SpaceX tests two Merlins at once

[thereiwas]

I had not seen this before, though it is dated the 18th.<br /><br />Link to <font color="yellow">Test firing of two Merlin 1C engines at the SpaceX test facility in McGregor Texas</font><br /><br />Several pictures and a video.

 

[richalex]

Thanks for the link. Maybe I'll take a trip down there, some time? <br /><br />BTW--and this is off-topic--Stephenville is just 20 or 30 miles away. There have been reports of a mysterious flying craft that moves through the air without making any noise. <br /><br />Houston Chronicle: Unidentified flying frenzy<br /><br />All the military bases confirm that none of their aircraft were in the area at the times of the sightings. I hadn't thought about the SpaceX rocket test facility.

 

[docm]

Can't wait to see that pup firing on all 9 cylinders <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[cazuke]

Thanks for the update! Good to see they're making progress on this. Some of those white 'containers' seem VERY close to the stand, don't you think?? With 9 firing it must get pretty hot out there.<br /><br />I wonder how all this activity impacts F1 progress. Why oh why do we have to wait so long for a launch?? They mention spring now... Didn't they promise us something earlier before? IIRC it was 1st quarter before. Spring is halftime between Q1 and Q2... Hmmm... A promise to us non-paying spectators is a promise to keep! ;-)

 

[thereiwas]

Hard to tell about the tanks with those telephoto lenses. There are cameras with two different views. Maybe it is just cooling water - you can see the spray coming from the crosspieces in the "stool". Wow that thing is big - the white tank on top is a full size F9 first stage.<br /><br />On the video there is still that cool screech at startup, which I assume is the turbopumps. It will get really loud when 9 go at once.

 

[cazuke]

Ah, I see now something else that I've been wondering about. I thought "How can you have such a 'broad' exhaust plume. But it seems like we have water 'dispensers' on every horisontal beam including the platform right below the rocket. So that is squirting water downwards in a circle and the exhaust is on the inside. It seems that that is reflecting off the water making the whole water system light up.<br /><br />If that is the case it would explain the broad plume.<br /><br />Just one thing then... Pretty strong wind to blow everything so far to the left then!?! Unless this is the version of the rocket that will turn left all the time ;-)