Recent Posts

1

Engineering / Re: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

« Last post by Nemesis on Today at 03:16:38 pm »

One further observation I have.  The exhaust streams from all 3 starship hops are very tightly collimated even the SN8 with 3 engines.  I thought it unusual so watched videos of Falcons1 and 9, Electron (Rocket Labs), shuttle and Saturn 5 launches and those launches have a much more diffuse exhaust.  Could this be part of the increased efficiency of Raptors?  Wonder if it will apply to the vacuum engines

The recent (sub orbital) test by Blue Origin with 1 engine also had a more tightly collimated exhaust.  Not as tight as the 1 and 3 engine Raptor hops done by Starship but much more so than the others I looked at. 

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Engineering / Re: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

« Last post by Nemesis on Today at 03:12:16 pm »

The Falcon 9 unit flew for its 8th flight and 8th landing successfully.  Now on to #9 in a month or so.

The SN9 static fire should be today or tomorrow and flight restrictions are in place from now to Sunday for a launch.  Current info seems to be 10 KM.

Looking forward to them nailing the landing right on target and gentle as a zephyr. 

I wonder if Musk has read Heinliens The Man Who Sold the Moon and fears Harrimans fate?  Too bad Heilien isn't around to update it to Musk, the Man Who Sold Mars.

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Engineering / Re: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

« Last post by Nemesis on Today at 08:09:04 am »

The link below is to a sight that gives weather and road closure info for the Boca Chica Starship development and launch site.  If the weather is good (no rain or high winds) and there is a road closure something is happening that is a potential danger.  Static fire test, launch/hop or a tank test to destruction for example. 

Link

There are road closures for today and tomorrow so the static fire test which I don't think  has been done could happen either day.  Hypothetically if the Static fire test is today the hop could be tomorrow but I rather doubt it. 

Haven't seen anything about the Falcon 9 launching on its 8th flight yet.

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Engineering / Re: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

« Last post by Nemesis on Yesterday at 01:21:49 pm »

SpaceX bought two deepwater oil rigs last year and is converting them into floating launchpads, to support the enormous Starship rockets that the company is developing.

The rigs are in the Port of Brownsville, near SpaceX’s Starship development facility in Boca Chica, Texas.

The rigs have been renamed Deimos and Phobos, presumably in homage to the Martian moons.

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Engineering / Re: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

« Last post by Nemesis on Yesterday at 10:31:40 am »

A Falcon 9’s booster designation comes from SpaceX’s internal naming structure. “B1” means it is a first stage booster, “051” means it’s the 51st Falcon 9 booster to be built, and the “.8” means the booster is going to perform its eighth flight.

Wondered what the number meant.  The next launch is supposed to be B1051.8.

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Engineering / Re: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

« Last post by Nemesis on January 18, 2021, 03:05:25 pm »

SN9 has had the 2 engines swapped.  Apparently they are scheduling 1 static fire then possibly as soon as late this week a 12.5 km hop and hopefully a fully successful landing.

If it lands and we have the landing leg collapse and topple that I fear may happen it would still be a success as these are nowhere near the final landing leg designs and it would demonstrate the landing burns success which is what is needed.  But though I fear the topple I really want to see a full landing and then a 2nd higher flight with SN9 within a week.  This would demonstrate the possibility of the rapid turn around that is really needed for routine space flight. 

Still looks like SN12-SN14 won't be assembled so after SN9 to SN11 will be SN15 which has unspecified improvements to its design.  SN16 and SN17 parts have been seen as well.  There is also the SN7.2 test tank to be tested and burst.  When?   Don't know.  Soon I hope.

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Engineering / Re: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

« Last post by Nemesis on January 18, 2021, 07:58:16 am »

Looks like it is Tuesday for that launch due to bad weather at the recovery site.  With this launch half of all Falcon 9 launches have been with reused rockets.  That has to help the bottom line and give one heck of a competitive edge vs any one who doesn't get reuse i.e. everyone else.    Way to go SpaceX!

Virgin Orbital has used an air launch rocket to put some micro satellites in LEO.  This is not Spaceship 2 but a separate rocket.

The SLS has had a failed engine test.  Was supposed to be 8 minutes with 4 minutes for the required data but got less than 2 minutes before a shutdown. 

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Engineering / Re: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

« Last post by Nemesis on January 17, 2021, 03:57:20 pm »

A Falcon 9 is launching more Starlink satellites monday.  The 8th flight and 8th landing if successful.  Even better it flew last just over 1 month ago.  Turn around times are getting quicker.

9

General Starfleet Command Forum / Re: SFC Launcher (a dynaverse and gamespy's online services replacement)

« Last post by Klingon Fanatic on January 17, 2021, 06:47:07 am »

No big deal to recreate the demo scenario in SFC 1 / SFC 2 / SFC OP using FMSE.

For Orion Pirates? That I have to see!

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General Starfleet Command Forum / Re: SFC Launcher (a dynaverse and gamespy's online services replacement)

« Last post by Panzergranate on January 16, 2021, 02:36:05 pm »

I updated the demo models with the correct CLH, CA and D7, in my version.

No big deal to recreate the demo scenario in SFC 1 / SFC 2 / SFC OP using FMSE.