Earlier quoted context omitted.
While that's true, the metal tube is not the part that's expensive to build.
You'd be surprised: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isogrid
SpaceX mostly uses friction stir welding to avoid the costs of isogrid
SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
191–200 of 216 posts
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#192Earlier quoted context omitted.
yeah, it feels the title this time should be rocket explodes AFTER landing, to give a better feeling of how close this was
It's not really a landing if the whole thing collapses and explodes right after touching the platform. https://www.instagram.com/p/BAqirNbwEc0/
If a pilot successfully takes an airplane out of the air and onto the ground such that all the weight of the airplane is on the wheels, and that weight transfer causes one of the tires to pop, and that causes the plane to skid, and then roll over, and then blow up, what kind of failure was that?
Was it the pilot failing to land the airplane properly?
Or was is the airplane failing to behave as expected after landing?
How exactly do you define the act of landing? Do you have to come to a full and complete stop? If that's true then few airplanes have ever "landed" until they've pulled up to the gate to disgorge their passengers.
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#193Earlier quoted context omitted.
Estimates I've heard say 15% loss of payload mass for a barge landing, 30% for land.
What do you mean by "loss of payload mass"? If the rocket lands on a barge it has to reduce it's payload by 15%? Any ideas why it's higher on land? Seems like it wouldn't differ that much.
Ascent trajectory is much different. Orbit is mostly about horizontal velocity, the altitude is just to get above the atmosphere and is the easy part. For the first stage to return to its launch site for landing, it has to cancel out all of the horizontal velocity it builds up while lifting the second stage and payload, then turn around and come back. A barge landing can use a more optimal ascent trajectory and have the first stage land several hundred kilometers away from the launch site.
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#194Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's not really a landing if the whole thing collapses and explodes right after touching the platform. https://www.instagram.com/p/BAqirNbwEc0/
If a pilot successfully takes an airplane out of the air and onto the ground such that all the weight of the airplane is on the wheels, and that weight transfer causes one of the tires to pop, and that causes the plane to skid, and then roll over, and then blow up, what kind of failure was that? Was it the pilot failing to land the airplane properly? Or was is the airplane failing to behave as expected after landing?…
Reminds me of an old saying in aviation: "A good landing is one you can walk away from. A great landing is one where you can use the plane again."
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#195Earlier quoted context omitted.
Estimates I've heard say 15% loss of payload mass for a barge landing, 30% for land.
What do you mean by "loss of payload mass"? If the rocket lands on a barge it has to reduce it's payload by 15%? Any ideas why it's higher on land? Seems like it wouldn't differ that much.
You have to accelerate the rocket back to the launchpad if you want to land on solid ground -- there's no convenient landmasses at the right distance. That takes fuel.
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#196Why is the barge landing part so important to them? Seems unnecessarily difficult. Big world out there...surely some suitable location can be found that is less wobbly for a start.
This has got to be a large part of why they were looking to launch from south Texas. that gives them a few hundred miles of gulf, and then they can land in FL.
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#197Earlier quoted context omitted.
What do you mean by "loss of payload mass"? If the rocket lands on a barge it has to reduce it's payload by 15%? Any ideas why it's higher on land? Seems like it wouldn't differ that much.
You have to accelerate the rocket back to the launchpad if you want to land on solid ground -- there's no convenient landmasses at the right distance. That takes fuel.
I assume the rocket is in geosynchronous orbit? Otherwise it would just be a timing issue (i.e. fire the rockets when you're over land).
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#198Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's not really a landing if the whole thing collapses and explodes right after touching the platform. https://www.instagram.com/p/BAqirNbwEc0/
If a pilot successfully takes an airplane out of the air and onto the ground such that all the weight of the airplane is on the wheels, and that weight transfer causes one of the tires to pop, and that causes the plane to skid, and then roll over, and then blow up, what kind of failure was that? Was it the pilot failing to land the airplane properly? Or was is the airplane failing to behave as expected after landing?…
I think it depends on whose perspective you are looking from.
If I assume I am SpaceX, I think I assume that my goal is to land my rockets such that they do not explode, so that I may reuse them. In this sense, I think I can say that the landing failed.
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#199Earlier quoted context omitted.
You have to accelerate the rocket back to the launchpad if you want to land on solid ground -- there's no convenient landmasses at the right distance. That takes fuel.
I assume the rocket is in geosynchronous orbit? Otherwise it would just be a timing issue (i.e. fire the rockets when you're over land).
The booster never reaches orbit as it is on a ballistic trajectory
Re: SpaceX Falcon rocket explodes on landing after delivering satellite to space
#200is there a reason they can't like come to a stop over the water and then land in it and just expand some floats?
1. Salt water is very corrosive, and would require extensive rebuild of the engines. 2. They want the tech to land on Mars before too long.
I figured salt would be the reason. Also the thermal stress of quenching it.
Forgot about the mars aspect.