News SPACEX Falcon Heavy Teaser

[Urwumpe]

what stands for Engine Out Capability?

You can loose an engine and the launch could still go on, without abort.

 

[RisingFury]

Actually, it flown two successful flights. The first one carried a inert dummy boilerplate Dragon, while the second flight carried a fully functional Dragon.

Ouch... someone call the doctor to get the foot out of my mouth

I actually watched both flights.


Can't wait for the FH launch! Also, the price is advertized as 80 - 125 million per launch. If the 53 tons to LEO holds, it'll be quite cheap.

This is a real kick in the butt for arguing politicians.

 

[N_Molson]

The Falcon XX looks fun

 

[Capt_hensley]

I could put 3-6 Gateway station modules under the fairing and still not meet the weight restriction of the FXX, I hope they really go through with it.

---------- Post added at 04:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:17 PM ----------

You can loose an engine and the launch could still go on, without abort.

According to the news release you could loose more than one engine, in flight, and still press to MECO, and achieve your intended orbit. How cool is that?

 

[jangofett287]

Has anyone got enough money so we can send a small model up into orbit? that would be so cool, and great advertising for orbiter!

 

[Urwumpe]

According to the news release you could loose more than one engine, in flight, and still press to MECO, and achieve your intended orbit. How cool is that?

A feature that exists on many rockets? The Shuttle has it with limitations, Proton has it...

Also it is a pretty theoretical value. The engines on the Falcon 9 are so densely packed, if one would explode it would take the others with it.

 

[C3PO]

IMHO crossfeed is very interesting. I hope they can get that working.

 

[n122vu]

I wonder what it would look like if the 27 Merlin engines that would comprise the first stage all exploded on liftoff? I of course would feel bad for SpaceX and those involved, but man, that would be an awesome spectacle.

Wait, did I just let my sadistic side show through? *sigh* I'm not supposed to do that anymore...

 

[Sky Captain]

Also it is a pretty theoretical value. The engines on the Falcon 9 are so densely packed, if one would explode it would take the others with it.

Somewhere on SpaceX site was said each engine has some sort of containment shell that is supposed to contain engine explosion and direct the blast and srapnel rearward away from other engines and structure. Although it was not said if this ability actually has been tested.

 

[Urwumpe]

Somewhere on SpaceX site was said each engine has some sort of containment shell that is supposed to contain engine explosion and direct the blast and srapnel rearward away from other engines and structure. Although it was not said if this ability actually has been tested.

Even if it would be tested - such a shield is always an optimization between protection and mass. Some events could be contained that way, others not. But the perfect protection does not exist.

 

[Hlynkacg]

Somewhere on SpaceX site was said each engine has some sort of containment shell that is supposed to contain engine explosion and direct the blast and srapnel rearward away from other engines and structure. Although it was not said if this ability actually has been tested.

For additional thrust no less :thumbup:

 

[GoForPDI]

Perhaps SpaceX is gaining the funds for the first test flight through this?
http://www.racesimcentral.com/news/2011/04/tesla-sues-top-gea-over-depiction-of-its-roadster/

 

[Roundaboutdan]

My first Orbiter Forum post

I presume there are plans to switch over to using the Merlin 1D (140,000 lbf s/l) on the standard Falcon 1 and 9? What kind of performance boost (through lower gravity losses etc.) would this give to the 'heritage' Falcons?

 

[Capt_hensley]

My first Orbiter Forum post

I presume there are plans to switch over to using the Merlin 1D (140,000 lbf s/l) on the standard Falcon 1 and 9? What kind of performance boost (through lower gravity losses etc.) would this give to the 'heritage' Falcons?

http://images.spaceref.com/news/2010/SpaceX_Propulsion.pdf
Here is everything you wanted to know about Space X propulsion but weren't afraid to ask.

The Merlin 1D is the standard engine right now, Merlin 2 would radically change Space X Rockets...

Falcon Heavy now has a web page of it's own.

http://www.spacex.com/falcon_heavy.php

Enjoy!

 

[Roundaboutdan]

http://images.spaceref.com/news/2010/SpaceX_Propulsion.pdf
Here is everything you wanted to know about Space X propulsion but weren't afraid to ask.

The Merlin 1D is the standard engine right now, Merlin 2 would radically change Space X Rockets...

Falcon Heavy now has a web page of it's own.

http://www.spacex.com/falcon_heavy.php

Enjoy!

Cheers! The propulsion .pdf is really informative. My understanding was that the heritage Falcons' performances were assumed using the Merlin 1C spec engine, and the 1D engine has a higher s/l thrust rating (140k lbf cs. 125k lbf) as well as the manufacturing optimisation. If the 1D is the new 'default' engine across the fleet's first stages, then Falcon 1 and 9 just became even more competetive?

 

[Capt_hensley]

^ Yes that's correct as I read it from the web site, the 1D was intended to improve performance, yet perpetuate the design advancement into the Merlin 2 and Merlin Vacuum engines.

 

[Notebook]

BBC has done a piece about SpaceX.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13335687

Don't know why they aren't doing UK companies like Reaction Engines or Bristol Spaceplanes. Guess the expenses are better in L.A...

N.