Must-read article about SpaceX

[wvbraun]

Hondas in Space<br /><br />Excellent article, read it!<br /><br /><br />I find this bit most interesting:<i>"There are rumors of another, even larger rocket in the works, referred to in-house as BFR, for Big F -- king Rocket."</i>

 

[Swampcat]

Thanks for the link. Very interesting article. I'm looking forward to a successful launch for Falcon I next month. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>

 

[mikejz]

Excellent Stuff. Exactly why I feel SpaceX is a great business. Its not the technology, its how you use it. <br /><br />I wonder if the 'BFR' has anything to do with the 'Saturn 6' Musk talked in 'The Space Show' interview a few years ago.<br /><br />I think Musk has changed his opinion on parallel staging however. At first he seem to envision the Falcon I upgraded in a Delta IV Heavy like configuration, however he changed over to the Falcon V design.

 

[spacester]

Dear Elon Musk,<br /><br />I make a point of not having heros. You are my hero. Not because I've changed my policy on the whole cult-of-personality thing, but simply because you are doing what I've been preaching. We've been calling it a BDB, but if you want to call it a BFR, that works for me. Personally, I think someone needs to build a 120 tonne to 500 km LEO system, but hey, you're prolly all over the payload size thing.<br /><br />BTW, I have a plan for settling the moon. It would buy multiple BFRs over several years. I know where the money is and I know how to get it. Well, I could be wrong, but wanna be the first to hear it?<br /><br />(Thanks for the link, wvb, you made my day!) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[grooble]

Sure

 

[arobie]

Thanks wvbraun. That was an excellent article. Loved it.<br /><br />Spacester,<br /><br />Will you let us in on your plan...someday?

 

[mikejz]

Let just hope it does not turn into this...<br /><br />http://www.bealaerospace.com/articles/DallasObserver/index.htm

 

[tap_sa]

I really liked the way SpaceX is doing their business, how they boldly take advantage of used, junkyard and not space rated stuff like the retrieval barge and guidance computer. I hope the Falcons will be a resounding success so that they can soon start to move on to more RLV-oriented business. <br /><br />But BFR is a bit risky name for their next vehicle. Carmack might sue, too similar to BFG <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

[nacnud]

I have long been following SpaceX and I really like their KISS (Keep it simple, stupid) approach, especially if (as planned) they can make their first stages reusable. Now that I have heard of their BFR (Big F***ing rocket) I’m gone take a guess at what they have planned.<br /><br />There are two SpaceX rockets in development, the Falcon I and the Falcon V, both are LOX (liquid oxygen) and RP-1 (kerosene) propelled, helium pressurised, two stage rockets. There are also two SpaceX rocket engines the pressure fed second stage Kestrel and the turbo-pump Merlin.<br /><br /><b>Kestrel specification</b><br />Vacuum Thrust:7,500 lb<br />Vacuum Isp:325s<br /><br /><b>Merlin specification</b><br />Sea Level Thrust:71,500 lb<br />Vacuum Thrust:85,000 lb<br />Sea Level Isp:261<br />Vacuum Isp:310<br /><br />The Falcon I uses one Kestrel engine and one Merlin engine to put a payload into orbit while the Falcon V uses five Merlins as a first stage and another as a second stage to reach orbit.<br /><br />Now SpaceX has a large amount of reasoning as to why this architecture was decided upon and I am not about to disagree. However if the Falcon I can be made so cost effective and the architecture has the minimum risks from engine, stage separation and, to a much lesser degree, avionics failures then why not offer a single engine version of the Falcon V? <br /><br />Carrying on with the nomenclature of SpaceX I’ll call this engine Peregrine. So what is required of the Peregrine engine?<br /><br />To allow for an engine out capability on the Falcon V the Merlin has to be throttled back to 80% thrust, therefore, a single engine capable of replacing all five Merlins would have to have specifications roughly as below, in keeping with the SpaceX nomenclature I’ll call this the peregrine:<br /><br /><b>Peregrine specification</b><br />Sea Level Thrust: 286,000 lb<br />Vacuum Thrust: 340000 lb<br />Sea Level Isp:261<br />Vacuum Isp:310<br /><br />These two versions of the Falcon V should be able to service two marke

 

[rogers_buck]

Thanks, good article. Unfortunately, I would have given them a higher chance of success prior to reading it. Sometimes ignorance is better for the soul. Hope they make it go... TRW's terrorist attacks in the courts could eaislly burn-off much needed capital. Perhaps we ordinary citizens ought to start filing suit against TRW in an endless mindless fashion to keep their lawyers busy?<br /><br />Or maybe threaten them with something much more lethal to their turdish empire...<br /><br />Let's see, what could we sue them for? How about all those canceled contracts they keep working on because they have been paid for. Maybe changing the law so that government contracts are made through on-the-spot corporations set up for each program. If the government cancels the program the funds to the corporation cease, and the corporation files chapter 11. The original contract would be nullified by the court. That would do the trick.<br />