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#1 2018-02-27 16:41:12
- Oldfart1939
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- Registered: 2016-11-26
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Falcon 9 Block 5 in testing at McGregor, TX?
There was a Reddit post yesterday of a putative Falcon 9 Block 5 vehicle erected on the pad for testing; a short time later a photo with enormous clouds of steam and smoke. Maybe GW can confirm this? This is another major step forward by SpaceX, should this be the case.
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#2 2018-02-27 20:34:52
- GW Johnson
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- From: McGregor, Texas USA
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Re: Falcon 9 Block 5 in testing at McGregor, TX?
They fired something yesterday that rattled windows pretty good and sent up clouds of mostly steam. Can't say what it was, other than a Falcon first stage-sized item. When they use the older tower stand, there's less steam, more noise, and we can see the fire, especially at night. When they use the newer big stand, on the ground with the flame tunnel pit, there's less noise, a lot more steam, and the fire is below line-of-site. We can see only a bright glare at night.
Originally, the newer stand was supposed to take all-up 3-core Falcon-Heavy first stages, but it is my understanding they don't do that for purposes of noise abatement. They fire the cores individually, then ship them to launch site. They static fire before launch, but I doubt that is at full thrust, and it's short burn. The tests here are full-duration, or even over-tests.
GW
GW Johnson
McGregor, Texas
"There is nothing as expensive as a dead crew, especially one dead from a bad management decision"
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#3 2018-02-27 20:41:13
- SpaceNut
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Re: Falcon 9 Block 5 in testing at McGregor, TX?
The new upgrade is more powerful but did they make the center core alteration or is the heavy always going to be a long wait for launch to build the new center each time....
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#4 2018-02-27 23:53:30
- Oldfart1939
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Re: Falcon 9 Block 5 in testing at McGregor, TX?
According to the published launch manifest, there will be 2 additional Falcon Heavy flights by mid summer. I suspect they were playing their cards very close to the vest with plans for moving forward...
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#5 2018-05-10 17:08:55
- SpaceNut
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Re: Falcon 9 Block 5 in testing at McGregor, TX?
Upgrades to FGalcon have been for
One of the most significant changes is the use of stronger high-pressure helium tanks, known as composite overwrapped pressure vessels, or COPVs, that are submerged in the rocket's liquid oxygen propellant tanks. The helium is used to pressurize the propellant tanks and provide the muscle needed for steering.
SpaceX launch of first "block 5" Falcon 9 rocket scrubbed to Friday
The "block 5" version of the booster incorporates numerous design changes to improve performance and safety, while allowing the company to refly first stages 10 times or more.
Going into Thursday's launch, SpaceX's landing record stood at 24 successful booster recoveries, 12 on land and 12 on droneships.
SpaceX has re-launched 11 first stage boosters to date, but none have flown more than twice.
The goal of the flight is to launch the Bangabandhu 1 communications satellite, built by Thales Alenia Space in France to provide Ku-band and C-band television and data services across Bangladesh.
other upgrades:
Other changes include improved heat shield insulation at the base of the rocket, a tougher "octaweb" first stage engine mounting framework, redesigned turbopump machinery to minimize or eliminate small cracks in critical components and improved insulation in other areas of the rocket.
This would help the number of times that a stage can be flown....
Even the landing legs have been redesigned to allow engineers to retract them after touchdown. The legs had to be removed in previous versions of the rocket before a recovered booster could be hauled away for post-flight processing.
Would be used on the moon or mars....
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#6 2018-05-10 21:19:47
- Oldfart1939
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Re: Falcon 9 Block 5 in testing at McGregor, TX?
The Merlin 1-D engines have also been uprated 8% higher thrust on Block 5.
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#7 2018-05-11 10:34:06
- GW Johnson
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Re: Falcon 9 Block 5 in testing at McGregor, TX?
I think toughening up the heat protections around the engine cluster and its mountings probably explains why, up to now, they have not re-flown a booster more than once or twice. That's still a far cry from flying 10 times with virtually no refurb work. They've done astonishing things, but obviously there's still a long ways to go.
The post-landing retract of the legs is a part of making the refurb effort easier. I doubt this was overlooked. It was probably just deferred, because they already have so much on their plate to do: -Heavy, Block 5, BFR/BFS, Dragon-2.
GW
Last edited by GW Johnson (2018-05-11 10:34:32)
GW Johnson
McGregor, Texas
"There is nothing as expensive as a dead crew, especially one dead from a bad management decision"
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#8 2018-05-11 17:16:16
- louis
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Re: Falcon 9 Block 5 in testing at McGregor, TX?
Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com
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