SpaceX F9 - IM-1 Nova-C Lander - LC-39A - Includes Post Launch Discussion

[JB47394]

And apparently here we have IM's next lander... anything stand out to you?

Subtlety and Safety don't belong in the same room.

 

[ICUDoc]

And apparently here we have IM's next lander... anything stand out to you?

View attachment 1023248

Yellow zip tie is an interesting choice! Is it a structural member ie is it the bit that pulls out the bit you have to Remove Before Flight? Seems a little on the fragile side
GREAT photo, btw!

 

[scaesare]

Yellow zip tie is an interesting choice! Is it a structural member ie is it the bit that pulls out the bit you have to Remove Before Flight? Seems a little on the fragile side
GREAT photo, btw!

I assume the yellow zip-tie is to affix the flag to the optical cover over a lens that's removed before flight....

 

[ecarfan]

If you land upright on a slope, the uphill legs will contact first. Surely they should break first.

In Scott Manley’s latest Deep Space Updates video he states that IM-1 “…landed on a 12 degree slope but because of the landing gear breakage it actually fell uphill rather than downhill”.

@JB47394 it appears you were correct!

 

[scaesare]

In Scott Manley’s latest Deep Space Updates video he states that IM-1 “…landed on a 12 degree slope but because of the landing gear breakage it actually fell uphill rather than downhill”.

@JB47394 it appears you were correct!

Given the faster-than-planned lateral velocity, I assume it plowed in to the slope on the "uphill" side, but does anybody know for sure? That would seem to mesh with a leg breaking as it hit the uphill slop first, and then the lander's momentum carried it forward to fall over "uphill" on that broken leg...