SpaceX Super Heavy and Starship updates

By DocM
in Science News & Discussion

 Share

Recommended Posts

Community Regular

SteveL

Posted
Posted

It is like it had crushed under its own weight. I am not an engineer but if you have a tower built on 4mm thick steel and then add weight to the upper part you should be utterly sure that this structure can sustain it. And there were no nosecone on top of that. Something needs to be revised in this design. 

Grand Master

Skiver Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted
29 minutes ago, slear said:

It is like it had crushed under its own weight. I am not an engineer but if you have a tower built on 4mm thick steel and then add weight to the upper part you should be utterly sure that this structure can sustain it. And there were no nosecone on top of that. Something needs to be revised in this design. 

It's could be a pressure issue, perhaps the lower tank lost pressure rather than it just simply being structurally too week to support the weight from above. 

 

This is the point of the prototypes though, testing scenarios to make sure designs can stand up to all of the various scenarios. I'm sure all rockets have gone through similar stages of testing. I think this is a different issue to the previous failure so hopefully it's a case of fixing one issue and moving on to a new one.

  • SteveL, DocM and Emn1ty
  • Like 3
Rising Star

flyingskippy

Posted
Posted

This has been SpaceX's philosophy from the very beginning. Test. Fix. Repeat. I'm just glad they decided to use SS and not carbon fiber. Quicker to build, cheaper, and easier to work with.  They probably would be bankrupt if they lost this many CF tanks.

Grand Master

DocM

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
8 hours ago, FloatingFatMan said:

*cough* As I was saying... :p

 

It actually imploded, tank pressure was too low. They used  a new plumbing system and someone botched the software setup. 

 

The SN-03 engine section is being recycled for SN-04, which should start stacking this week or early next. 3 Raptor engines are on site.

Grand Master

DocM

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

SN-04 progress diagram via @fael097

 

White is cargo/habitat barrel sections (upper) and the engine/landing gear skirt (lower), and unattached fins, utility chases, aero fairings etc.

 

SN-05 parts are already being build for stacking almost as soon as SN-04 is out of the High Bay 😎

 

 

IMG_20200413_124333.thumb.jpg.7fd5647b5e1bebc7812ef67c4fe2826c.jpg

  • Blue-Vision
  • Like 1
Grand Master

DocM

Posted
  • Author
Posted

mini-Tweetstorm

 

Everyday Astronaut @Erdayastronaut
Replying to @elonmusk and 8 others
I just caught up with @RocketLab’s @Peter_J_Beck about helicopter retrieving and it’s very exciting. They’re making great progress! I hope I can catch up with you again someday about Starship manufacturing! 
https://youtu.be/cdtQfSkrVUU 
|
Elon Musk ✔ @elonmusk
I have great respect for anyone who gets a rocket to orbit! It’s very hard. I’m spending crazy hours on Starship design/production. It is truly an honor to work with such great engineers. SN4 is almost done 😀
|
Everyday Astronaut @Erdayastronaut
Replying to @elonmusk and 9 others
It’s insane how quick SN4 is coming together. It makes sense when you build a factory AROUND your rockets (not vice versa), cool to see mass manufacturing taking an early lead in development vs one off prototyping. I hope when it’s closer to done I can get a tour from you 😉
|
Elon Musk ✔ @elonmusk
Production is by *far* the hard part. That’s why I’m not super worried about early Starship failures. Initial serial numbers are suboptimal, so would be lawn ornaments if they survived. That said, as lawn ornaments go, they’re pretty sweet 
||
Replying to @nextspaceflight and 10 others
SN4 won’t get flaps, so can only do flights with engine on. Just did a reset this week on flap, actuator & static aero design. Either SN5 or SN6 will get flaps.

 

Thread link

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1250612062989905921

Grand Master

DocM

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

SN-04 now has two patches of hexagonal thermal protection tiles, upper tank and engine skirt,  the top patch about 1.5 meters wide (pixel counting).  Theyre testing the tile attachment studs during cryogenic fuel loading,  and vibration during Raptor engine tests.

 

The Roll Lift transporter has arrived, so it's almost time to go to the pad.

 

IMG_20200419_131329.thumb.jpg.a71b9a3706d33c64bce62f9aebca48d4.jpg

  • Blue-Vision
  • Like 1

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Posts

    • Telltale returns with The Wolf Among Us, re-revealing the sequel and a new remaster

      By LoneWolfSL · Posted

      Telltale returns with The Wolf Among Us, re-revealing the sequel and a new remaster by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Telltale Games, the studio known for its episodic games from the 2000s, had a surprise appearance at the Summer Game Fest showcase today. The studio has gone through a collapse, an acquisition, and a revival but has largely gone silent in recent years. Today's sudden announcement was for the popular The Wolf Among Us series, with news about the sequel and a remaster dropping. Set after the events of the 2013-released title, the sequel will bring back Biby Wolf for a new adventure in Fabletown. This town of fairy tale characters is becoming unstable, with Snow White not being able to keep order as before. "When a brutal series of crimes threatens to fracture the fragile balance holding Fabletown together, Bigby Wolf, sheriff of Fabletown, finds himself drawn into a dangerous conspiracy that reaches deep into the city’s criminal underworld," says the studio. "As suspicion spreads across the city and powerful forces work against him, Bigby must uncover the truth and decide what kind of sheriff - and what kind of wolf - he is willing to become." At the same time, Telltale also announced The Wolf Among Us Remastered, bringing back the classic with a fresh coat of paint. This will include all five episodes from the original game plus over an hour of extra content that will offer behind-the-scenes videos, cast interviews, image galleries, and deleted scenes. The remaster will also have updated visuals and improved UI elements and accessibility features, alongside upgrades to the animations, audio, and frame rates. Telltale has been working on this project for almost a decade now, but if the new release schedule holds, fans will be able to jump into The Wolf Among Us 2 sometime in 2027. As for The Wolf Among Us Remastered, this is slated to release during this holiday season.
    • Nearly 70% of Steam users now run Windows 11

      By Snake Doc · Posted

      I use a Linux laptop every day. I have tried to switch to Linux on my gaming PC which has a 5070 ti. It was not a great experience
    • Alien Isolation 2 will bring a new protagonist and setting, watch the reveal trailer here

      By LoneWolfSL · Posted

      Alien Isolation 2 will bring a new protagonist and setting, watch the reveal trailer here by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Only a few weeks ago, Sega and Creative Assembly dropped a teaser for a new Alien Isolation. Today at Summer Game Fest, Alien: Isolation 2 was officially announced with a new trailer while also confirming a whole lot of information about the setting of this survival horror project. Check out the reveal trailer above. Leaving behind the Sevastopol space station, the sequel will take players to a remote colony world. With a Xenomorph (or more) on the loose, players will be navigating both the surface of the weather-ravaged planet as well as "the claustrophobic confines of the Weyland-Yutani outpost of Kurosaki Station." Interestingly, Creative Assembly is leaving behind Amanda Ripley, the daughter of Alien's Ellen Ripley, as the protagonist too. While it hasn't confirmed a name yet, players will be taking the role of a new character for this new adventure. The setting is also being described as a new hunting ground for the Alien. This will have players improvising and developing new tools to aid in their survival and escape, all to avoid "cinema’s deadliest killer." "It has been over a decade since we created the original Alien: Isolation and I am so excited to show everyone the first glimpse of the sequel," says Al Hope, Creative Director at Creative Assembly. "Our dedicated Survival team at Creative Assembly has been working hard to create a new, evolved Isolation experience continuing the legacy of the Alien franchise, making the eponymous killer smarter, the environment harsher and the chance of survival slimmer." Promising the same deadly tension from the original from over a decade ago, Alien: Isolation 2 is in development for PC, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PlayStation 5. A release date has not been announced yet.
    • Apple reluctantly forces strict new age checks on Texas users starting today

      By timster · Posted

      With how far Tim Apple's head has been up Trump's ass, there's no way this was done reluctantly.
    • Ladybird Browser is no longer accepting outside contributions thanks to AI

      By fishnet37222 · Posted

      Like the article stated, it's written completely from scratch, unlike the umpteen Chromium clones. It got its start as the browser built-in to the also written-from-scratch SerenityOS.

  • Recent Achievements

    • Mentor
      grik went up a rank
      Mentor
    • Dedicated
      JKR earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • One Year In
      CHUNWEI earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Conversation Starter
      FBSPL earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • Week One Done
      I2D earned a badge
      Week One Done

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      484
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      270
    3. 3
      Skyfrog
      77
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      68
    5. 5
      +Edouard
      61
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!