Author Topic: SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virigin Galactic and other Private Space Companies Thread  (Read 92768 times)

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Online Elderberry

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SpaceX's Starship Super Heavy Booster Coming Soon & SN7 Testing is Next | SpaceX in the News


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC6JiuTCG6Q
spaceXcentric  6/12/2020

SpaceX's Starship Super Heavy Booster Coming Soon & SN7 Testing is Next | SpaceX in the News Episode 97. Today we go over a ton of good news concerning Starship Super Heavy; briefly talk about dragon; review some developing Starlink updates; and finish with today's Honorable Mention.


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Online Elderberry

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SpaceX launches 58 Starlink satellites and 3 Planet SkySats, nails rocket landing

Space.com By Amy Thompson 6/13/2020

https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-8-planet-satellite-launch-rocket-landing-success.html

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The Starlink constellation is growing fast.

 SpaceX successfully launched its first rideshare mission into orbit today (June 13), lofting a new batch of 58 Starlink internet satellites along with three small Earth-observation satellites before nailing a Falcon 9 rocket landing at sea.

It was a mostly clear morning, with just a few clouds above the launch pad here at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at liftoff. Onlookers were treated to an awesome view in the predawn sky — the glow from the rocket's engines were visible well into the flight as it launched at 5:21 a.m. EDT (0921 GMT).

The exhaust from the rocket was illuminated by the sun, which was just below the horizon. The resulting cloud appeared as a nebula hanging in the sky.

More at link.



Online sneakypete

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This is some impressive stuff,I don't give a damn how high your standards are.
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Online Elderberry

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Interstellar Technologies’ privately-developed MOMO-5 rocket falls short of reaching space

Tech Crunch by Darrell Etherington 6/13/2020

https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/13/interstellar-technologies-privately-developed-momo-5-rocket-falls-short-of-reaching-space/

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Private launch companies seeking to lower the coast of reaching space continue to develop new vehicles, and the latest to attempt a trip to space is Interstellar Technologies (IST), a Japanese private launch company founded in 2003. The company first launched a vehicle in 2017, but the launch didn’t go exactly as planned and failed to reach space – in 2019, its MOMO-3 sounding rocket did break the Karman line, though just barely, and unfortunately its MOMO-5 sounding rocket launched today did not make space as planned, instead apparently suffering some kind of malfunction and loss of control around the time it reaches max Q, or the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure prior to exiting Earth’s atmosphere..

MOMO-5 took off at 8:15 PM UTC (4:15 PM EDT), and liftoff seemed to go smoothly. This demonstration launch was meant to build on IST’s existing development program, and put it closer to establishing a new, affordable rocket option fo redelivering small payloads to orbit using a small, affordable rocket that the company describes as a “family sedan for the stars.”

IST’s approach is interesting it that in doesn’t claim to be cutting-edge; instead, the company says that it focuses on leveraging “legacy methods” of rocketry, along with advances including additive manufacturing and more modern materials to reduce costs as much as possible and lower the bar in terms of affordability to serve a wide range of customers. To some extend, that’s similar to the approach taken by SpaceX and Rocket Lab, but IST’s approach is even less focused on modernization, and more intent on efficiencies, than some of its operational competitors, which could theoretically give it a cost advantage once it starts serving companies with regular commercial launches.

More at link.

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Interstellar Technologies’ privately-developed MOMO-5 rocket falls short of reaching space

Tech Crunch by Darrell Etherington 6/13/2020

https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/13/interstellar-technologies-privately-developed-momo-5-rocket-falls-short-of-reaching-space/

Rats. 2 out of 3?
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Online Elderberry

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SpaceX’s month-long launch blitz adds Korean military satellite mission

TESLARATI by Eric Ralph 6/11/2020

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-launch-blitz-korean-military-satellite/

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Preliminary schedules show that SpaceX – on top of plans for a record-breaking four-launch month – wants to add a Korean military satellite launch to the mix, meaning that the company could attempt five launches in five weeks.

SpaceX partially broke the news on June 9th when it opened media accreditation for the Korean military mission, scheduled to launch no earlier than (NET) July. LaunchPhotography.com was able to get even more specific, stating that South Korea’s ANASIS II communications satellite could lift off on a Falcon 9 rocket sometime in early July, while Teslarati has learned that the mission is tentatively scheduled to launch as soon as the second week of the month.

If SpaceX manages to launch Starlink-8, Starlink-9, and GPS III SV03 on time this month and can turn its Kennedy Space Center (KSC) LC-39A pad around in time for South Korea’s ANASIS II by July 8th, it’ll have sustained a weekly launch cadence for well over a month. The odds are heavily stacked against SpaceX’s favor but with Starlink V1 L8 on track for a June 12th launch and Starlink V1 L9 expedited from June 24th to June 22nd, the company actually has a shot at completing five launches in five weeks.

More at link.

Online Elderberry

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Today sn7 test tank has been tested till it has popped


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Online Elderberry

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TESMANIAN

https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/spacex-test-tank

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Today, June 15, SpaceX conducted a cryogenic pressure test on a Starship dome tank prototype referred to as SN7. The tank was filled with super-chilled liquid nitrogen which caused the entire structure to fill with visible frost all around – “…There a few known weak points on this test tank, probably capable of more pressure,” Musk said, “The second test tank to follow shortly has addressed the weak points.” The stainless-steel SN7 dome tank reached strength of around 7.6 bar –“Tank didn’t burst, but leaked at 7.6 bar,” Musk shared, “This is a good result & supports idea of 304L stainless being better than 301. We’re developing our own alloy to take this even further. Leak before burst is highly desirable,” he explained.

Then, the dome tank was intentionally pressured to the max, as seen in the video below, until it bursted. SpaceX will mix their own stainless-steel alloy for future starships to increase the strength factor. The goal is to develop a structure that could withstand a 8.6 bar -which would be the ideal strength to take astronauts to space aboard Starship.

The next prototypes will undergo the same tests. SpaceX runs 24/7 operations in South Texas. Musk sees Starship development as the company’s top priority. "We need to accelerate Starship progress," Musk told his teams. And asked them to "consider spending significant time" at Boca Chica to help the company accelerate Starship development, “For those considering moving, we will always offer a dedicated SpaceX aircraft to shuttle people.” He aims to conduct a 150-meter and a 20-kilometer test-flight above Boca Chica this year and hopes to take a Starship to orbit soon.

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Wait 'til he tries Reardon Steel.
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
I will NOT comply.
 
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SpaceX set to finish three Starship prototypes in the same month

TESLARATI By Eric Ralph 6/18/2020

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-three-starship-prototypes-one-month/

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SpaceX appears to be on track to complete its third Starship prototype in a month just days after the company finished testing a new steel tank and at the same time as it prepares to roll another full-scale ship to the launch pad.

Postponed by several weeks after the (fleeting) success of the Starship serial number 4 (SN4) prototype, violently destroyed by a minor testing mishap on May 29th, SpaceX’s fifth full-scale Starship tank section (SN5) could roll to an adjacent testing facility at any point in the next few days. In fact, SN4’s successor has likely been ready to begin tank proof and static fire testing for several weeks since it was stacked to its full height on May 12th. SN4 rolled to the launch pad on April 23rd and remained SpaceX’s top Starship priority until its demise more than a month later.

As it turns out, the explosion that destroyed the ship also launched a ~25 metric ton (~55,000 lb) counterweight installed a few days prior some 100m (300+ ft) into the air, where it proceeded to fall back to earth and obliterate the steel mount Starship SN4 sat on. The loss of that pad hardware necessitated its own several-week delay but SpaceX appears to be nearly done installing and outfitting replacements as of June 18th – an incredible turnaround given the scale and complexity of everything involved. Of course, the whole purpose of those rapid repairs is to get back to the business of testing Starships as quickly as possible.

More at link.

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Three Starship prototypes in line for testing

Behind the Black by Robert Zimmerman 6/18/2020

https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/three-starship-prototypes-in-line-for-testing/

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Capitalism in space: SpaceX’s assembly line for building Starship prototypes is heating up, with three such ships completed or under construction in Boca Chica, Texas.

Initially numbered 5 through 7, the goal of the first two will be to do the first full scale vertical hops, flying as high as 7.5 miles.. #7 however has a different purpose:

    While stouter than an actual Starship-class methane or oxygen tank, this particular test tank is maybe only 25% shorter than the methane tanks installed on Starship prototypes. According to Musk and effectively confirmed by writing all over the prototype, this particular test tank – formerly Starship SN7 – was built to determine if a different kind of steel could be preferable for future ships.

    Shortly after the June 15th test began to wind down, Musk announced that the new material (304L stainless steel) had performed quite well, reaching 7.6 bar (110 psi) before it sprung a leak. The fact alone that it sprung a leak instead of violently depressurizing is already a major sign that 304L is preferable to 301L, as it means that Starships built out of it could fail much more gracefully in the event of a leak instead of collapsing or violently exploding. A step further, SpaceX has already managed to repair the leak on SN7 and will likely test the tank again in the next few days.

SpaceX is once again demonstrating how to properly do this kind of cutting edge development. You test, you fix or, you change, based on what your tests tell you. You don’t lock down design in the early stages, because at that point you really don’t know enough to do so.


Offline Weird Tolkienish Figure

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Wait 'til he tries Reardon Steel.

Is that an Ayn Rand reference? I really need to read those books.

Anyway, I do admire Elon Musk for thinking this big.

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Is that an Ayn Rand reference? I really need to read those books.

Anyway, I do admire Elon Musk for thinking this big.

Yes, it's something from Atlas Shrugs.  And Elon Musk is indeed thinking big.  I like that too.
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
I will NOT comply.
 
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Offline catfish1957

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Yes, it's something from Atlas Shrugs.  And Elon Musk is indeed thinking big.  I like that too.

My problem with Musk is his acceptance of government subsidies for electric cars.  That's 2 1/2 strikes by itself.
I display the Confederate Battle Flag in honor of my great great great grandfathers who spilled blood at Wilson's Creek and Shiloh.  5 others served in the WBTS with honor too.

Online Cyber Liberty

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My problem with Musk is his acceptance of government subsidies for electric cars.  That's 2 1/2 strikes by itself.

Nobody has ever accused Musk of being conservative.   :shrug:
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
I will NOT comply.
 
Castillo del Cyber Autonomous Zone ~~~~~>                          :dontfeed:

Offline Weird Tolkienish Figure

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My problem with Musk is his acceptance of government subsidies for electric cars.  That's 2 1/2 strikes by itself.

 :shrug:

I no longer care about that stuff. He's a capitalist.

Offline Weird Tolkienish Figure

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Nobody has ever accused Musk of being conservative.   :shrug:

From what I can see he's basically apolitical although he did mention something about taking the red pill a few weeks ago before this nonsense started.

Offline catfish1957

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:shrug:

I no longer care about that stuff. He's a capitalist.

On your and my dime.....
I display the Confederate Battle Flag in honor of my great great great grandfathers who spilled blood at Wilson's Creek and Shiloh.  5 others served in the WBTS with honor too.

Offline kevindavis007

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SpaceX Starship event expected this September, says Elon Musk
https://www.isn-news.com/2020/06/spacex-starship-event-expected-this.html
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https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-event-elon-musk-update-2020/

By Eric Ralph 6/29/2020

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SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has implied that he will continue the tradition of annual Starship update events later this year, likely presenting on the progress the company has made over the last 12 months at its South Texas rocket factory.

Beginning in Guadalajara, Mexico at the September 2016 International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Musk has presented a detailed annual update on the status of SpaceX’s next-generation Starship launch vehicle in September or October for the last four years. Formerly known as the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) and Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), Starship is effectively a continuation of the unprecedented progress SpaceX has made with Falcon 9 and Heavy reusability.

SpaceX has managed to reliably reuse Falcon boosters 5+ times and is on the way to replicating that with payload fairings, but Musk has concluded that the Falcon family – despite being some of the largest operational rockets in existence – is just too small to feasibly recover and reuse the orbital second stage. With Starship, SpaceX wants to take a slightly different approach.

September sounds about right
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 24, 2020


A senior SpaceX engineer and executive believes that Starship’s first orbital launch could still happen by the end of 2020. (SpaceX)




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SpaceX GPS III Launch | LIVE


spaceXcentric

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SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, June 30 for a Falcon 9 launch of the GPS III Space Vehicle 03 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The 15-minute primary launch window opens at 3:55 p.m. EDT. SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. The fairings will be recovered from the water. We will begin our stream at 3:35 p.m. EDT.


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SpaceX set for rocket recovery first after US military satellite launch

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-first-rocket-recovery-us-military-launch/

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A SpaceX Falcon 9 is set to become the first commercial rocket to attempt to land after an operational launch for the US military, potentially paving the way for an even more significant milestone somewhere down the road.

Featuring brand new booster B1060 and a new upper stage and payload fairing, Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch the US military’s third upgraded GPS III satellite (PS III SV01) no earlier than (NET) 3:55 pm EDT (19:55 UTC) on June 30th. While it will be the second time a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket has lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Launch Complex 40 (LC-40) with a GPS III satellite in tow, the mission will mark a critical first for SpaceX and the US military. For the first GPS III mission, the US Air Force somewhat inexplicably required SpaceX to expend the new Falcon 9 booster assigned to the December 2018 launch.

The US military never offered a technical explanation for why Falcon 9 couldn’t land after launching a ~3900 kg (~8600 lb) GPS III SV01 to a medium orbit but could, for example, land after launching a dozen metric tons and two NASA astronauts. Regardless, the US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Command (SMC) has decided that SpaceX can now attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage during the company’s second GPS III launch. A step further, on the eve of the mission, SMC has revealed that it may even be opening up to the idea of reusing SpaceX boosters on future military launches.

More at link.

1st Stage Landing was successful.

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Blue Origin delivers the first BE-4 engine to United Launch Alliance

Space News by Sandra Erwin — July 1, 2020

https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-delivers-the-first-be-4-engine-to-united-launch-alliance/

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The engine Blue Origin delivered is a pathfinder engine to be used in tests.

Blue Origin this week delivered a BE-4 rocket engine to United Launch Alliance. ULA will use two BE-4s in the main stage of its future Vulcan Centaur rocket

In a celebratory tweet July 1 with the hashtag #CountdowntoVulcan ULA announced that a BE-4 engine arrived at its rocket factory in Decatur, Alabama.

“The engine delivered is the first pathfinder engine to be mated with the Vulcan Centaur and will support ULA’s testing,” a Blue Origin spokesperson told SpaceNews. “We are planning on delivering the second engine in July.”

A pathfinder is a development engine.  Blue Origin has not said when a flight-qualified engine will be delivered.

The BE-4 uses liquid oxygen and liquefied natural gas propellants and generates 75,000 horsepower. The engine was developed by Blue Origin with some financial support from ULA.

ULA announced in September 2018 its selection of the BE-4 as Vulcan’s main engine. The vehicle was projected to make its first launch in 2020 but engine delays set ULA back.

More at link.


A Blue Origin BE-4 engine arrived at ULA's factory in Decatur, Ala. Credit: ULA via Twitter

Online Elderberry

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SpaceX is accelerating Starship development -Starship SN5 completes a pressure test

TESMANIAN by  Evelyn Arevalo July 01, 2020

https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/starship-cryogenic-test

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SpaceX engineers are in the process of developing Starship, an enormous stainless-steel spacecraft that will one day launch one hundred passengers to the moon and Mars. Starship prototypes are under construction at the company’s South Texas facility located at Boca Chica Beach in Brownsville, TX. The company will build a spaceport along Boca Chica’s coast. The first crewed Starship voyage is scheduled for the year 2023, booked by Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa who plans to take a circumlunar trip. SpaceX is working on a tight schedule to develop a space-ready Starship.

Tuesday night, SpaceX teams at Boca Chica conducted a cryogenic pressure test of the Starship SN5 prototype. The stainless-steel SN5 vehicle was subjected to conditions it would experience during spaceflight.  The structure was filled with sub-cooled liquid nitrogen that causes the vehicle to experience max pressure, while a thrust simulator system imitates the force of a Raptor engine by pressing at the bottom of the vehicle. This test is to determine if the vehicle can withstand highly pressurized propellant and high-stress of flight. Starship must withstand a pressure of 6 bar to conduct an orbital flight, a pressure strength of 8.5 bar is needed to take astronauts to space. NASASpaceflight reporters captured footage of last night’s cryogenic pressure test, shown below.


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Offline EdinVA

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The part of all of this that impresses me the most is the fist stage hitting that barge out in the middle of the ocean...  Easy to entertain I guess... lol