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SpaceX CRS-4 has LAUNCHED! Docking with ISS on Tuesday (23rd)

Sun

By Sun
in Science & Spaceflight

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PakledHostage

PakledHostage

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Thanks guys! Looking at some of the articles and related links, I've come to understand that the enclosure is made up of three modules. The two habitat modules provide access to food and water, and include bars for the mice to crawl along. I guess they are adaptable enough that they can choose to float from A-B or follow the bars. The habitat and access modules are bigger than I thought though. The habitats include cameras. It would be fun to see some of that footage.

The only thing I haven't found is anything about how they are restrained during launch, but maybe they don't have to be? What are we talking? 4-5 g's? Maybe we just make them suck it up.

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Ralathon

Ralathon

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The only thing I haven't found is anything about how they are restrained during launch, but maybe they don't have to be? What are we talking? 4-5 g's? Maybe we just make them suck it up.

I think they just have to suck it up.

Remember that the main reason humans black out under G forces is our size. Pumping blood over 1.8 meters while under 4G requires a much higher blood pressure than pumping blood over only 5 centimeters. I wouldn't be surprised if mice and other small animals could withstand much higher G forces than humans.

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sgt_flyer

sgt_flyer

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The Falcon 9 1.1 does not have a TWR that high at main engine cutoff (less than 4Gs) -

(at least - when we input the values we can find - first stage has roughly 385 tons of propellants, the full rocket weighing 505 tons. (So the rocket would weight 120 tons near MECO, with the 9 merlin engines outputting 5885kN of thrust, which gives us a TWR of 3.5 - when the first stage is empty - which he isn't when they try to do propulsive returns, so we don't even reach that value.

The real problem for the mices would be the vibrations more than the Gs i think. For that, they might use dampeners (or a system similar to what they use to protect the experiments they send up)

Edited by sgt_flyer
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Camacha

Camacha

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The only thing I haven't found is anything about how they are restrained during launch, but maybe they don't have to be? What are we talking? 4-5 g's? Maybe we just make them suck it up.

Mice are fairly resilient and flexible creatures, they can endure quite a bit of throwing around* before it hurts them. Their bodies flatten under high g's, that helps them taking the load.

*Obviously, you are not advised to do this yourself.

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PakledHostage

PakledHostage

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*Obviously, you are not advised to do this yourself.

[Grabs mouse and holds it protectively beside head] Oh no you don't! [Turns to mouse] Poor little critter!

I guess I just have a bit of empathy for them. I know I am anthropomorphizing, but it must be alternately frightening and one heck of a "wheee!" experience for them. They are pretty smart little creatures but they couldn't have had any idea what was coming when they were loaded aboard yesterday.

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DaveofDefeat

DaveofDefeat

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[Grabs mouse and holds it protectively beside head] Oh no you don't! [Turns to mouse] Poor little critter!

I guess I just have a bit of empathy for them. I know I am anthropomorphizing, but it must be alternately frightening and one heck of a "wheee!" experience for them. They are pretty smart little creatures but they couldn't have had any idea what was coming when they were loaded aboard yesterday.

Look on the bright side! The mice get to be dissected after the experiment is done.

O wait, that's rather dark.

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maccollo

maccollo

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The Falcon 9 1.1 does not have a TWR that high at main engine cutoff (less than 4Gs) -

(at least - when we input the values we can find - first stage has roughly 385 tons of propellants, the full rocket weighing 505 tons. (So the rocket would weight 120 tons near MECO, with the 9 merlin engines outputting 5885kN of thrust, which gives us a TWR of 3.5 - when the first stage is empty - which he isn't when they try to do propulsive returns, so we don't even reach that value.

The real problem for the mices would be the vibrations more than the Gs i think. For that, they might use dampeners (or a system similar to what they use to protect the experiments they send up)

That's not right. 5885kN/(120 tonnes*9.81) is about 5 G. However the vacuum thrust of the falcon 9 is 6672 kN, so that gives us 5,6 G.

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Aningaaq

Aningaaq

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Calling the mice moustronauts was in bad taste. Test subjects is a better euphemism I would say. Calling them a cute name (after a children's book) after they were bred in a cage, sent up in a box and will now be subject to rigorous testing shouldn't be covered. Call them what they are... test subjects. No one really cares though considering the millions of little animals subject to testing such as this.

Kudos to the public relations team :rolleyes:

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sgt_flyer

sgt_flyer

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That's not right. 5885kN/(120 tonnes*9.81) is about 5 G. However the vacuum thrust of the falcon 9 is 6672 kN, so that gives us 5,6 G.

Oups - sorry my mistake :) must have pressed M+ With a value already in it. (That 'll teach me to answer posts this late in my nights :P)

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