SpaceX (general discussion)

[Archibald]

Geez, what a bunch of vultures. One worries about waste... oh well ok you idiots, I'm out of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFE6qQ3ySXE&feature=youtu.be

(and screw censorship and politically correct)

 

[sferrin]

Geez, what a bunch of vultures. One worries about waste... oh well ok you idiots, I'm out of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFE6qQ3ySXE&feature=youtu.be

(and screw censorship and politically correct)

"Profanity: weaker mind trying to speak forcefully"

I believe my irony meter just broke.

 

[sferrin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbzegGHkk8c

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1109177418466713601

New FAA NOTAM restricts airspace around SpaceX’s South Texas launch site Monday-Wednesday next week “for rocket launch and recovery”. Airspace restricted up to an altitude of 1,000 feet. Looks like they’re getting ready to hop… http://bit.ly/2JxnU5S

DIT Trade Showcase to SpaceX in US

21 March 2019 – The Department for International Trade is organising a UK Technology & Capability Showcase for SpaceX in late spring or early summer 2019 (date to be confirmed later) at SpaceX’s HQ in Hawthorne, California.

The SpaceX technology development and procurement teams for the Starship (formerly known as the BFR) and Starlink programmes will review UK supplier capability descriptions and select the participants. Therefore, if you have a UK-based capability that you think SpaceX would be interested in, please register for the event and submit your capability summaries.

[...]

In addition to the best of UK’s capabilities that we will be offering to SpaceX, they have identified some specific capabilities and technologies that they require. If you can satisfy any of these needs, then you should certainly submit a set of forms:

Pressure & Motion Controls, Actuation (“Vendor IP”):

1. Solenoid Valves for high vibration, low and high temperature environments

Strong and nimble engineering departments
Environmental analysis on site is a plus (vibe testing greater >90 Grms)
2. Brushless DC & Inductance Motors for high vibration, low and high temp environments

Same features as the above Valve category
Machining/Fabrication:

3. Spline/Gear machining (preferably located in or near other machining suppliers, think turn-key turbomachinery shafts)

4. Turbomachining (blades, impellers that are smaller than a 24” cube)

5. Large OD tube bending >8” OD

6. Shaped or Formed Flexible Hoses (primarily Kevlar braided Teflon hose that is formed to a particular shape to reduce stress)

7. Aerospace Metal Bellows formed with new technologies (standard technologies are mechanical forming, edge welding, hydroforming, or electroformed – looking for any new technologies or suppliers that may excel with the current technologies)

Castings/Raw Materials:

8. Specialized castings (new innovative casting methods)

9. Die casting suppliers

10. Specialized materials (for extreme environments)

Avionics:

11. Large format PCB fabrication and PCBA assembly (>30”)

12. Solar panel assembly[/quote]

https://www.ukspace.org/news-item/dit-trade-showcase-to-spacex-in-us/

 

[_Del_]

Geez, what a bunch of vultures. One worries about waste... oh well ok you idiots, I'm out of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFE6qQ3ySXE&feature=youtu.be

(and screw censorship and politically correct)

Again, should they continue using the tooling to produce components they do not plan on using? Isn't that way more wasteful than scrapping the tooling? They can't just use the tooling to make tennis rackets or bike frames tomorrow. That's not how this works.

If you don't have any idea what they should do as an alternative and are reduced to tossing profanity about by a simple question, I'm not sure why you're bringing this up in the first place.

 

[Grey Havoc]

A major problem is that if their current approach crashes and burns they literally have no fallback option. Another thing that may very well come back to haunt Musk is that a fair bit of taxpayers money went into that tooling. At time of such political instability in the U.S., not to mention the little matter of the SEC being already out for blood, this could well end up being the straw that breaks the camels back.

 

[Hobbes]

1. no fallback option:
SpaceX already decided a carbon fiber hull wasn't going to work. There's no point in falling back to a solution that's already been discarded.
Also, SpaceX switched from CF to steel very rapidly (less than 6 months) - without the benefit of preexisting tooling. If steel doesn't work out, they can switch to another material in a similar timeframe.

2. taxpayers' money:
SpaceX sells launch services to the US government. The government agreed to the price set by SpaceX, SpaceX delivered the services specified in the contract. What happens with SpaceX's profit is no longer the US government's concern.

3. value of the tooling:
The tooling we're talking about is just bits of iron welded together, with some parts of the tool in precisely-defined positions. This can be remade easily: they're not throwing away the design. Preserving the tooling has a cost associated with it: it takes up a lot of space, it's iron so it has to be preserved. Depending on the degree of precision, you may have to store it in a climate-controlled area. Recycling is the responsible option here.

 

[sferrin]

A major problem is that if their current approach crashes and burns they literally have no fallback option.

The same could be said of any launch vehicle. What BO's fallback if their landing legs fail? What's ULA's fallback if they're priced out of existence? What's NASA's fallback if SLS gets left in the dust by SpaceX's Starship?

a fair bit of taxpayers money went into that tooling.

You sure about that? And if so, it depends on a whole lot more than who paid for what. Google Earth is full of government paid-for stuff rotting in the weather at various contractors. See pic below of X-47B tooling that's been sitting out in the weather literally for years.

At time of such political instability in the U.S., not to mention the little matter of the SEC being already out for blood, this could well end up being the straw that breaks the camels back.

Doubt it.

 

[antigravite]

Hi,

In case you wanna see live test of Boca Chica launch site Starship / Hopper + Raptor demo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7zia2HqOOc

A.

The test might happen today.

Another interesting source is a live twitter feed from BocaChicaGal. Road closed this morning.

https://twitter.com/BocaChicaGal

A.

 

[FighterJock]

Hi,

In case you wanna see live test of Boca Chica launch site Starship / Hopper + Raptor demo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7zia2HqOOc

A.

The test might happen today.

Another interesting source is a live twitter feed from BocaChicaGal. Road closed this morning.

https://twitter.com/BocaChicaGal

A.

I do hope that it happens, I take it there is no firm time for the test today (that is IF it occurs).

 

[Flyaway]

SpaceX’s steel Starship glows during Earth reentry in first high-quality render

SpaceX has silently published the first known detailed render of its new stainless steel Starship’s design on the cover of Popular Mechanic’s April 2019 issue, showing the next-generation orbital spacecraft reentering Earth’s atmosphere in a blaze of glowing metal and plasma.

 

[antigravite]

I do hope that it happens, I take it there is no firm time for the test today (that is IF it occurs).

"First Hopper/Raptor test postponed until further notice"

A.

 

[sferrin]

I do hope that it happens, I take it there is no firm time for the test today (that is IF it occurs).

"First Hopper/Raptor test postponed until further notice"

A.

That sounds ominous.

 

[antigravite]

I do hope that it happens, I take it there is no firm time for the test today (that is IF it occurs).

"First Hopper/Raptor test postponed until further notice"

A.

That sounds ominous.

Hmm… We'll see… That was yesterday's info and there happens to be a last "new" window, effective today:
From March 27, 2019 at 1400 UTC
To March 27, 2019 at 2300 UTC

Full NOTAM available here:

https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_9_1046.html

A.

 

[Flyaway]

Everyday Astronaut @Erdayastronaut
How will Starship do interplanetary probe missions? Will it do an injection burn, release the payload then cancel out the burn and come back? Or just put up a kick stage for the interplanetary injection burn? Like Europa clipper... can StarShip do it?

Elon Musk ✓ @elonmusk
Replying to
@Erdayastronaut
and
@DiscoverMag
Massive delta velocity slam from highly elliptical Earth orbit using a fully retanked, but lightened up Starship with no heat shield or fins/legs. Best choice for the impatient. Ion engines are too slow.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1111760133132947458

 

[Flyaway]

Starhopper Tests Have Gotten Delayed Because of “Ice Formation in the Cryogenic Propellant Prevalves”

Another recent development has to do with the first scheduled test of the miniature Starship, which began in earnest last week. Unfortunately, there has been a bit of a delay due to some technical issues with the cryogenic fuel tanks. As usual, Musk made the announcement via twitter in response to questions about when the much-anticipated flight test will happen, which has been delayed multiple times now.

Musk issued the announcement during a conversation about a recent article penned by UT’s own Fraser Cain – “The Incredible Challenge of Landing Heavy Payloads On Mars“. After being asked when the Starship Hopper will be able to conduct its first hop test, Musk tweeted, “Some challenges with ice formation in the cryogenic propellant prevalves. Hopefully overcome soon.”

 

[fredymac]

Hopper static fire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vfiM10lc1M&feature=youtu.be

 

[Flyaway]

More here on the firing.

SpaceX just fired up the engine on its test Starship vehicle for the first time

A test version of SpaceX’s next-generation spacecraft, the Starship, successfully ignited its onboard engine for the first time today — though the vehicle didn’t go for far. The ignition was a test known as a static fire, meant to try out the engine while the vehicle remained tethered to the Earth. However, today’s test marked the first time this vehicle lit up its engine, and it could pave the way for short “hop” flights in the near future.

 

[FighterJock]

More here on the firing.

SpaceX just fired up the engine on its test Starship vehicle for the first time

A test version of SpaceX’s next-generation spacecraft, the Starship, successfully ignited its onboard engine for the first time today — though the vehicle didn’t go for far. The ignition was a test known as a static fire, meant to try out the engine while the vehicle remained tethered to the Earth. However, today’s test marked the first time this vehicle lit up its engine, and it could pave the way for short “hop” flights in the near future.

At last the test fire has happened, good news for SpaceX.

 

[Grey Havoc]

ORIGINAL CAPTION: SpaceX workers crawl Starhopper out to a launch pad near Boca Chica Beach, Texas, on March 8, 2019. Maria Pointer (bocachicaMaria)

https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-test-hopper-starhopper-first-raptor-engine-static-fire-2019-4?r=US&IR=T​

 

[galgot]

Wow, This picture really gives the scale of the thing !

 

[FighterJock]

ORIGINAL CAPTION: SpaceX workers crawl Starhopper out to a launch pad near Boca Chica Beach, Texas, on March 8, 2019. Maria Pointer (bocachicaMaria)

https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-test-hopper-starhopper-first-raptor-engine-static-fire-2019-4?r=US&IR=T​

If that is the size of the test Starhopper is, I wonder how tall the rest of Starship will be once it is fully assembled.

 

[NeilChapman]

If the legs are the correct scale to Starship then perhaps 2.5 times Starhopper?

 

[sferrin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vfiM10lc1M

 

[Dragon029]

If the legs are the correct scale to Starship then perhaps 2.5 times Starhopper?

Starhopper appears to be about 18m tall from the bottom of its legs to the top of the upper tank bulkhead; by comparison, Starship will be about 55m long, so slightly more than 3x longer / taller.

 

[Flyaway]

Falcon Heavy static fire test today.

https://youtu.be/D-TLTPddtKg

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1114215249517981702

Max thrust of 2550 tons will be almost 10% higher than Falcon Heavy demo mission last year

Elon with a word of caution:

Static fire data looks good so far. This is first launch of Falcon Heavy Block 5, so we’re being extra cautious. Launch date might move.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1114214017684393986

 

[sferrin]

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1114215249517981702

Max thrust of 2550 tons will be almost 10% higher than Falcon Heavy demo mission last year

Sounds low. According to the SpaceX website Falcon Heavy is supposed to produce 2565 tons.

 

[Dragon029]

Their website at the moment says 22,819kN at sea level, which equates to 2326 metric tons. 2326 x 1.1 = 2559, which is about what was achieved.

 

[Flyaway]

Video on link Starhopper hops again.

https://mobile.twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1114390314565787648

 

[sferrin]

Their website at the moment says 22,819kN at sea level, which equates to 2326 metric tons. 2326 x 1.1 = 2559, which is about what was achieved.

Elon's tweet doesn't specify short ton or long ton. If short ton (the most common in the US) then, "2550 tons will be almost 10% higher than Falcon Heavy demo mission last year" means even with the "10% higher" they're still short of the 2565 tons listed on their web site right now. If long ton then he's suggesting this Falcon Heavy would produce 5,712,000lbs thrust or 11.3% more than the value listed on their website.

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/spacex/status/1114932679688900608

Falcon Heavy’s 27 Merlin engines generate more than 5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, making it the world’s most powerful operational rocket by a factor of two

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/chrisg_nsf/status/1116041721555632129

Right now, everything is on track and #SpaceX is targeting the opening of #FalconHeavy’s launch window at 18:35 EDT (2235 UTC) this evening. The launch window extends to 20:32 EDT (0032 UTC). #ArabSat6A
@mike_deep)

 

[sferrin]

*fingers crossed*

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/spacex/status/1116057892140998656

Falcon Heavy and Arabsat-6A are vertical on Launch Complex 39A. Currently targeting liftoff at 8:00 p.m. EDT; monitoring upper-level winds that could push us to the end of the window (8:32 p.m. EDT) → http://spacex.com/webcast

 

[Flyaway]

What’s significant is the organisation tweeting this.

We asked and
@SpaceX
checked. The #LUVOIR space telescope concept can indeed fly on Starship! (graphic used by permission)

https://twitter.com/NASAGoddard/status/1116310431969239040

 

[Michel Van]

SpaceX just landed all Three Booster of Falcon Heavy B)
Second Stage enter park orbit

 

[fredymac]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YyV-otP3pI

 

[Flyaway]

NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Asteroid Redirect Test Mission

NASA has selected SpaceX in Hawthorne, California, to provide launch services for the agency’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, the first-ever mission to demonstrate the capability to deflect an asteroid by colliding a spacecraft with it at high speed – a technique known as a kinetic impactor.

The total cost for NASA to launch DART is approximately $69 million, which includes the launch service and other mission related costs.

The DART mission currently is targeted to launch in June 2021 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. By using solar electric propulsion, DART will intercept the asteroid Didymos’ small moon in October 2022, when the asteroid will be within 11 million kilometers of Earth.

NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida will manage the SpaceX launch service. The DART Project office is located at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and is managed by the Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office in Washington.

For more information about NASA programs and missions, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov

 

[Michel Van]

Surprise: not only the Booster and Core made it save to Earth
Both Payload fairing were recovered also