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20 minutes ago, sevenperforce said:

Grasshopper test vehicle will likely have three SL Raptors but no vacuum Raptors.

True, this would allow some engine out testing.

A CNBC reporter wrote a story saying that musk said they’d do a test flight to mars in 2019. Because she’s an idiot, and lacks the basic understanding of space tech to be able to listen to SXSW and understand what he said.

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7 minutes ago, tater said:

Yeah, they won’t fill the tanks though. Eventually, they’d want tests like DC-X, turning, flipping to tail down, etc. as cheaply as possible since there’s a good chance they lose a few.

Hadn't he said at some point they were going to to SSTO test with the spaceship, specifically the first test article(s)?

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26 minutes ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

Hadn't he said at some point they were going to to SSTO test with the spaceship, specifically the first test article(s)?

IIRC, he said that the tanker variant COULD theoretically SSTO, and he also said separately that they were planning to do EDL tests with the first test article, and people assumed he meant the two together. Suborbital hops are enough for EDL tests.

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Reposting the full video here, since the livestream link that I posted isn’t working anymore. In case someone didn’t see it. Interesting stuff is in the first 20ish minutes. Sound is still horrible though.

 

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50 minutes ago, sevenperforce said:

IIRC, he said that the tanker variant COULD theoretically SSTO, and he also said separately that they were planning to do EDL tests with the first test article, and people assumed he meant the two together. Suborbital hops are enough for EDL tests.

Theoretical as in has the dV, trust is another issue, upper stage use the four vacuum engines who has higher performance at 50 km and don't need an TWR > 1.
An SSTO version would need more atmospheric engines and probably two vacuum engines. It still need to land however, lots of first stages would be SSTO 

And yes the grasshopper version will use reduced fuel load because of this, they might replace the four vacuum engine mount with 4 atmospheric for serious reentry tests. First stage tests will be more fun :) 
 

Edited by magnemoe
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3 minutes ago, magnemoe said:

trust is another issue

Correct, trust is a huge issue. I don't want to go to space on a rocket I don't trust. I'll take an Atlas any day, but those Protons seem sketchy... Too Russian Macho for their own good. There's that new guy in town, Electron, not sure if I can trust him yet... Ugh, remember Delta III, he was as untrustworthy as anyone could get. Vega doesn't talk much, but she seems just as trustworthy as her sister, Ariane 5.

At least N-1's not here anymore, the trust level on that one was pretty far into the negatives.

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53 minutes ago, magnemoe said:

Theoretical as in has the dV, trust is another issue, upper stage use the four vacuum engines who has higher performance at 50 km and don't need an TWR > 1.
An SSTO version would need more atmospheric engines and probably two vacuum engines. It still need to land however, lots of first stages would be SSTO 

And yes the grasshopper version will use reduced fuel load because of this, they might replace the four vacuum engine mount with 4 atmospheric for serious reentry tests. First stage tests will be more fun :) 
 

The original six-engined BFS article had really anemic TWR at SL and would have required all four vacuum engines firing (Elon: "Not recommended, but it'll do in a pinch") to get a successful pad abort from booster RUD. They added a third SL engine to the plans, to improve pad abort, to add another engine-out landing capability, and to improve downmass. Upping SL thrust by 50% could make the difference between one-way SSTO and SSTO with landing residuals.

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Wow, really glad we actually got to see the core come splashing down. That looked so close! :o

13 hours ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

BFS grasshopper. So, does that make it a...

BFG-_-

They’ll need to come up with a better name for the test mule. Or, maybe not...

If the grasshoppers hop over grass, then BFS hops over...?

Seahopper? Skyhopper?

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2 hours ago, Josh IN SPACE said:

Wow, really glad we actually got to see the core come splashing down. That looked so close! :o

If the grasshoppers hop over grass, then BFS hops over...?

Seahopper? Skyhopper?

Spacehopper?

To be brought to you by the Boring Company, in a grand Musk crossover.

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3 hours ago, NSEP said:

po31tgl8n5l01.jpg

NASA needs Musk, and Musk still needs NASA. NASA is the ole dame who is loosing suitors, then a brash young knight shows up, and she is trying to charm him. Until BC is complete, musk still needs NASA to think that he is their man. And afterward . . . .hey guys looky here I can put half KT into space  . . . .how about that DSG and a refueling contract . . . .(that will happen if SLS cannot compete). SLS may show that they can get stuff into space once, but once the payers see the bill . . .it will be SX or BO, i can almost guarantee it. NASA is not a launch provider, despite the KSC, they are a research and science arm with both public science and DoD obligations. Musk is only interested in doing the science he absolutely has to do in order to accomplish his goals (Which in fact includes one hell of alot of science he might just want NASA's help on). I say that they get married and ULA gets kicked out of the bed. :cool: 

 

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18 hours ago, tater said:

A CNBC reporter wrote a story saying that musk said they’d do a test flight to mars in 2019. Because she’s an idiot, and lacks the basic understanding of space tech to be able to listen to SXSW and understand what he said.

Still not as dumb as that Congresswoman asking if Curiosity had any photos of the flags the astronauts planted.

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1 minute ago, _Augustus_ said:

Still not as dumb as that Congresswoman asking if Curiosity had any photos of the flags the astronauts planted.

What's next? Someone is going to ask if NASA's Mars Sample Return mission is going to bring back aliens from Europa?

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8 minutes ago, Ultimate Steve said:

I need a link to this

It's Sheila Jackson Lee. Not the sharpest knife in a drawer full of pretty dull knives (Congress).

On topic:

 

(I'll admit that in the small pic on the right, I assumed that the hair covers were clear, and they were all gingers with dorky haircuts)

Ooompa, loompa, doopity do, we've a climate observatory for you...

Edited by tater
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