SpaceX Super Heavy and Starship updates

By DocM
in Science News & Discussion

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Grand Master

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1 hour ago, flyingskippy said:

Scott Manley did a video on the hopper. It is pretty informative. Apparently someone did calculations and figured out it should only take one Raptor to get it off the ground. So, sit back grab a beer cause when this one lites it should be really uh.....hoppy.

 

 

Scott always does a great presentation...he has covered some of the topics we have been discussing on NSF...not much gets by that forum.

 

Myself, I'm going with the main purpose being Raptor profile data collection. This is required for Lars team to enable development and test of the initial landing control systems  for the  unit in LA. This won't take long with data at hand. This is also "shock and awe" similar to "hold my beer" for a few reasons that I won't mention.

 

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8 hours ago, DocM said:

It may look flimsy, but experienced  welders can close those seams &  secure the plates to the structural steel.  It'll be a rock.

Just my opinion...but if one looks close, the system is a lap joint and spot welds.

 

Spot welds are usually just as strong, and in many cases stronger than the actual material. Spot welding "quarter panels" has been done for decades on automobiles. Anyone who has had to drill out and pry the panel off will attest to the strength.

 

This is only a test article. Pretty is not important. I am sure that they will buff it up a bit, but leave as is...spot welded...nothing else is required as "full seams" is of little benefit.

The actual use of the stainless panels on the "real deal" can use techniques such as stiffening contours and radius bending...or even press forming...lots of options and the SpaceX team are a bunch of smart cookies.

 

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Reading a few articles and comments...found a few great ones on Space News. One of the comments went along the line of...Elon sends his car to Mars, has a rocket powered water tank being built by the village people...that ought to tick off a few "old space" people....and I'm loving it!  This sums up my thoughts as well.

 

This unit does not have to be pretty...joints will show and fins will have rough covering...this is for data collection on the Raptors.

 

Honestly...I am more amazed at the comments of "professionals" who don't quite "get the idea". This is where academics should just stay in the class room and let the "field engineers" do their magic. This has always been the case...but it has really exposed a rift and I find it the most entertaining aspect....field engineers for the win.

Edited by Draggendrop
my spelling...ooops
Grand Master

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@DocM

 

Just curious...are you posting items to the forum from a small device like a phone?

 

I have noticed that you are missing a lot of posts and are re-posting the same data...just did it again with Beittil and my own posts from the last few hours.

 

Seems like a large screen on a laptop or desktop would help.

Grand Master

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6 minutes ago, DocM said:

Just missed em, tablet

snip

You have been doing that a lot lately.

 

The reason that I bring this up is that many members take time from their daily lives to post and share data to these forums as a benefit to others.

 

I have made mistakes...hell, even duplicating an entire thread...but I own up to the mistake and state it. If I duplicate a post by accident, I expect you guys to point it out and I will apologize and remove it....simple.

 

You really need to take the time, read the forum and appreciate what others have posted. We all may not agree with each other..but that is why we can all have opinions and state them as such.

 

May be just me, but I take a continual repeat of this behaviour on any other forum as an insult and address it immediately.

 

Seriously...you need to read the forum before you post...otherwise, you may as well start a blog somewhere...

 

Grand Master

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44 minutes ago, Beittil said:

Hey now, cut the man some slack... We're all overly enthusiastic space nuts here 🎉

That's your opinion.

 

This has been going on for awhile and I don't appreciate having stuff that I have gone out of my way to post....doubled because someone can't take the time to read the friggen thread.

 

You guys carry on with the ###### then...I'm done here.

Grand Master

Jim K Global Moderator

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I think Tim Dodd explains this pretty well (though I'm not particularly a fan of the Kerbal Space Program demo between 10:00 - 18:05) ... for those that are still wondering what this hopper is (and SpaceX's history of hoppers)

 

 

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