How SpaceX Reinvented The Rocket!

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With respect to Wernher von Braun - "We didn't really find out about the NAZI thing until after he was dead" This is NOT TRUE. Everybody knew about it.

One point about the shuttle: 136 missions, 2 failures, BUT the shuttle never failed: in both instances the launch system (first the SRB and then External Fuel Tank) destroyed or damaged the Shuttle.

I NEVER get tired of watching the boosters come down and land. Every time is like the first time! And, when it’s a double, like with a Falcon heavy, OMG!

Make a video about Von Braun's reusable rocket idea. Also, it would be interesting to have one about his Mission to Mars idea.

"No one else has even tried" there's several companies that have tried, many unsuccessfully and even the chinese government has gotten into that game as well, likely from spaceXs own data

12:02 The "jellyfish" in the video is on launch, while the audio says it is a descent. The video shows 9 engines firing during launch, and the exhaust trailing downward from the rocket. On re-entry, the re-entry burn only fires 3 of the booster's Merlin engines, and the exhaust trail is soon above the descending booster.

I think an episode on Werner Von Braun and his concepts would be an interesting idea.

I like the fact that the video shows the LEGO Saturn V instead of the real one at 2:14 !

The development of microelectronics is essential. Microprocessors were in their early stages of development when the Shuttle was designed, let alone earlier missiles.

I think one other reason spacex does this while others don't is because they have the balls to attempt things everyone else thinks is mental

YES! Please do a video about this rocket, engines, stages, staging, pad, intent, size, load capacity..etc.. Thanks for another great episode! Stay Space! - NOM

The modern reaction to von Braun always confuses me. It's not like his previous employment was ever a mystery. Nor was the reason he was spared serious consequences, he could be put to useful work. But hey it's the 21st century and feelings are what's important. After all we happily used RD180s despite their Soviet origin.

there has always been rocket engineers who wanted to do reusable rockets, but the companies they worked for didn't want to know because they thought the gravy train would end. Elon comes along with the idea that rockets should be reusable and those engineers flock to him, and low and behold we have reusable first stages and soon completely reusable rockets. i would have loved to hear those exit interviews where they were told they would fail and lose their jobs, only to see them succeed.

Lolz, Musk went on to use his "parlour trick" to dwarf all other launch providers combined in the orbital launch arena. That's some freakin trick!

"If things are Not failing, you are Not innovating enough!", is THE definition of Research & Development. I was one of those "do All" mechanics in a Very Large Seafood Company in SE Alaska. One day I'd be building custom Can Tracks that twisted & rerouted their direction or setting up the programming for their "in-motion" weigh machines to Diving for an inspection of a Company Fishing Vessel that had struck bottom. I was a Millwright by definition but I Really began to learn and expand my thinking when the Company hired a R&D group out of Seattle to re-invent their 1930's vintage Salmon Canning machines. There were only 5 in the Group, the Mad Scientist Genius Inventor at the head of the group and a Very Talented group including a mechanical draftsman, a Machinist, an Electrical Engineer and we stole a Boeing Systems Program chief engineer. I was the Fabricator and Operator. But I must say, That was one of the Best learning experiences of my life !

The Shuttle was designed to take payload up to orbit, 7 passengers, and bring down satellites for refurbishment and updates. The problem is, the "bring down satellites" thing never materialized. I think they did it once or twice for proof of concept purposes. What ended up happening was technology advanced so rapidly it was more practical just to build and launch newer, more exponentially advanced satellites. That said, the repair to the Hubble Telescope could have only been done by the Shuttle.

@11:29 The biggest breakthough which allows Falcon 9 boosters to land with it's engines is MEMs Gyroscopes, the kind which orients your phone, and can also control the booster accurately enough to land which prior rocket developers simply didn't have. Early gyros and computers were never sophisticated enough to do this.

I believe your legacy aerospace companies, Boeing, Lockheed/Martin and Northrup Grumman are not interested in reusable rockets and why should they? These companies were and still are making a fortune off government cost plus contracts. Look at the Boeing and ULA SLS rocket they have taken about a decade to build and received about 23 billion for US government. This 23 billion does not include the capsule which another 20 billion. And to top it off, SLS will cost about 4 billion per mission. So question is why would these legacy aerospace companies be interested in a reusable rocket when they are making BILLIONS by not designing one.

Christ that booster reentry using the engine as the heat shield is so so fucking gangster