used the flight termination system.

 

[Rive]

The reversion to fully expendable boosters in future, even within SpaceX, is possible.

Indeed possible but it would require quite a bit of funds spent on the administration to force them through regulations.

It is far more likely that in the next years partial recovery of the launch device will become the standard practice (at least, for those who has some capital to spend on development).

 

[mfb]

Grasshopper (0:26) was destroyed intentionally after it got out of control. The rest exploded when it hit the ocean/ship.

One of the boosters (B1050) landed in the water without an explosion - here is a video. The rocket was planned to land on the ground pad. The trajectory always aims at the ocean and the booster changes its trajectory to the shore only if everything is fine. It wasn't, so it aimed at the ocean. You can see the excessive roll (rotation around its long axis). Shortly before hitting the water it seemed to regain control. The booster was too damaged to fly again, but it's possible that they reused some parts.

 

[artis]

@mfb maybe you also happen to know what type of device they use to destroy the rockets intentionally, I assume it's built into all the boosters for "just in case" situations.

 

[jackwhirl]

@mfb maybe you also happen to know what type of device they use to destroy the rockets intentionally, I assume it's built into all the boosters for "just in case" situations.

That's the Flight Termination System. In SpaceX videos, you occasionally hear the mission control call-out "stage one FTS is safe", meaning the system has been disabled or "rendered safe" after the rocket reached a safe altitude or trajectory.

 

[artis]

Well I guess this systems helps so much so that instead of having a whole booster fall on your car or property you end up with thousands of pieces falling on your car or property, still better.

 

[mfb]

The trajectory doesn't go over inhabited area. As long as the rocket explodes before it deviates too much from its trajectory the debris just falls into the ocean. Or on deserts, remote farmland or similar for some suborbital rockets.

 

[glappkaeft]

The main purpose of the Flight Termination System is to terminate the thrust of the rocket so that it doesn't go any further off-course. Secondary but also important is to disperse and/or ignite the remaining fuel and oxidizer.