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91

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

« Last post by Nemesis on June 25, 2023, 05:32:01 pm »

Looks like both Vulcan Centaur and Starliner are delayed until at least September.

Vulcan delayed due to a potential weakness in the upper stage fuel tank that needs to be checked out at the factory and possibly reinforced.  If it needs reinforcement the question becomes will it launch this year and does it affect the payload capacity?

92

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

« Last post by Nemesis on June 10, 2023, 01:13:19 am »

ULA has apparently had a successful 6 second static fire test of the BE-4 engines on Vulcan. 

Boeing is being sued over a tool used on SLS to prevent the leakage that was so much trouble blocking various launch attempts. Claim is that they helped a competitor to the tool maker steal proprietary information to clone it (badly?) to the damage of the inventors.

93

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

« Last post by Nemesis on June 06, 2023, 08:45:56 pm »

BE-4 engine causing Vulcan Centaur delays:

United Launch Alliance called off a test-firing of the company’s first flight-rated Vulcan Centaur rocket at Cape Canaveral Thursday to troubleshoot a problem with the booster’s engine ignition system.

Ground crews planned to ignite the Vulcan rocket’s two Blue Origin-built BE-4 engines on a launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Thursday evening, but ULA officials postponed the test-firing and roll the rocket back to its hangar for repairs.

“During the countdown, the team observed a delayed response from the booster engine ignition system that needs further review prior to proceeding with the flight readiness firing,” ULA said in a statement Thursday. “We will be rolling the rocket back to the Vertical Integration Facility to gain access to the booster ignition system.”

ULA rolled the rocket on its mobile launch platform back to the Vertical Integration Facility Friday. The company has not set a new target date for the six-second test-firing of the first stage’s two BE-4 engines, a prerequisite for the inaugural launch of the Vulcan Centaur rocket designed to replace ULA’s Atlas and Delta rocket families.

“The team will continue to review data and determine when Vulcan can roll back to the pad to conduct the flight readiness firing,” ULA said.

94

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

« Last post by Nemesis on June 06, 2023, 08:03:00 pm »

Subject to change of course but the 2nd launch is now being predicted as in August.

Booster 9 and Starship 25 seem to be the test models for the launch.

Musk has apparently said that the repairs will be complete in June, boosters tests in July and if things go as planned launch in August.  Naysayer of course are saying not till next year.

Apparently they have begun to receive liquid nitrogen and LOX at the launch tank farm.   So either this is just for testing the tanks or they are doing some really early preparation for July testing.  I'd say tank testing.

95

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

« Last post by Nemesis on June 03, 2023, 07:12:24 am »

Starliner delayed till September.  The safety margin if a parachute fails is considered "unacceptable".  Tape used to hold wiring in place has been found to be flammable which is not allowed.  Thermal control is inadequate.

SpaceX are building a new mega bay and they are removing the low bay at Boca Chica to make room to expand the "Star Factory".

Axiom 2 have been to the ISS and returned.  Axiom 3 will launch in November.

SpaceX has had at least 34 launches already this year so they are on course to blow away last years record number of launches.

96

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

« Last post by Nemesis on May 27, 2023, 09:20:45 am »

Subject to change of course but the 2nd launch is now being predicted as in August.

Booster 9 and Starship 25 seem to be the test models for the launch.

97

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

« Last post by Nemesis on May 23, 2023, 10:20:09 pm »

SpaceX is also attempting to get permits to allow the launch of Falcon 9 up to 20 times (the extra launches all Starlink for now).

There was also a burst test tank that observers think wasn't a normal test to failure (or unexpected failure) but a test of an updated flight termination system to ensure that a future Starship self destruct will be quicker even at high altitudes and velocities. 

Vulcan now forecast to launch in July.

Starliner is now July.

New Glenn December (but I have SERIOUS doubt of it flying this year). 

Dreamchaser in December.

98

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

« Last post by Nemesis on May 23, 2023, 09:43:37 pm »

The Axiom 2 mission is at the ISS now.  If you have forgotten Axiom is planning to use Falcon 9 to launch several ISS modules that will eventually be able to split off and become an independent station. 

So which will be the first commercial independent station?

Axiom space?  Falcon launched.

Vast with Haven 1? Falcon launched.
 
OR

Orbital Reef backed by a team with Blue Origin and requiring New Glenn?


Lots of progress at Boca Chica repairing and building new pad protections for Stage 0.  Plans are to use one of the sub orbital pads for static fires on SN25 and maybe SH9

99

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

« Last post by Nemesis on May 13, 2023, 08:05:59 am »

Raptor Version 3 announced.  350 bar chamber pressure.  269 tons of thrust (up 11.7% from 230%) so unless they decrease the number of Raptors overall thrust jumps to 8877 tons.  Raising the thrust to mass ration to 1.775.  So will they have this amazing ratio, reduce the # of Raptors OR make the ship taller?

A company called Vast has contracted to use Falcon 9 to launch Haven 1 a commercial Space Station.  They have plans to use rotation for simulated lunar gravity.  They also plan to use Starship to launch components to build a 100 meter long modular Station.

100

Announcements / Re: Happy 2023

« Last post by Panzergranate on May 11, 2023, 06:45:57 pm »

Nice to hear from you, Frey.

We're all growing older.

Some of us have gained afflictions.

Some of us have passed away.

However, there's still a quite a few of us remaining.