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Science

caraher

(6,352 posts)

3. It's basically replacing the parachute

Reply to Wounded Bear (Reply #1)

Fri May 30, 2014, 11:32 AM

May 2014

So a rough estimate is that the fuel energy required is comparable to the energy a parachute dissipates during descent.

BTW, it still retains a parachute as a backup. It does a check when it's time to fire the engines and deploys a parachute if there's an indication that the rockets might not work.

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SpaceX unveil 'no runway' Dragon V2 space capsule (BBC) [View all] eppur_se_muova May 2014 OP

Interesting... Wounded Bear May 2014 #1

it sheds most of its velocity on re-entry phantom power May 2014 #2

I looked up what the speed of Apollo was before they deployed the drogue parachute muriel_volestrangler May 2014 #6

It's amazing. 10 kilometers per *second* down to moderate airplane speed, in minutes. phantom power May 2014 #7

It's basically replacing the parachute caraher May 2014 #3

Flash Gordon has been doing that for decades sailfla May 2014 #4

Truly, there is nothing new under the Sun. nt eppur_se_muova May 2014 #5