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pdx_m3s
Active Member
Due to fuel type being liquid methane. Some boils off when fueling, just like LOX, but you can't let methane just escape like LOX without being burned as (1) it's flammable and dangerous, and (2) it's an extremely powerful greenhouse gas.
I’m guessing it’s more of the environmental regulation rather than flammable gas issue since there are tons of examples of natural gas and methane gas escapes either from storage facilities or naturally.
pdx_m3s
Active Member
So it now appears clear that this prototype was at least in part made by water tower specialists. And that the competing build in Florida is being made in part by an actual space contractor.
Interesting competition!
SpaceX considering Starship test launches from Pad 39A - NASASpaceFlight.com
Interesting competition!
SpaceX considering Starship test launches from Pad 39A - NASASpaceFlight.com
NasaSpaceflight.com said:
Oh yeah, totally a fan of the underdog. And its little sibling has already flown, likely built by the same folks.
That is, as usual, an incredibly ambitious schedule.
Very curious to know the trajectory of the “20km flight”. Basically straight up and straight down?
For the orbital flights the Mk 1 prototypes will need to have a functional heat shield to survive re-entry. Will they have the double-hull / perforated outer skin / liquid methane-cooled design that Elon described last year? Or something else? We don’t know yet...
Very curious to know the trajectory of the “20km flight”. Basically straight up and straight down?
For the orbital flights the Mk 1 prototypes will need to have a functional heat shield to survive re-entry. Will they have the double-hull / perforated outer skin / liquid methane-cooled design that Elon described last year? Or something else? We don’t know yet...
pdx_m3s
Active Member
At this point (which could very well change), they have moved away from transpirational cooling to using hexagonal ceramic tiles on the body and a hot-structure setup on the aerodynamic surfaces.
Regardless of what is achieved with subsequent hops and orbital flights, we should all be cheering for SpaceX and team, because they are the only ones that are truly dreaming and reaching for the stars, which requires sci-fi like reusability and durability.
Okay thanks, I missed that. But what is a “hot-structure setup”? By aerodynamic surfaces do you mean the leading edges of the stubby wings and tail fin?
Blue Origin is also making progress towards the same goals, they are just more low key about it. And of course they haven’t made as much progress as SpaceX has. But they are much better funded, and I’m sure they will catch up at some point.
pdx_m3s
Active Member
There’s a lot of good info online about it, but ultimately it relies purely on managing the heat of the spacecraft skin via radiating heat away. In short, the exterior gets extremely hot, but is able to dump the heat via radiation since the the amount of heat that can be emitted is equal to the cube-square (power of 4) of temperature (i.e. the hotter the better!).
Also rooting for blue origin! They seem more focused on commercial/LEO/GTO, while SpaceX is focused on full reuse of both stages for multi-planetary hops.
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adiggs
Well-Known Member
I think 10 years from now when the sleek Starships are launching and landing regularly, we're still going to call them Orbital Class Water Towers.
boonedocks
MS LR Blk/Blk 19”
pdx_m3s
Active Member
The rate of progress on Starship since physically "breaking ground" is absolutely incredible. Can't wait for the Starship update event later this month.
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