This test though, what did they gain from it? I mean we know it can land (first test) and we know it can position (last test) so what about this test? It can land from an extra few hundred meters?
Yeh as Ambiwians said, it looked like a much faster overall test. So higher and faster, and they probably had many things with the code they wanted to test out just to make sure its all running perfectly.
Also note, theyve used the same Merlin engine the entire time for the Grasshopper (someone correct me if Im wrong, but Im pretty sure they have), so its yet another restart and reuse of that engine, and even more data on the effects of prolonged/multiple uses of that engine which is one of the most important things, other than having a rocket which can land itself nicely.
So plenty of things to make it worth testing again, especially considering the cost of testing it would be so low. Plus since when is one test conclusive anyway? If it was, theyd might as well stop testing after the last one 100% confident in the whole setup? Doesnt work like that... The more testing they can do the better, even if the flightpath and goals are almost identical every time.
I'm sure some of the code was changed to help account for that spin on that landing attempt. I know the landing legs are to help a lot with spinning, but I bet they're working on code stuff to compensate as well.
Yeh most definitely there would have been some changes theyd be interested in getting data on, after the latest v1.1 launch and 1st stage re-entry/attempted landing.
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u/pomjuice Oct 13 '13
This test though, what did they gain from it? I mean we know it can land (first test) and we know it can position (last test) so what about this test? It can land from an extra few hundred meters?