Author Topic: SpaceX News  (Read 126775 times)

WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1150 on: March 16, 2022, 10:49:15 AM »
I find it funny that at the cost per launch for SLS, a Starship (Cargo variant) could almost carry the money into LEO, if it were loaded as pennies.

The former is tax payer funded while the latter is privately funded. Usually works out that way.
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1151 on: March 16, 2022, 10:56:05 AM »
But we still don't know if Elon's insane booster catch idea will work as planned or not. I keep thinking I hope they're keeping a spare tower or two around for, you know, just in case
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1152 on: March 16, 2022, 12:16:29 PM »
But we still don't know if Elon's insane booster catch idea will work as planned or not. I keep thinking I hope they're keeping a spare tower or two around for, you know, just in case

They're building a second tower at Cape Canaveral right now.  They're pretty committed to the idea of catching it.

I don't think the boosters could damage the tower footings or superstructure, at the speed it should be moving at when it approaches.  Much like the F9 droneship landings, the boosters are on a passive ballistic trajectory during freefall that would have them impact hundreds of meters away from anything valuable.  It's the final engine ignition that corrects the course to intercept with the landing zone.

I do think and engine failure during approach could result in the booster damaging the Chopstick arms, but even at free-fall from the last 500 meters, with maybe 25-50 tons of fuel onboard (each Raptor engine burns around 600kg of fuel/ox per second while running, and the Booster will land on several engines running simultaneously, perhaps 2-3 tons/sec being consumed) it's still unmixed.  The oxygen splash will do horrific things to anything awaiting a chemical reaction, especially when energized by the methane present, but it won't be anything like a Delta II explosion.  The steel of the booster is far thinner and less reinforced than the steel of the tower.
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1153 on: March 16, 2022, 12:21:59 PM »
They're building a second tower at Cape Canaveral right now.  They're pretty committed to the idea of catching it.

I don't think the boosters could damage the tower footings or superstructure, at the speed it should be moving at when it approaches.  Much like the F9 droneship landings, the boosters are on a passive ballistic trajectory during freefall that would have them impact hundreds of meters away from anything valuable.  It's the final engine ignition that corrects the course to intercept with the landing zone.

I do think and engine failure during approach could result in the booster damaging the Chopstick arms, but even at free-fall from the last 500 meters, with maybe 25-50 tons of fuel onboard (each Raptor engine burns around 600kg of fuel/ox per second while running, and the Booster will land on several engines running simultaneously, perhaps 2-3 tons/sec being consumed) it's still unmixed.  The oxygen splash will do horrific things to anything awaiting a chemical reaction, especially when energized by the methane present, but it won't be anything like a Delta II explosion.  The steel of the booster is far thinner and less reinforced than the steel of the tower.

Yeah the structure would probably be okay. The catch mechanism, plumping etc... not so  much.
There is talk of a 2nd tower at Boca as well.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2022, 12:43:47 PM by WLJ »
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1154 on: March 16, 2022, 12:42:37 PM »
Yeah the structure would probably be okay. The catch mechanism, pumping etc... not so  much.
There is talk of a 2nd tower at Boca as well.

A good idea (the 2nd tower at Boca).

If the goal ever becomes to catch Starship and ditch its landing legs, some form of Abort to LZ must be implemented that allows for catching the booster at the launch LZ (or the booster malfunctioning and making the launch LZ unavailable) but an early stage separation making it possible to recover the Starship at an alternate LZ.  Probably need several of those across the Gulf, in Florida, and out into the Atlantic, for different stages of flight.
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1155 on: March 16, 2022, 08:24:18 PM »
Cryo testing of the stack right now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhJRzQsLZGg
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1156 on: March 17, 2022, 09:25:53 AM »
SLS rollout scheduled to start at 17:00 EDT. Expected to take 11 hours.
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1157 on: March 17, 2022, 12:09:19 PM »
SLS rollout
Maybe?
What happened to 17:00?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdBFSfz8WmY
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1158 on: March 17, 2022, 12:17:42 PM »
Maybe they're just opening the door.
You know NASA, maybe it takes them 5 hours to open the door  :facepalm:
« Last Edit: March 17, 2022, 02:01:39 PM by WLJ »
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Jim147

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1159 on: March 17, 2022, 12:48:31 PM »
Maybe they are having trouble with the wheels on the door.
Sometimes we carry more weight then we owe.
And sometimes goes on and on and on.

BAH-WEEP-GRAAAGHNAH WHEEP NI-NI BONG

WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1160 on: March 17, 2022, 12:57:57 PM »
Maybe they are having trouble with the wheels on the door.

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dogmush

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1161 on: March 17, 2022, 01:51:57 PM »
It feels like SpaceX could design, build, test, and blow up a spacecraft in the time it takes NASA to move one from the assembly building to the launchpad.

RocketMan

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1162 on: March 17, 2022, 01:52:35 PM »
Maybe they're just open the door.
You know NASA, maybe it takes them 5 hours to open the door  :facepalm:

Maybe the union door operators didn't show up for work today.
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RocketMan

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1163 on: March 17, 2022, 01:54:11 PM »
It feels like SpaceX could design, build, test, and blow up a spacecraft in the time it takes NASA to move one from the assembly building to the launchpad.

NASA isn't slated to fly the SLS until sometime in May at the earliest.  It's going to be sitting on the pad for quite a while before it flies, assuming it does this year.
If there really was intelligent life on other planets, we'd be sending them foreign aid.

Conservatives see George Orwell's "1984" as a cautionary tale.  Progressives view it as a "how to" manual.

My wife often says to me, "You are evil and must be destroyed." She may be right.

Liberals believe one should never let reason, logic and facts get in the way of a good emotional argument.

WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1164 on: March 17, 2022, 01:55:10 PM »
It feels like SpaceX could design, build, test, and blow up a spacecraft in the time it takes NASA to move one from the assembly building to the launchpad.

And have the new and improved version already rolling down the road to the pad
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1165 on: March 17, 2022, 01:59:53 PM »
NASA isn't slated to fly the SLS until sometime in May at the earliest.  It's going to be sitting on the pad for quite a while before it flies, assuming it does this year.

If it doesn't fly this year, kiss those billion dollar SRB's good bye.  They're already past their 1 year guarantee date from Northrop Grumman, and have been given a special engineering exemption by NG/Orbital techs that already reeks of Challenger era politics.

If the launch gets pushed to 2023, it'll need new SRB's. 
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Fly320s

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1166 on: March 17, 2022, 02:15:34 PM »
NASA = Not Alotta Space Ability
SRB = Short Rifled Barrel, a.k.a. pistol.
Islamic sex dolls.  Do they blow themselves up?

WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1167 on: March 17, 2022, 04:38:22 PM »
They found a screw that was torqued to 27.99995 in-lbs instead of the required 28 in-lbs.
NASA: There will be a 6 month delay while this is rectified.
SpaceX: 10,9,8,7..............
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1168 on: March 17, 2022, 04:40:48 PM »
NASASpaceFlight just started their coverage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_9wtpu8fcI
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1169 on: March 17, 2022, 04:56:48 PM »
"If SLS sees it's shadow there will be 6 more months of delays"  :rofl:
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1170 on: March 17, 2022, 06:00:05 PM »
It moves!
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1171 on: March 17, 2022, 06:11:18 PM »
SLS has left the building!
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WLJ

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1172 on: March 17, 2022, 06:37:11 PM »
Someone asked about the crawler's gas mileage: 42 ft per gallon
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1173 on: March 17, 2022, 06:39:36 PM »
Someone asked about the crawler's gas mileage: 42 ft per gallon

better than i expected
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dogmush

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Re: SpaceX News
« Reply #1174 on: March 17, 2022, 07:15:21 PM »
They should have built an EV crawler.  Won't someone think of the climate?!?