totm nov 2023 SpaceX Discussion Thread

[sevenperforce]

23 minutes ago, sh1pman said:

Apparently, S2 is also block 5. Does anyone know how it's different from previous S2? Giant party balloon?

We know it has redesigned COPVs, and more of them. Thrust is probably uprated on the MVac. I wouldn't be surprised if configurations were adjusted to allow a little space for throwing TPS or a ballute on there.

[Wjolcz]

What's COPV again?

BTW would it be possible to have the most common acronyms in the OP? @Skylon

[NSEP]

12 minutes ago, Wjolcz said:

What's COPV again?

BTW would it be possible to have the most common acronyms in the OP? @Skylon

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel

or

Completely Overpriced Planet Vandalizer

Edited May 10, 2018 by NSEP

[tater]

 

[Ultimate Steve]

23 minutes ago, Wjolcz said:

What's COPV again?

 

13 minutes ago, NSEP said:

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel

...Which is a metal bottle wrapped with several layers of carbon fiber or another composite, which is then filled with a pressurized gas. In SpaceX's case, this is helium, which is released into the fuel tanks as fuel is burned to take up the space to prevent the rocket from collapsing in on itself due to external pressure, like this:

 

EDIT: The Falcon doesn't have balloon tanks, though, the above example does, which means the pressurization is giving the rocket its strength. This would not happen to Falcon on the pad, but it might in flight.

Edited May 10, 2018 by Ultimate Steve

[tater]

[Spaceception]

Now that looks sleek.

[zolotiyeruki]

At first I was confused about the vestigial arms growing out the top and bottom, but then realized those belong to the strongback behind it....

[sevenperforce]

1 hour ago, tater said:

So...mature.

2 hours ago, Ultimate Steve said:

2 hours ago, NSEP said:

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel

...Which is a metal bottle wrapped with several layers of carbon fiber or another composite, which is then filled with a pressurized gas. In SpaceX's case, this is helium, which is released into the fuel tanks as fuel is burned to take up the space to prevent the rocket from collapsing in on itself due to external pressure.

The Falcon doesn't have balloon tanks, though, the above example does, which means the pressurization is giving the rocket its strength. This would not happen to Falcon on the pad, but it might in flight.

Also, if you don't have head pressure in the tanks, the inlet pressure at the turbopump can get really, really low. Though this is not so much of a problem on ascent because you have gravity and acceleration helping out. 

[Jaff]

2 hours ago, tater said:

Needs black fairings and that black pinstripe going all the way down (stage 2 & 1) and that would look proper 

[tater]

They air condition inside the fairing before launch, but I’d have to think it would be very difficult if it was black.

 

[sh1pman]

Are they planning to modify the TEL for manned Dragon 2 launches?

[tater]

1 minute ago, sh1pman said:

Are they planning to modify the TEL for manned Dragon 2 launches?

I doubt it. Presumably a crew swing arm addresses the hatch from the available side of the TEL.

[sevenperforce]

My own newly-updated Block 5 Falcon (WITH BONUS TEL) is also ready on the pad:

 

[sh1pman]

1 minute ago, sevenperforce said:

My own newly-updated Block 5 Falcon (WITH BONUS TEL) is also ready on the pad:

 

Ever thought of doing these missions in RSS/RO? They'll be ten times more exciting! 

[sevenperforce]

8 minutes ago, sh1pman said:

Ever thought of doing these missions in RSS/RO? They'll be ten times more exciting! 

Half of the fun, for me, is trying to match real-world rockets with stock parts (+/- Tweakscale) and subassemblies. Finding out what works, what doesn't, etc. is more fun than just dropping in prefab stages. 

Plus, this way I have more margin to play with. And I don't have RSS/RO on my game.

[CatastrophicFailure]

Woohoo!

 

Now I can watch the whole thing right & proper. 

 

1 hour ago, tater said:

I doubt it. Presumably a crew swing arm addresses the hatch from the available side of the TEL.

They’d better get cracking then, if they want to make August. Or even December. ULA already has theirs up. 

[Ultimate Steve]

6 minutes ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

Now I can watch the whole thing right & proper. 

YES! Me too!

[tater]

 

[CatastrophicFailure]

I think Elon’s giving a talk somewhere, Twitter very busy. Some interesting bits:

Fairing 2.0 on this flight, won’t be recovered. 

They're moving ahead stage 2 recovery plans, the next few launches will be gathering data on what the upper stage experiences during entry, so no party balloons just yet. Confident that full reuse achievable.

Propellant cost $300-400k per launch. 

Titanium grid fins now standard, can take 2000°F, no service needed.

Speaking of service, next year they plan two orbital launches of the same vehicle within 24 hours.

Landing gear now easily retracted, old latch mechanism took hours. Black color is due to new TPS that doesn’t require paint.

Around 300 more Falcon 9 flights before retirement.

New Octaweb much stronger, each engine contained and can eat an engine failure and keep going.

Block 5 Merlins about 8% more powerful, this upper stage has Block 5 engine but will be flown as block 4.

 

Late this year should see first 3rd and 4th flights of individual boosters. 

 

Block 5 now meets all NASA and USAF standards. 

And finally:

[Jaff]

4 minutes ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

I think Elon’s giving a talk somewhere, Twitter very busy. Some interesting bits:

Fairing 2.0 on this flight, won’t be recovered. 

They're moving ahead stage 2 recovery plans, the next few launches will be gathering data on what the upper stage experiences during entry, so no party balloons just yet. Confident that full reuse achievable.

Propellant cost $300-400k per launch. 

Titanium grid fins now standard, can take 2000°F, no service needed.

Speaking of service, next year they plan two orbital launches of the same vehicle within 24 hours.

Landing gear now easily retracted, old latch mechanism took hours. Black color is due to new TPS that doesn’t require paint.

Around 300 more Falcon 9 flights before retirement.

New Octaweb much stronger, each engine contained and can eat an engine failure and keep going.

Block 5 Merlins about 8% more powerful, this upper stage has Block 5 engine but will be flown as block 4.

 

What does the last one mean? 

 

[CatastrophicFailure]

2 minutes ago, Jaff said:

What does the last one mean? 

 

I’m guessing they’re not running at that much thrust for this flight, but they could. 

And Boca will be the new home of BFR. 

 

[Jaff]

6 minutes ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

I’m guessing they’re not running at that much thrust for this flight, but they could. 

And Boca will be the new home of BFR. 

 

Makes sense I suppose - it gathers data.

 

also are my maths wrong... 

 

300 predicted falcon flights before retirement, each block 5 booster can do 100 flights with periodic maintenance. Does that mean they’re only building 4 or 5 block 5 boosters? Or as little as 3 being as they could in theory do them all...? 

[sevenperforce]

14 minutes ago, Jaff said:

What does the last one mean? 

They have modified Merlins so the Block 5 update can sustain 8% increase in thrust over Block 4, but they will run this Block 5 MVac at Block 4 thrust levels because they don't need the extra performance on today's mission.

[wumpus]

19 minutes ago, Jaff said:

Makes sense I suppose - it gathers data.

also are my maths wrong...

300 predicted falcon flights before retirement, each block 5 booster can do 100 flights with periodic maintenance. Does that mean they’re only building 4 or 5 block 5 boosters? Or as little as 3 being as they could in theory do them all...? 

Of course, the replacement rockets are being built on Elon time.  Better build a few more as 100 flights seems pretty high (may have been simply increased to match Bezos spectacular claim.  He's probably confident that his rockets are more reliable).