SpaceX (general discussion)

Impressive numbers out of that Raptor V3 test. Chamber pressure 350 bars vs 200 for SSME.

More generally, seems they want a pretty high T/W for SH-Starship: 1.5 to 1.7. The objective: cut into the gravity losses by shooting off the pad ASAP.
For the record: while the ISS circle the world at an orbital velocity of 7800 m/s, ascending to it must include steering, drag, and gravity losses. While steering is small and drag not too large, gravity losses are the real bastard: pushing the tally by way more than 1000 m/s: way beyond 9000 m/s.
Delta 7925 with its many GEM solids seemingly managed to cut into its gravity losses enough, to sneak below 9000 m/s to orbit. So it can be done. Wonder if SH-Starship could manage the same feat with a lot of Raptor thrust right off the pad (provided the pad doesn't become a smoldering hole in the ground, but that's another matter !).
 
Has a new video about an idea by SpaceX to protect the Starship's Raptor engines from explosions:


SpaceX starship orbital launch post-flight repair works continue at Starbase. SpaceX planning to install water-cooled steel plates under the orbital launch mount. Super heavy booster raptor engine isolation technique. Which starship prototype will launch next?
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Vast and SpaceX aim to put the first commercial space station in orbit in 2025. Rocket Lab launches its first pair of NASA hurricane-watching TROPICS satellites. China launches Tianzhou 6 cargo ship to Tiangong space station.
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Michel Van said:
This issue solved the German in 1960s for P111 a high pressure Kerolox engine for Interceptor jet with special copper alloy.
They modified P111 into H20 engine that burn Hydrolox for Europa III rocket.
in the end the that copper alloy was used in RS-25 of Space Shuttle engine.
seems that SpaceX used it too
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This is not so much an issue that can be solved, but an engineering problem where you need to expend more effort to get more performance out of the system. The solution that works at the temperatures and pressures of P111 will not work for Raptor.
 
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TheSpaceBucket has just put out this new video concerning the Starship launch pad's flame-suppression system:


After Starship's first launch, SpaceX was left with a bit more damage than they had hoped for and expected to stage 0. Despite this, Elon was confident that in only a few months the pad would be not only fixed but improved and ready for the next flight. With it now being one month since the launch, the progress at this site has been quite staggering.
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Teams at SpaceX have been working constantly and the ambitious timeline from Musk is becoming more realistic. This being said, there is still a lot of work and especially testing remaining to make sure what happened on the first launch doesn't happen again. Just yesterday, we received more information on tests the company has been conducting for months now related to Stage 0.
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This included footage of a Raptor engine firing onto a water-cooled steel plate. Based on the construction and what SpaceX has said, this steel structure will be the main infrastructure to withstand and deflect the force of 33 Raptors firing under Super Heavy. Here I will go more in-depth into the new tests on this steel plate, other examples of steel at launch pads, what to expect in the coming weeks, and more.
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According Zack Golden on Twitter
FwyKO_nXsAAS0y9

There new Activity at Starbase
They empty four building on production side, (marked with Red X)
Indication those could be demolish in future

Low Bay is not longer in use and now clean out.
FwyPvE4WwAM-7gm


Current state of OLM
FwqtRGrXsAAqf_3


Source:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1660856261146030081
View: https://twitter.com/CSI_Starbase/status/1660856261146030081
 
TheSpaceBucket has just put out video about whether or not SpaceX can afford continued development of the Starship:


Work on the Starship program has been going on for years as it enters its busiest moment yet. While the progress that's been made has been quite impressive, it has cost the company a lot of money. This brings up questions regarding the source of funding, the future expenses of this program, and how it compares to other large space programs within the industry.
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By the end of this year, it's estimated that SpaceX will have spent $5 billion on the entire program. At the same time, the company expects to spend even more as full test flights begin and production increases. Right now teams at SpaceX are continuing to work on the pad damage and the installation of a new water-cooled steel plate. New information from Musk and SpaceX suggests that this process is coming along very well.
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Developing and launching rockets is not a cheap endeavor and will end up costing an immense amount of money practically no matter the program. Here I will go more in-depth into SpaceX's Starship finances, recent progress toward the second integrated test flight, what to expect in the coming months, and more.
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Elon just got handed a pass.

Look up “CS/SB 1318 Spaceflight Entity Liability” just signed into law

www.investors.com

DeSantis Rule Shields Musk's SpaceX From Liability

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new bill Thursday providing additional liability protections to space companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX.
www.investors.com www.investors.com

I think it’s great that he can do a Xi and drop umpteen tons of steel…maybe on a racetrack infield populated by the usual assortment of beer-swilling, loud-mouthed shirtless drunks….

-and their husbands.

Next up… nuclear pulse Orions launching at the Flora-bama.

YEE-HA!!
 
publiusr said:
Elon just got handed a pass.

Look up “CS/SB 1318 Spaceflight Entity Liability” just signed into law

www.investors.com

DeSantis Rule Shields Musk's SpaceX From Liability

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new bill Thursday providing additional liability protections to space companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX.
www.investors.com www.investors.com

I think it’s great that he can do a Xi and drop umpteen tons of steel…maybe on a racetrack infield populated by the usual assortment of beer-swilling, loud-mouthed shirtless drunks….

-and their husbands.

Next up… nuclear pulse Orions launching at the Flora-bama.

YEE-HA!!
Click to expand...

Show us on the doll where the spaceman touched you.
 
let me see how go with Boeing and SpaceX

Starliner 2011 to 2023
- two unmanned flights - manned test flight delay again do serious safety issue

Crew Dragon 2011 to 2023
- 17 Flights - 15 flight with in total 38 Astronauts into space and back.

yep David killed Goliath...
 
Michel Van said:
let me see how go with Boeing and SpaceX

Starliner 2011 to 2023
- two unmanned flights - manned test flight delay again do serious safety issue

Crew Dragon 2011 to 2023
- 17 Flights - 15 flight with in total 38 Astronauts into space and back.

yep David killed Goliath...
Click to expand...
And made him into hamburger.
 
update
all activity Starship at Robert Road and Launch pad 39A stoped.
only Falcon 9 operation, while Starship site is deserted.

The parts of its Megabay was move from KSC to Starbase in Texas
now used to build the third Megabay.

Seems that SpaceX focus now on repairs on Texas Launch Pad
And wait on results of flight Superheavy 9/Starship 25
before to continue work at launch Pad 39A.

Source: LabPadre

today mark the 198th landings of Falcon 9 booster and 20th reuse of Dragon Capsule.
 
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This article got me thinking about Starship tiles:
www.livescience.com

Mathematicians end decades-long quest to find elusive 'vampire einstein' shape

Researchers have discovered a new 14-sided shape called the Spectre that can be used to tile a surface without ever creating a repeating pattern, ending a decades' long mathematical hunt.
www.livescience.com www.livescience.com

Might that shape also help the pins keep everything nice and snug?

I was thinking if those tiles also had a ribbed surface—like the Ford Trimotor, with the forward top side a bit thinner and vice versa at the bottom to help overlap…the tiles could be held in place by slipstream and multiple points of contact…
 
SpaceX just landed for 200th time a Falcon 9 booster (this one flew for 9th time)

This was the 236 Launch of a Falcon 9
alone this year had 36 Falcon 9s, two Falcon Heavies, and one Starship launch, more to come

to compare
RocketLab 37 launches of Electron with 6 recovery of First stage
Blue Origin 23 suborbital launches, ZERO orbital
Ariane 5 116 launches
Atlas 5 97 launches (planned 19 more until 2029)
 

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