tater Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatastrophicFailure Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 Apparently this gem got lost in the shuffle: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCgothic Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 How does testing vertically instead of horizontally simplify engine design? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrandedonEarth Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 (edited) 35 minutes ago, RCgothic said: How does testing vertically instead of horizontally simplify engine design? Since the engine (and supporting hardware and feed lines) will be mounted vertically, it wouldn't have to handle the loads associated with a horizontal orientation? Also: Edited February 27, 2020 by StrandedonEarth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatastrophicFailure Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 Launching missiles in Cuba’s general direction still sounds risky to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrandedonEarth Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 (edited) 8 minutes ago, CatastrophicFailure said: Launching missiles in Cuba’s general direction still sounds risky to me. I can imagine all the hurdles to clear to set up an F9 (and fairing?) LZs in Cuba, except there's probably ones I haven't imagined... Edited February 27, 2020 by StrandedonEarth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 I assume this is to scale (else why make the graphic): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sh1pman Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 Why do they need bigger thrusters? Better control in bad weather conditions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wjolcz Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 46 minutes ago, tater said: I assume this is to scale (else why make the graphic): I thought this was for rockets lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zolotiyeruki Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 Maybe for rapid-er reuse? Get the booster back to base a few hours faster? They're gonna need some bigger engines to power those... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCgothic Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 I don't think these thrusters are used for self-propulsion. The ASDS barges are towed? Better station-keeping seems to fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnemoe Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 7 minutes ago, RCgothic said: I don't think these thrusters are used for self-propulsion. The ASDS barges are towed? Better station-keeping seems to fit. Agree and that is some beefed up trusters, imagine the main marked for them is oil platforms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meecrob Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 Could these new thrusters be a hint that the last booster failed to stick its landing due to the droneship battling currents stronger than its current thrusters could handle? (Or did I miss the update on why that booster failed?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 31 minutes ago, Meecrob said: Could these new thrusters be a hint that the last booster failed to stick its landing due to the droneship battling currents stronger than its current thrusters could handle? (Or did I miss the update on why that booster failed?) They've had the new thrusters for a while now. Makes me wonder if they are to be installed on JRTI (or are they already?), or if they are in fact for a larger ASDS (Starship?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinimumSky5 Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 41 minutes ago, tater said: They've had the new thrusters for a while now. Makes me wonder if they are to be installed on JRTI (or are they already?), or if they are in fact for a larger ASDS (Starship?). My money is on a bigger ASDS, if it's to stationkeep the smaller barges, at some point the limiting factor will be swivelling the thrusters to compensate for wave action, making them unsuitable for OCISLY or JRTI, but they may be worth it on a much bigger Starship barge the doesn't have to worry about wave action as much, due to its higher mass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 They are building large, steel tubes for the thrusters as well, apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrandedonEarth Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 On 2/27/2020 at 12:51 PM, RCgothic said: How does testing vertically instead of horizontally simplify engine design? It seems my earlier guess-answer was correct. From https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-raptor-engine-test-stand-upgrade/ Quote Speaking in October 2019, Musk stated that a new vertical test stand would “hopefully allow simplification of Raptor design, as pump shaft wear & drainage is better in vertical config.” More generally, testing Raptor engines vertically would also be “more representative of flight [conditions]”, allowing SpaceX to live up to its proven “test as you fly” philosophy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sh1pman Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 "Highest Level" Does that mean it'll be in expendable mode? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 1 minute ago, Geonovast said: "Highest Level" Does that mean it'll be in expendable mode? Good question. If it does, FH is even cheaper than anyone imagined at 117M$/launch. FWIW Elon said that recovering the side boosters only dropped the payload by ~10%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sh1pman Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 2 minutes ago, Geonovast said: "Highest Level" Does that mean it'll be in expendable mode? I don’t think it has anything to do with booster recovery, just that the rocket itself has to be very reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sh1pman Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 5 minutes ago, tater said: FWIW Elon said that recovering the side boosters only dropped the payload by ~10%. Payload to LEO. OTOH, payload to beyond Mars orbit will be affected more strongly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 (edited) 3 minutes ago, sh1pman said: Payload to LEO. OTOH, payload to beyond Mars orbit will be affected more strongly. Apparently still ~15t (core expended). Psyche is not very heavy, anyway, they might well be able to recover all 3. something like 5-8t with full recovery to Mars. (in that range someplace) Psyche is only ~2600 kg. Even with the rideshares this is well within FH with full recovery. Edited February 28, 2020 by tater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 Fingers crossed. Would really like to see one of those come back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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