Author Topic: Falcon 9 Question ...  (Read 9872 times)

Offline Northern Lurker

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #30 on: September 01, 2017, 06:04:43 PM »
Imagine if we had a thicker atmosphere and more gravity.

Maybe we would launch our rockets from giant airships.

Lurky

Offline smartcooky

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #31 on: September 10, 2017, 02:27:25 AM »


Apparently, when SpaceX launch their first Falcon 9 Heavy later this year (at this stage its down for November, but that could change) their intention is to use two previously flown Stage 1 cores as the boosters. Furthermore, they intend to recover all three parts of Stage 1, the two booster cores back to the Cape, and the centre Stage 1 core back to the downrange Atlantic platform.

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/07/25/musk-sets-expectations-low-for-maiden-falcon-heavy-launch/

That is something I am looking forward to watching.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2017, 02:37:51 AM by smartcooky »
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Offline bknight

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #32 on: September 10, 2017, 06:09:45 AM »


Apparently, when SpaceX launch their first Falcon 9 Heavy later this year (at this stage its down for November, but that could change) their intention is to use two previously flown Stage 1 cores as the boosters. Furthermore, they intend to recover all three parts of Stage 1, the two booster cores back to the Cape, and the centre Stage 1 core back to the downrange Atlantic platform.

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/07/25/musk-sets-expectations-low-for-maiden-falcon-heavy-launch/

That is something I am looking forward to watching.

Indeed that will be a special launch to watch.
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Offline Zakalwe

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #33 on: September 10, 2017, 08:10:17 AM »

That is something I am looking forward to watching.

Indeed that will be a special launch to watch.
I've booked a week in Florida in the hopes I get lucky and see it! Fingers crossed
"The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.' " - Isaac Asimov

Offline bknight

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #34 on: September 10, 2017, 09:07:04 AM »

That is something I am looking forward to watching.

Indeed that will be a special launch to watch.
I've booked a week in Florida in the hopes I get lucky and see it! Fingers crossed
Best of luck, then.
Truth needs no defense.  Nobody can take those footsteps I made on the surface of the moon away from me.
Eugene Cernan

Offline sandopan

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #35 on: September 10, 2017, 11:35:16 AM »
I've booked a week in Florida in the hopes I get lucky and see it! Fingers crossed

Hopefully not this week.
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Offline raven

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #36 on: September 10, 2017, 06:12:40 PM »
I bet it will take a couple launches to get the bugs ironed out, but I also bet they'll get it in time.

Offline jfb

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #37 on: September 13, 2017, 11:43:08 AM »
Places where things will be "interesting" -

  • Ignition - lighting up 27 engines at once will be fun (and probably very loud)
  • MaxQ - that's where the fittings holding the boosters to the center core will be under the most stress
  • Booster separation - that's where their aero modeling will be put to the test, making sure that the boosters fly away from the core instead of into it

I'm not worried about landing, although watching two boosters land at the same time will be quite a show. 

Offline Zakalwe

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #38 on: September 13, 2017, 11:56:27 AM »
I bet it will take a couple launches to get the bugs ironed out, but I also bet they'll get it in time.

Musk has said that the chances of the first being successful are pretty low. I really hope that he's lowballing us!


I'm not worried about landing, although watching two boosters land at the same time will be quite a show. 

If it all goes to plan there'll be three boosters landing.  :)

<edit> not all at the same time though!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXXiVWFgphb/
« Last Edit: September 13, 2017, 11:58:04 AM by Zakalwe »
"The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.' " - Isaac Asimov

Offline smartcooky

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #39 on: September 27, 2017, 05:37:10 AM »
I heard an interesting piece of information while watching the latest YT video from "Everyday Astronaut". Apparently, early in 2018, SpaceX intents to test the capsule abort and recovery system during a Falcon 9 launch. That should be an interesting watch.

On a side note, I really enjoy  Tim Dodd's "Everyday Astronaut" and Amy Shira Teitel's "Vintage Space" (I'm a subscriber to both channels). Lately, Tim in particular has been covering off a lot of SpaceX stuff. Well worth  the time to watch.

Everyday Astronaut
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6uKrU_WqJ1R2HMTY3LIx5Q

Vintage Space
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw95T_TgbGHhTml4xZ9yIqg
If you're not a scientist but you think you've destroyed the foundation of a vast scientific edifice with 10 minutes of Googling, you might want to consider the possibility that you're wrong.

Offline smartcooky

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #40 on: September 27, 2017, 07:13:20 AM »
Oh, and I should add, they are going to do this test at Max-Q!
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Offline jfb

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #41 on: September 27, 2017, 05:12:45 PM »
Oh, and I should add, they are going to do this test at Max-Q!

Which is where you find out just how good those SuperDracos are. 

Don't know which is going to be more exciting in terms of mayhem potential - this, or the maiden FH launch. 

Everyday Astronaut recently put up a good video on the challenges of bringing a used upper stage back to Earth using KSP.  He came up with a system that worked, barely, but severely cut into the payload budget. 

I think any reuse of the US will be on orbit, not on return to Earth. 

Offline smartcooky

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #42 on: September 29, 2017, 01:51:16 AM »
I've just watched Elon Musk's closing address Live from the IAC in Adelaide. Its about 50 minutes long, and well worth the watching the whole thing right through

http://www.spacex.com/mars

SpaceX are planning to start construction on BFR (Big Falcon Rocket) next year. It is to be fully reusable and will be able to be refuelled in orbit. Musk's intention is to have it make its first test and cargo flight to Mars in 2022.

Ambitious indeed, but he thinks its doable, and so far, you can't argue that he hasn't delivered on what he has outlined, even if not always on schedule.

Here are a couple of interesting slide from the address. First, a graphic showing a number of rockets arranged by payload capability, lowest on the left, highest on the right...

 

But here is what happens when you sort them in order of launch cost per kg of payload, lowest on the left, highest on the right...



Staggering if correct.

What do the rocket scientists here think?
« Last Edit: September 29, 2017, 01:59:38 AM by smartcooky »
If you're not a scientist but you think you've destroyed the foundation of a vast scientific edifice with 10 minutes of Googling, you might want to consider the possibility that you're wrong.

Offline jfb

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #43 on: October 03, 2017, 01:08:03 PM »
Assuming 100%, true "gas-n-go" reusability on the order of a modern airliner, then yeah, I can see it becoming one of the cheapest launch options over time (if not the cheapest), at least on a per-Kg basis.  You have to amortize the cost of building the thing over multiple launches, but eventually all you're paying for is propellant, staff, and pad expenses, which are not that much relative to the vehicle itself.  That becomes especially true if they can co-manifest multiple payloads like Ariane typically does (which they should be able to do given the (frankly insane) volume and lift capability). 

It just has to, you know, work as advertised.

Last night I realized that this hits close to the original vision of the Space Shuttle, which was originally supposed to have a flyback booster and offer true "gas-n-go" reusability, but not on this scale.  And of course, the STS orbiter was never meant to leave LEO - Elon claims the BFS can go anywhere from LEO to the outer solar system and back.  What had me  :o-ing was the idea that it has enough  Delta-V to get to the Moon, land, and come back without refueling.  That's kinda staggering.  This thing is going to be effing huge

Honestly, what gives me the cold pricklies is the idea of transitioning their entire business onto this new architecture.  It's a hell of a risk.  But of course, the only way they can pay for it is to make it the system. 

Offline smartcooky

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Re: Falcon 9 Question ...
« Reply #44 on: October 03, 2017, 07:58:05 PM »
IMO, one of the key reasons the Space Shuttle couldn't reach its full potential was because it was weighed down with pork. Everything had to be compromised because of pork.

The porcine hindrances aren't a problem with private aerospace
If you're not a scientist but you think you've destroyed the foundation of a vast scientific edifice with 10 minutes of Googling, you might want to consider the possibility that you're wrong.