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In reviewing the replay video

of the live coverage of Starman/Roadster floating around the Earth I found a camera view that is different from the rest.

Does anyone know what this view is of?

View starts at 1:14:47 - 1:15:03

enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ They seem to have blanked out those parts of the video... But it still shows up on the thumbnail. $\endgroup$
    – PearsonArtPhoto
    Feb 10, 2018 at 4:10
  • $\begingroup$ Weird was showing up all day... hmmm $\endgroup$
    – Steve
    Feb 10, 2018 at 4:28

1 Answer 1

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That is the Oxygen tank, inside Stage 2. Looking at the intake for the engine.

This has been show before on different missions.

In order to re-light the engines, the fuel needs to be near the intake, which in Zero-g, is not a given on a mostly empty stage.

Typically upper stages use ullage boosters, small rockets that accelerate the stage enough to push the gas to the intake, where the pump on the engine can suck it in, and once the engine starts, the acceleration forces the propellants to the back wall.

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    $\begingroup$ Looks like a school of fish in the lower right quadrant :) $\endgroup$ Feb 9, 2018 at 19:49
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    $\begingroup$ @OrganicMarble Ever wonder why it is called "Lox and cream cheese"? $\endgroup$
    – geoffc
    Feb 9, 2018 at 19:50
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    $\begingroup$ This brings up an interesting problem for SpaceX. As the phase descends the fuel and rocket will be initially in free fall. Is atmospheric drag on the booster sufficient to have the fuel move down, essentially a reversed accelerometer effect? $\endgroup$ Feb 9, 2018 at 22:12
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    $\begingroup$ @Eric i think that would be a great new question. $\endgroup$
    – kim holder
    Feb 9, 2018 at 22:55
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    $\begingroup$ @OrganicMarble those are definitely fish, but if they are swimming, they couldn't have been smoked very much, hmm... $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Feb 10, 2018 at 15:31

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