Page 13 of 155

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 3:36 pm
by hanelyp
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.

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 1:09 pm
by GIThruster

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:50 pm
by jcoady
Here is video of the Antares launch.

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/1539 ... est-launch

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:53 pm
by jcoady
So after the Antares launch, SpaceX launches their Grasshopper rocket to new heights.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-575 ... w-heights/

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:00 pm
by Maui
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

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:29 pm
by DeltaV
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.

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:58 pm
by KitemanSA
Awe-f'ing-some!

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:40 pm
by jcoady
Here is a video of the old DCXA doing what the Grasshopper does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzXcTFfV ... e=youtu.be

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 3:23 am
by Skipjack
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
Yeah, only that the Grasshopper is several times the size and will lead to an actual LV...
I loved the DC-X, dont get me wrong, was heartbroken when they cancelled it.

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 1:52 pm
by KitemanSA
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
Let us hope that the Grasshopper doesn't do what the DCXA did there at the end.

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:29 pm
by CaptainBeowulf
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

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:36 pm
by Netmaker
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.

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 11:47 pm
by Skipjack
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

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 10:52 pm
by jcoady

Re: SpaceX News

Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 4:36 am
by 93143
fuel-inefficient surplus Russian rocket engines
[*facepalm*]