Is Merlin a space Chevy small block?

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docm

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Interesting article on The Space Review making the case that the Merlin could be the Chevy small block of space: a simple, cheap, modify-able engine that if sold to other companies could form not only a new revenue stream but get other companies ideas off the ground.

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1682/1
 
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SteveCNC

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It sounds like a good idea to me , sell engines and feed bigger and better projects :D
 
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aaron38

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Having access to an existing engine with a known performance range and a strong flight history could lower the bar from nearly impossible to just really, really, hard. Rather than struggling through an engine development program, new vehicle designers, and the those footing the bill, could focus on the laundry list of other challenging issues such as airframe, reentry, landing, and the constant battle against weight growth.

Virgin Galactic president Will Whitehorn stated that his company wished to make the SpaceShipTwo technology “open source architecture like Linux,” and would welcome approaches from outside sources in developing new applications. A similar statement from Musk regarding the eventual availability of the Merlin engine might be the small development now which opens the more door to much more interesting possibilities in the future.

That was a good article. The concept of open sourcing the Merlin was interesting. Say Galactic wants to use a pair of Merlins on the SpaceShipThree? They want hardware off a running process controlled assembly line to start with, but they have some modifications in mind. If SpaceX likes what they did, they could incorporate the improvements into regular production, and cut Galactic in on any future sales.

And Musk has stated that he's open to launching manned spacecraft built by other companies. A start-up rocket firm could build a small lifting body spaceplane, that seats 4, that’s essentially designed to be the second stage of a Falcon9 Heavy. Plug the Merlins into the back and fire it off. SpaceX sells a first stage and upper stage engines.

Maybe a little spaceplane fleet making regular runs to a Bigelow hotel makes sense? If first stage recovery doesn’t work out, this would allow the Merlins to get inspected post-flight, making the engine even more fine tuned and reliable.

Yeah, maybe a large group of people all custom tuning one core engine design is the way to go?
 
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EarthlingX

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Any ideas how much would a single Merlin engine cost ?

Wiki : Open-source hardware
Open source hardware consists of physical artifacts of technology designed and offered in the same manner as free and open source software (FOSS). Open source hardware is part of the open source culture movement and applies a like concept to a variety of components. The term usually means that information about the hardware is easily discerned. Hardware design (i.e.schematics, bill of materials and PCB layout data) in addition to the software that drives the hardware are all released with the FOSS approach .
 
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exoscientist

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docm":2vvr62g0 said:
Interesting article on The Space Review making the case that the Merlin could be the Chevy small block of space: a simple, cheap, modify-able engine that if sold to other companies could form not only a new revenue stream but get other companies ideas off the ground.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1682/1

Thanks for that. The vacuum-optimized version of the Merlin has a 342 s vacuum Isp. With an altitude-compensating nozzle it may be able to maintain this high vacuum value while getting good performance at sea level. Then the Merlin could serve as an off-the shelf engine for an emerging reusable SSTO industry.

cf.:
Re: A Kerosene-Fueled X-33 as a Single Stage to Orbit Vehicle.
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=21008&start=60#p449921


Bob Clark
 
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PistolPete037

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This was the original business model for XCOR, i.e. build and sell rocket engines to other companies. In other words, they wanted to be to NewSpace what Continental and Lycoming are to general aviation. Unfortunately for them, it seemed that just about every NewSpace group (with the notable exception of Scaled Composites) wanted to develop their own rocket engines. Masten and Armadillo are specific examples of companies that could have benefited from not having to spend money developing their own engines. Ironically, Armadillo is now XCOR's competitor as both have sold engines to the Rocket Racing League.

Granted, that when NewSpace first started out back in the late '90s, there weren't many options for reusable high performance rocket engines. So it could be easily said that most NewSpace companies had no choice but to develop their own engines in-house. However, there really isn't much of an excuse anymore.

I've talked before about NewSpace v1.0 (Rotary Rocket, Pioneer Rocketplane, Kistler, Kelly Space & Technology, ect.) and NewSpace v2.0 (Scaled Composites, SpaceX, XCOR, Armadillo, Bigelow, ect.). I will say that we will know when NewSpace v3.0 begins when we see a more clear segregation in the industry between propulsion companies and airframe companies like we see in similar industries.
 
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