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ULA launch and discussion thread


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13 minutes ago, SpaceFace545 said:

They could've stook with the AR-I but ULA had to be trendy and try methalox.

AR-1 literally only existed as of this January (first completed engine).

You really think ULA should have started building a rocket a few years ago with an engine not even available for testing until 2021?

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17 minutes ago, tater said:

AR-1 literally only existed as of this January (first completed engine).

You really think ULA should have started building a rocket a few years ago with an engine not even available for testing until 2021?

its a joke, :huh:

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Just now, SpaceFace545 said:

its a joke, :huh:

Sorry.

That said, I always found AJR's sluggishness with the AR-1 bizarre. They clearly make a mint on engines (their engines are substantially more expensive than they could be), and I would have assumed that an RP-1 first stage would have been the default had they stepped up and pushed AR-1 faster.

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9 minutes ago, tater said:

Sorry.

That said, I always found AJR's sluggishness with the AR-1 bizarre. They clearly make a mint on engines (their engines are substantially more expensive than they could be), and I would have assumed that an RP-1 first stage would have been the default had they stepped up and pushed AR-1 faster.

I feel like the AR1 may forcibly replace the BE4 because Blue Origin may become more stringent with their engines if new glenn ever gets off the ground.

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14 minutes ago, SpaceFace545 said:

I feel like the AR1 may forcibly replace the BE4 because Blue Origin may become more stringent with their engines if new glenn ever gets off the ground.

That would require a complete redesign of Vulcan, and at that point it's a brand new rocket. Or at least brand new first stage. Vulcan as is is nearing completion afair. And by the time they have a compatible rocket stage for AR-1, BE-4 should be more than ready anyway. If they have to wait on the engines, they will. Delta and Atlas isn't going anywhere.

Edited by Spaceception
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Just now, SpaceFace545 said:

I feel like the AR1 may forcibly replace the BE4 because Blue Origin may become more stringent with their engines if new glenn ever gets off the ground.

It won't. The tankage has been designed for Methalox, and I assume that ULA has a contract with BO for engines. They literally couldn't "be stringent".

Also, it's just another revenue source for them, why not supply them with engines?

Plus, NG and Vulcan are not in the same payload class.

That's like the Russians not selling ULA the RD180 because it might compete with Proton. 

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6 minutes ago, RealKerbal3x said:

Atlas is going to be around for a while longer, but Delta only has 3 launches left.

I didn't know that, thanks :)

But it looks like the last launch isn't until 2024, so Vulcan should be flying before it retires.

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1 minute ago, Spaceception said:

But it looks like the last launch isn't until 2024, so Vulcan should be flying before it retires.

Yeah. That might be deliberate, so they have some overlap in case Vulcan gets delayed further.

Edited by RealKerbal3x
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1 hour ago, Spaceman.Spiff said:

That’s the Atlas engine. 

No, i'm pretty sure tory said that about vulcan not too long ago...

Atlas is gonna need a replacement engine soon too. i'm pretty sure the RD180's aren't allowed to be used after a certain point.

Edited by CollectingSP
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23 hours ago, YNM said:

 

That was an Awesome! video - and I would be equally freaked out to be in a plane that close to a launch (ofc - I'm the guy who can't believe it when I see another plane cross at 1k above or below).

 

(Mind you that's flying commercial, where I expect / hope for safety.  Flying military I tend to sleep through all the stupid ahem stuff I see going on in the air around me - mil pilots are karazeee!)  ((( sleeping proves you are too cool to care about whether the plane / helo is going to explode in the next few minutes --- keeps the troops calm)))

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I just heard a story from a guy who was in the Army in the 50s. He was flying to White Sands with his platoon, some others, and a chaplain. During the (turbulent) descent, one of them, who hated flying, was saying, "Pray foh' me, fatha! Pray foh' me!" Poor fellow.

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