Space and Science BS Thread

A packed episode with info on:
Ship 30
Neutron Archimedes
Star liner launch abort
Spacex EVA suits
BO lunar landing thrusters
A Swedish sub orbital site going orbital
Lots of Chinese launches including the lunar sample return mission w/ride shares
More F9 launches
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=619wdVX_u2w

 

Space is hard. Given the recent string of difficulties experienced by lunar missions I found this documentary telling. It’s a long look at the NASA, JPL, and the Mars98 program. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kuYDkVRyMkg

 

https://x.com/spacex/status/1789399483198935209?s=46

 

Think they’ll do a static fire, WDR, or just a spin prime? Still need to file the mishap report before the FAA can issue the license and they install the FTS.

 

They’re still doing static fires on the F9, right? If so, I think it’ll be a practice they carry on.

I think the report and licensing will go quickly. They need to ramp up cadence!

But then again, I’m just a jamoke with an opinion

 

Most of us are. It’s just that they’ve already fired both ship and booster so I wonder how far they go with stage 0 each time they conduct repairs. I agree that the report is a straight forward proposition now and will become a formality and likely get revised to groups of launches once they can complete the cycle free of mishap. I still think ~ Memorial Day is likely but it’s looking as if it might be sooner, let’s hope so. Even then would still be faster than before. Stabilizing Stage 0 and the tiles so those don’t impede the process seem to be the hold ups now. They’re getting ahead on cryo and engine install but still losing tiles during testing. I’m curious how S30 did in that regard.

 

Holy wow! I never thought about ground testing of prop transfer! That would be cool to see out at Masseys!

If it does become the first test tanker to orbit, it will need insulation. I wonder if that is why they left the wings off? Leaving the weight of those off S26 might equal to the weight of insulation.

 

They also added all those stringers to a payload section with no bay door. I think any orbital tanker would just stay up there so it won’t need either wings or header tanks unless those are kept to better manage ulage for thrusters but as you say it would need insulation and also more power storage for an extended flight duration.

 

Thank goodness it wasn’t any worse. S31 electrical failure could have been catastrophic with full or even partial propellant load of both at some other time

 

Not a good sign..
https://x.com/sciguyspace/status/1790158935107768408?s=46

 

Don’t know if we’d be any less concerned but a bit more transparency on BE-3, BE-4, Vulcan & Centaur production would at least provide a clue. Step by step ferociously isn’t very quantitative. Maybe a report (if made public) is just what’s needed to see some more steps.

 

So if they attempt a catch of the booster by a virtual tower might they simultaneously attempt a catch by the tower of a virtual booster? Basically transpose the booster gps coordinates to the tower location using identical altitude data.

 

Damn, that's certainly an interesting concept!

 

@Hunterdc1 , back in the day,
https://x.com/theoldmanpar/status/1790099687929753645?s=46

 

It could have solar panels deploy out of covered panels to maintain power.

Also, I really liked your idea of doing the virtual catch with the tower. They've upgraded the swing arm hydraulics, it would be a shame to not real time test those.

 

If you're going to do that, might as well just do it off of recorded telemetry and not have real time.

 

Ultimately panels would also be able to help passively cool the tanker and are almost certainly the end game but I doubt they’d do more than just add power wall units which won’t even have to relight the engines, only keep the ship alive and power tiny(by comparison) thrusters and valves for fuel transfer for a few weeks. I think the receiving ship provides thrust becoming “down” to the fuel load with ulage pressure providing the means to move the fuel (receiving tank “lower” vents open and supply ship tank vents except supply line closed. When the HLS docks to collect the fuel it would supply thrust to reverse the process. I suppose an F9 could run up some solar panel rolls to be affixed or maybe they already have a notion to incorporate them into the skin and insulation since HLS will need something similar by then. They wouldn’t survive a launch just tacked on the outside. Maybe under very long shallow strakes that unroll radially instead of lengthwise the way the new ones for the ISS did. With no tiles or flaps both HLS and Bunker ships could have those arranged bilaterally to allow for venting, transfer and elevator or trilaterally with one furled during transfer. Hard to see that being ready very soon though.

 

They'd still want enough power to relight to deorbit though, and to run telemetry. So I'd imagine some sort of onboard solar.

 

Way more potent in real time though. Especially if imagery of the actual booster and tower includes projections of the virtual pair. If it can’t already be done it could be a powerful tool for future simulations since such maneuvers will continue for every possible ship and docking sequence imaginable.

 

I’d like to see what they can come up with. I’m only suggesting that it might be the case that several extra power walls might bridge the gap during the test phase until they have something ready. When finished with that phase the final test supply tanker could deorbit the both of them or transfer enough power to do it separately if the battery power is insufficient and power transfer is something they can also test ground side. There’s probably more and more such hardware in development now that they’re expanding into the new factory but I suspect much of it is still computer renders residing in Hawthorn. By the time they actually send up a test bunker it might be ready but they haven’t been shy about making do to keep things moving.