Posted on 04/05/2020 8:10:02 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Elon Musk’s prediction of multiple failures of SpaceX’s Starship program came true again on Thursday with a different kind of utter destruction. The SN3 prototype of the silo-like vehicle that is purported to be the future of interplanetary space travel this time appeared to implode before collapsing in a heap of twisted stainless steel. The massive cylinder was undergoing a critical pressure test of the fuel tanks using supercooled nitrogen. It appears a leak occurred and that caused the stubby structure to collapse before a major breach ended its role as a prototype.
“We will see what data review says in the morning, but this may have been a test configuration mistake,” Musk said in a tweet late early Friday.
(Excerpt) Read more at avweb.com ...
It’s confirmed that it was a test configuration mistake. There wasn’t enough pressure in the bottom tank to support the weight of a full upper tank.
Starship works like a metal balloon and needs to be pressurized to have full structural strength.
That’s too bad. The world could have used a win this week.
But this stuff does not go off without tests that fail. As they say, there are “wins” and there are “lessons.”
Why are we reinventing the wheel? Basic space rocketry was perfected in the 60s.
Surprising they can’t get the pressure balance correct in a highly controlled test environment. How will that design fare in a real-world operational environment?
“Why are we reinventing the wheel? Basic space rocketry was perfected in the 60s.”
While true, today’s rocket designers are shaving the design margins for structural components to maximumize payload.
Starship User’s Guide available online:
https://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf
Why were hydraulic brakes invented, the mechanical ones work?
Why use composite materials in anything, metal works just fine?
The only way to improve things is to experiment with change. Rocketry is no different, and to call those devices that carried men to the moon perfect is the height of ignorance. They were great for their time, but likely would not make it past the paper stage today. Unsafe and bulky as can be.
Why are we reinventing the wheel? Basic space rocketry was perfected in the 60s.
...
Actually, the stainless steel skin is 60’s technology, but the size and reusability has never been attempted before.
This rocket will be larger than the Saturn V, more powerful, and fully reusable. The engines are the best in the world and much more advanced than 60’s technology.
But is still expensive as hell.
We are not reinventing it, just making it affordable. Re-usable rockets was the stuff of science fiction until Musk actually did it.
Surprising they can’t get the pressure balance correct in a highly controlled test environment. How will that design fare in a real-world operational environment?
...
The mistake was simple, easily corrected and only applies to testing.
SpaceX is designing this rocket like it’s software. A lot of rapid iterations, with testing, and improvements. Each test article is cheap by rocket standards.
A lot of V-2s suffered the same failure in mid-flight because the engines pulled a vacuum on the tanks!
In the 60s we created a rock we could throw once.
Elon is trying to create a boomerang we can throw to Mars again and again, because that’s the best way to reduce costs and make it viable.
They aren’t putting experience people in charge. I have a family member who works there, these are rookie mistakes.
They aren’t putting experience people in charge. I have a family member who works there, these are rookie mistakes.
...
True. Starship at this early stage is using a minimum of SpaceX resources.
IIRC, Musk said a few months ago that it was 5%.
For cheaper, more flexible and reliable access to space, the basic, cost-no-object, one time use rocketry of the 1960s will not do. New materials and new designs have to be developed in order to accomplish greater objectives. We are moving from the Apolla era of brief space excursions to one of permanent Moon and Mars settlements and long duration space travel.
*ping*
Like the old Atlas missiles!
I have seen the documentaries of early attempts at rocket launches and time after time the rockets collapsed and exploded on the pad or spun out of control after liftoff and had to be destroyed immediately. Seems like it took forever to get it right, but they finally did.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.