SpaceX News
Re: SpaceX News
When you're operating on a Cost Plus basis, the expense of all those layers of subcontractors and intensive testing is just a cost for the customer to cover.
The daylight is uncomfortably bright for eyes so long in the dark.
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Re: SpaceX News
"Courage is not just a virtue, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." C. S. Lewis
Re: SpaceX News
So after the Antares launch, SpaceX launches their Grasshopper rocket to new heights.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-575 ... w-heights/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-575 ... w-heights/
Re: SpaceX News
Seems like the legs are smoldering pretty good there. I'll assume they've designed it so they don't eventually outright melt?
Re: SpaceX News
Mmmm... BBQed grasshopper leg.
Looks like the fuel pump turbine's exhaust velocity is low enough to be seriously shifted by the prevailing wind. Possible problem in hover, not a problem for ascent to orbit.
Looks like the fuel pump turbine's exhaust velocity is low enough to be seriously shifted by the prevailing wind. Possible problem in hover, not a problem for ascent to orbit.
Re: SpaceX News
Awe-f'ing-some!
Re: SpaceX News
Here is a video of the old DCXA doing what the Grasshopper does.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzXcTFfV ... e=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzXcTFfV ... e=youtu.be
Re: SpaceX News
Yeah, only that the Grasshopper is several times the size and will lead to an actual LV...jcoady wrote:Here is a video of the old DCXA doing what the Grasshopper does.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzXcTFfV ... e=youtu.be
I loved the DC-X, dont get me wrong, was heartbroken when they cancelled it.
Re: SpaceX News
Let us hope that the Grasshopper doesn't do what the DCXA did there at the end.jcoady wrote:Here is a video of the old DCXA doing what the Grasshopper does.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzXcTFfV ... e=youtu.be
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Re: SpaceX News
Honestly, if you're going to do a long-term R&D program leading to an operational vehicle in the end, you've got to account for losing a couple of prototypes to unexpected issues/accidents at the outset. If SpaceX isn't prepared to continue the program even if a Grasshopper topples over and explodes, then they'll probably fail as much as NASA did with the DCXA.
Re: SpaceX News
SpaceX has already shown their willingness to persevere in the face of adversity. The first three flights of the Falcon 1 were failures. The 4th and 5th flights were successes and paved the way for the Falcon 9.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_1
Look under Launch History.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_1
Look under Launch History.
Re: SpaceX News
Yeah, Elon Musk even said on several occasions that they expect to leave a few smoking craters in the Texas soil. So far they have done a really great job at avoiding that. Grasshopper 1 will soon retire though (to be replaced with GH2, which will be closer to the final first stage). I would not be surprised if they did a last, final flight that will take it beyond its limits. You can learn something from going beyond the limits of your test craft.
Re: SpaceX News
[*facepalm*]fuel-inefficient surplus Russian rocket engines