Talk-Polywell.org

There was no explosive termination device. Instead, the flight termination sequence is thrust termination combined with some valves that are opened. That caused the destructive sequence you saw.

With the recent announcement the Space Launch System (SLS) has become challenged by her schedule, the NASA rocket may soon find herself in a battle with a commercial “alternative”. SpaceX’s super powerful Exploration Class rocket is targeting crewed missions to Mars up to 10 years ahead of SLS – although both vehicles continue to avoid being classed as competitors.

SpaceX is expected to build a family of Super Heavy Lift Launch Vehicles (SHLVs) driven by nine Raptor “full flow methane-liquid oxygen” rocket engines.

While the plans are still being refined, to the point that only sketchy details have been provided, the Raptor engine is already preparing to test components at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.

“Raptor is a very large LOX/methane engine which we are working on as a follow-on to Falcon Heavy, a Super Heavy if you will, but I don’t think we’re calling it that,” noted Dragon V2 Program Lead Dr. Garrett Reisman to the Future In-Space Operations (FISO) Working Group this week.

“It’s currently undergoing component testing at Stennis. Starting injector testing and other component testing. We’re deep into the design process and component testing.”

Sources note that component design has progressed to the 3D printing stage, ahead of a test regime at the E-2 test stand at Stennis, which has been upgraded to allow for the use of methane.

The SpaceX Super Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (SHLV) – which does not yet have an official name, but is widely known in the space community as the BFR (Big ‘Frakking’ Rocket) – would be very big and very powerful indeed.
In a rare insight into the vehicle, SpaceX Vice President (VP) of Propulsion Development Tom Mueller – speaking at the “Exploring the Next Frontier: The Commercialization of Space is Lifting Off” event earlier this year in Santa Barbara, California – revealed the Raptor engine had already mutated to a 1Mlbf (4,500kN) gas-gas (full flow) liquid methane and oxygen engine.

Mr. Mueller then later updated his numbers at a follow-on conference to portray 6,900 kN of sea-level thrust, and 8,200 kN of vacuum

SpaceX’s monster rocket will utilize nine Raptor engines on a 10 meter diameter core, with the potential to advance the vehicle to a triple core. Other options are understood to include 12.5m and 15m cores, although those focus on the single core HLV.

The eventual goal would be to allow for a rocket capable of lofting the MCT spacecraft, transporting 100 colonists at a time to Mars. The launch system would also be fully reusable.

Such a colonization effort would be be deep into the future. However, the initial launch of the first Raptor-driven BFR could occur before the end of the decade.

While that is a highly ambitious time scale, it would result in the BFR debuting close to the time NASA’s SLS will be conducting test flights.

hanelyp wrote:In the absence of law, property "belongs" to whoever can hold on to it. If the US claimed the moon as territory, what measures would it be willing and able to expend to uphold the claim, and what measures would other countries make to protest it? A competing nation landing a probe or planting an outpost would raise a lot less outrage than live fire to contest the action.

GIThruster wrote:I'm not following how the contract seems fair. I thought Boeing hadn't even man rated their rocket yet. IIUC, they still don't have a gantry for the Delta. Why did they get such a large piece of the pie?

birchoff wrote:What I am hearing is spacex bid was much lower than the total size of the contract.