SpaceX Falcon 9

Takes a lot of energy to recover those stages. For this one they needed all the delta V they could find to reach mission orbit.

 

Anybody know the reason for the expendable launch? The primary payload was not any heavier than similar launches to GTO which had recovery.

 

May have been a launch to a different longitude since the primary company was California based and that would take quite a bit more delta V, in addition to the plane change required to get into GTO/GEO. Even though most of that is done at altitude to save energy. Satellite alone, never mind the other two payloads, was 14,000 lbs.

 

Vandenberg is really only suitable for high inclination orbits like polar and sun synchronous due to launch azimuth restrictions.

 

I watched the launch, were about 70 miles south, it was spectacular. From my angle of viewing it looked like the rocket was seriously heading south, far more horizontally than the usual launch.

 

That far away they definitely pitch over at altitude (above the atmosphere) so all the thrust is nearly parallel to the earth's surface. With a 28.4° latitude launch to eventually get into a 0° inclination orbit, they definitely need to be heading south.

 

They also would have needed to have enough fuel to get that stage out of GEO so it does not clog up the orbit.

 

Reliable reusability saves a ton of money.

 

They’re finally working on it. Who knows how long it will take others to perfect landing.

 

We tried to drag Space Command into reusables in the mid-90s. No takers.

 

NASA gave up on X-37 after the unpowered landing tests of the X-40A and X-37A and turned the program over to DARPA. AF's Rapid Capabilities Office took over from DARPA and got the orbital vehicle built and tested.

X-40A is now at the National Museum of the USAF.