Space stuff thread

Keith is correct

SpaceX is using a different, older vehicle for this launch, which is what prompted the change. It's using the last of its Falcon 9 v1.1 vehicle. That's the version the company was launching before it unveiled its newer, more powerful Falcon 9 — the one that was used for the landing. The updated version has much more thrust than its predecessor, making it easier for the booster to return back to Earth. The Falcon 9 v1.1 isn't as capable, however, and the company says a sea landing will require less fuel.

That's because rockets launch up and away from where they take off. Long-exposure photographs of rocket launches show their paths taking parabolic routes. If the Falcon 9 was meant to land back on solid ground near the launch site, it would have to travel a long way back, both vertically and horizontally. But SpaceX's drone ship is located farther away from the launch site in the Pacific Ocean, so the rocket won't have as much distance to cover to get to its landing site. Therefore, less fuel will be required, according to SpaceX.

Source

A Guy

Thanks for confirming that Bill. It was bugging me.

Thanks Keith, and to Bill for doing the "legwork", it was "bugging" me too.


From the, "It was only a matter of time" department:

Caltech Researchers Find Evidence of a Real Ninth Planet.

Caltech researchers have found evidence of a giant planet tracing a bizarre, highly elongated orbit in the outer solar system. The object, which the researchers have nicknamed Planet Nine, has a mass about 10 times that of Earth and orbits about 20 times farther from the sun on average than does Neptune (which orbits the sun at an average distance of 2.8 billion miles). In fact, it would take this new planet between 10,000 and 20,000 years to make just one full orbit around the sun.

The researchers, Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown, discovered the planet's existence through mathematical modeling and computer simulations but have not yet observed the object directly.

Source: Caltech Researchers Find Evidence of a Real Ninth Planet

Video is from: Astronomers say a Neptune-sized planet lurks beyond Pluto


Related:
Mathematical discovery of planets
Timeline of discovery of Solar System planets and their moons

It was originally named Planet X due to the fact that it would be the Tenth planet Roman numeral for Ten is of course X but then Pluto was demoted.

The position and Size of the planet would nicely fit in to the current best Fit Hypothesis for the formation of the Solar System, which involved Jupiter, Saturn and a Neptune sized planet approaching close to the sun and interacting pushing Jupiter and Saturn to their present orbit and Planet X being ejected from the system, Possibly to join the number of Rogue planets in Interstellar space or possibly taking up a distant orbit round the sun

Anak said:

From the, "It was only a matter of time" department:

Space stuff thread

Thanks Kari,

I don't know what's the matter with me, I seem preoccupied lately, one thing is getting ready for our first major snowstorm of the Winter season...18 to 24 inches.

1st image of Planet X revealed

A Guy

A Guy said:

1st image of Planet X revealed

A Guy

A Guy said:

1st image of Planet X revealed

A Guy

I had a feeling....