 |
|
 |
|
CRS-8 (Falcon 9) 12 April 2016 |
Falcon 9 First Stage Recovery Port Canaveral |
Page 2 of 3 |
|
| About eight minutes after launch the Falcon 9 first stage from the CRS-8 mission landed on the "Of Course I Still Love You" droneship. The droneship, a modified barge, arrived in Port Canaveral on 12 April 2016 around 2:00 a.m. where a crane was attached in preparation for lifting the first stage off the barge and onto land. | |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
A man in an orange safety vest gives scale to the bottom of the first stage and the landing legs. |
|
 |
|
The crane lifts the first stage off the deck of the barge before swinging it onto land. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| The cluster of nine Merlin engines are visible in their Octaweb arrangement - eight engines in a circle with the ninth in the center. | |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
The SpaceX name is visible through the soot on the rocket. |
|
 |
|
Below the American flag are the grid fins that help steer the rocket during landing. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| The now deserted barge at left with the rocket positioned over land at right. Note the sheriff's boat keeping away the curious. | |
 |
|
| The first stage was lowered onto a stand that mimics the attach points on the launch pad. This takes all the weight off the legs and will allow them to be raised in preparation for tipping the rocket over onto its side for transport back to SpaceX facilities inside Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. | |
 |
|
Workmen prepare to attach the first stage to the stand when the crane finishes lowering the rocket. |
|
All contents copyright Lunar Cabin |
|