{"id":22098,"date":"2022-11-01T19:10:26","date_gmt":"2022-11-01T11:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/falcon-heavy-flies-again-dual-booster-landing-from-ussf-44-sends-sonic-booms-across-the-space-coast\/"},"modified":"2022-11-01T19:10:26","modified_gmt":"2022-11-01T11:10:26","slug":"falcon-heavy-flies-again-dual-booster-landing-from-ussf-44-sends-sonic-booms-across-the-space-coast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/falcon-heavy-flies-again-dual-booster-landing-from-ussf-44-sends-sonic-booms-across-the-space-coast\/","title":{"rendered":"Falcon Heavy flies again; Dual-booster landing from USSF-44 sends sonic booms across the space coast"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Launch of SpaceX USSF-44, the fourth Falcon Heavy launch. Credit: Jared Sanders \/ Space Explored<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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SpaceX Falcon Heavy side booster returning to one of SpaceX\u2019s landing zones. Credit: Jared Sanders \/ Space Explored<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Credit: SpaceX<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Falcon Heavy vehicle has the capability to land all three boosters for reuse, however, this mission was the first to intentionally expend the center core booster for additional performance. As a result, this flight\u2019s core stage lacked landing legs and grid fins which would be used to land the booster. Over the three previous flights of Falcon Heavy, none have successfully recovered the center core booster. The maiden launch impacted the ocean as the engines were unable to relight for landing. The launch of Arabsat-6A was able to land the booster, however, the booster was tipped over by \u201ceight to ten-foot swells,\u201d according to a SpaceX spokesperson. Normally a robot known as the \u201coctograbber\u201d would position itself under a booster and secure it, however, the Falcon Heavy core was incompatible with the robot\u2019s securing points, preventing it from being used. As a result of the swells, the booster was tipped over in transit back to Cape Canaveral and was lost. The following mission, USAF STP-2, also impacted the ocean like the 1st launch, with reports that the stage missed the drone ship it was intended to land on.<\/p>\n

A unique addition to Falcon Heavy for this mission is the gray band along the upper stage of the vehicle. This change was made to allow more sunlight to be absorbed to warm the kerosene rocket fuel. The concern is that the kerosene fuel could begin to freeze during the long coast between burns, and as a result, become a slushy mixture fuel in both a liquid and solid state. The fuel partially freezing could prevent the upper stage\u2019s Merlin vacuum engine from reigniting or otherwise damaging the engine.<\/p>\n

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