Author Topic: Fairing reuse  (Read 974346 times)

Offline Michael Baylor

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1220 on: 01/23/2018 04:32 pm »
Looks like another test! Mr. Steven is heading out for the second time in less than 24 hours.

And no, it's not going to Belize.  ;D
« Last Edit: 01/23/2018 04:32 pm by Michael Baylor »

Offline ChrisC

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1221 on: 01/28/2018 05:09 pm »
Worth crossposting here.  Click through to quoted post to see graphics:

INTERESTING!

SpaceX recovery support ships Go Quest and Go Searcher have left Port Canaveral.

Possible fairing recovery test!
« Last Edit: 01/28/2018 05:10 pm by ChrisC »
PSA #1: EST does NOT mean "Eastern Time".  Use "Eastern" or "ET" instead, all year round, and avoid this common error.  Google "EST vs EDT".
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Offline drzerg

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1222 on: 01/30/2018 11:43 am »
Do we know approximate weight of the fairing half? I only found some data on spaceflight101 and do not know how accurate is their value of 1.75 t (per half ?)
« Last Edit: 01/30/2018 11:44 am by drzerg »

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1223 on: 02/06/2018 06:26 am »
From the transcript of Elon’s pre-FH demo launch press conference:

Quote
We are in the process of recovering the fairing, we're getting better and better at recovering the fairing. So we expect to recover the fairing and the booster, the first stage of Falcon 9.

Offline cscott

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1224 on: 02/06/2018 02:51 pm »
From the transcript of Elon’s pre-FH demo launch press conference:

Quote
We are in the process of recovering the fairing, we're getting better and better at recovering the fairing. So we expect to recover the fairing and the booster, the first stage of Falcon 9.
For context, I'm pretty sure he was talking about "long term". That is, he expects the fairing recovery method they are developing to be ultimately successful.  There wasn't (in my listening) any implication that a specific upcoming attempt was likely to be successful---or not successful! No specific mission was being referenced is what I'm saying.

Offline babakm

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1225 on: 02/06/2018 04:10 pm »
Cropped/enhanced portion of recent Elon Tweet with Falcon Heavy flight profile graphic.  Looks like a Mr. Steven-a-like rigs with nets (on Go Quest & Go Searcher?) will be on station.  The graphic doesn't show parachutes or two boats, but that's probably for simplicity's sake.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/960915618865274880
« Last Edit: 02/06/2018 04:18 pm by babakm »

Offline Alastor

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1226 on: 02/06/2018 04:57 pm »
This is a graph made by a NSF L2 member. Even though reposted by Elon, it means it's not necessarily 100% accurate.
Although this is probably a pretty accurate timeline of what they want a standard FH launch to look like, it's possible that some of these events won't happen during this launch.

I have no certainty about the fairing recovery and the payload separation events, in particular. These may not be planned to happen during this launch.

Offline babakm

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1227 on: 02/06/2018 05:14 pm »
This is a graph made by a NSF L2 member. Even though reposted by Elon, it means it's not necessarily 100% accurate.

Thanks.  Didn't know that.

Offline cscott

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1228 on: 02/06/2018 07:07 pm »
In particular, Go Searcher is currently sitting at the dock across from Fishlips in Port Canaveral, so is not likely to be going out fishing for fairings today.

Offline speedevil

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1229 on: 02/07/2018 12:07 am »
- the post-launch conference for FH - talks about Fairing recovery also. 55:50

Lightly edited to remove stumbles.
Quote
I'm pretty sure we'll have fairing recovery in the next six months.
It turns out that you pop the chute on the fairing and you've got this giant awkward thing it tends to interfere with the air flow on the on the parachute and and miss.

Gets all twisty and and was low priority too. But we have fairing version two which is the really  important one that we want to recover, so even if we recovered fairing version one, we wouldn't be re-flying it in the future. Fairing two and recovery that's very important, and my guess is - next six months we figure out recovery.
We've got a special boat to catch the fairing, like a catcher's mitt. It's like a giant catchers mitt in boat form.
 It's gonna run around it can't catch the fairing.
Kinda fun.
I think you might be able to do the same thing with dragon so if NASA wants us to, we could try to catch dragon.
Made for the fairing, but it would work for dragon too.
« Last Edit: 02/07/2018 10:53 am by speedevil »

Offline First Mate Rummey

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1230 on: 02/07/2018 09:47 pm »

Quote
But we have fairing version two which is the really  important one that we want to recover, so even if we recovered fairing version one, we wouldn't be re-flying it in the future. Fairing two and recovery that's very important, and my guess is - next six months we figure out recovery.

Do you have any more info about fairing version 2?
It will be part of block V?
Is it supposed to be more expensive to require recovery be "very important"?
Lighter?
Bigger?

Offline speedevil

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1231 on: 02/08/2018 11:31 am »
Do you have any more info about fairing version 2?
It will be part of block V?
Is it supposed to be more expensive to require recovery be "very important"?
Lighter?
Bigger?

The available info seems to imply it may go along with block V.
The bits of F9 that the fairing attaches to are more-or-less static and unchanged over all blocks, as I understand it.
It may well be more expensive, it's certainly newer. Lighter - well - possibly not - recovery hardware isn't air.

I don't think we've seen any reasonable speculation it would be bigger, and Elon did not mention this when he has mentioned much smaller differences in the above conference.

If the fairing is double the price, and you recover and refly nearly all of them, that's a real bargain.
« Last Edit: 02/08/2018 11:31 am by speedevil »

Offline Asteroza

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1232 on: 02/09/2018 06:17 am »
Would a new fairing require requalification for EELV work?

Offline First Mate Rummey

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1233 on: 02/09/2018 07:40 am »
About fairing version 2, SpaceNews has a hint here:
“One of the limits of the Falcon 9 for the DoD missions was that they needed a longer fairing. The payload was too tall for the existing fairing,” he said. “I’m hoping Elon Musk has a longer fairing on the Falcon Heavy.”
http://spacenews.com/military-certification-the-next-big-test-for-falcon-heavy/
« Last Edit: 02/09/2018 09:16 am by First Mate Rummey »

Offline JonathanD

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1234 on: 02/09/2018 04:02 pm »
Sorry if I missed this, but are they going to try to use one ship to try to catch two fairing halves?  That seems even more improbable!

Offline speedevil

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1235 on: 02/09/2018 04:12 pm »
Sorry if I missed this, but are they going to try to use one ship to try to catch two fairing halves?  That seems even more improbable!

It is not impossible.
However, it's also rather likely that they're simply waiting to see how recovery works, before seeing if they need another identical boat, or a bigger/faster boat, or ...

Boats and steel and ropes and nets are cheap.
Especially so when you can resell them for a large fraction of the purchase price.

Offline wannamoonbase

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1236 on: 02/09/2018 04:25 pm »
Sorry if I missed this, but are they going to try to use one ship to try to catch two fairing halves?  That seems even more improbable!

It is not impossible.
However, it's also rather likely that they're simply waiting to see how recovery works, before seeing if they need another identical boat, or a bigger/faster boat, or ...

Boats and steel and ropes and nets are cheap.
Especially so when you can resell them for a large fraction of the purchase price.

Compared to payload fairings yes they are.

I'd like to see the ASDS replaced with a custom built ship that is self propelled.  It should be able to return boosters to land faster than barges and tugs.   (Ideally a ship that could recover 1, stow it and recover another a day or two later.)

Catcher mitt style fairing recovery could be a very fast way to return them to shore.  Catch it, secure it and full throttle for port.  Hopefully they'll be able to get them protected from the elements after recovery.
Wildly optimistic prediction, Superheavy recovery on IFT-4 or IFT-5

Offline speedevil

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1237 on: 02/12/2018 04:23 pm »
Do you have any more info about fairing version 2?
It will be part of block V?
Is it supposed to be more expensive to require recovery be "very important"?
Lighter?
Bigger?

The available info seems to imply it may go along with block V.
The bits of F9 that the fairing attaches to are more-or-less static and unchanged over all blocks, as I understand it.
It may well be more expensive, it's certainly newer. Lighter - well - possibly not - recovery hardware isn't air.

I don't think we've seen any reasonable speculation it would be bigger, and Elon did not mention this when he has mentioned much smaller differences in the above conference.

If the fairing is double the price, and you recover and refly nearly all of them, that's a real bargain.

And an answer from a source who knows!
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/963095860060934144
Quote
20m20 minutes ago
Replying to @DJSnM @doug_ellison @dsfpspacefl1ght

Under consideration. We’ve already stretched the upper stage once. Easiest part of the rocket to change. Fairing 2, flying soon, also has a slightly larger diameter. Could make fairing much longer if need be & will if BFR takes longer than expected.

Offline rsdavis9

Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1238 on: 02/12/2018 04:46 pm »
Do you have any more info about fairing version 2?
It will be part of block V?
Is it supposed to be more expensive to require recovery be "very important"?
Lighter?
Bigger?

The available info seems to imply it may go along with block V.
The bits of F9 that the fairing attaches to are more-or-less static and unchanged over all blocks, as I understand it.
It may well be more expensive, it's certainly newer. Lighter - well - possibly not - recovery hardware isn't air.

I don't think we've seen any reasonable speculation it would be bigger, and Elon did not mention this when he has mentioned much smaller differences in the above conference.

If the fairing is double the price, and you recover and refly nearly all of them, that's a real bargain.

And an answer from a source who knows!
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/963095860060934144
Quote
20m20 minutes ago
Replying to @DJSnM @doug_ellison @dsfpspacefl1ght

Under consideration. We’ve already stretched the upper stage once. Easiest part of the rocket to change. Fairing 2, flying soon, also has a slightly larger diameter. Could make fairing much longer if need be & will if BFR takes longer than expected.

with wider fairing he wont have to tilt the next car.  :)
With ELV best efficiency was the paradigm. The new paradigm is reusable, good enough, and commonality of design.
Same engines. Design once. Same vehicle. Design once. Reusable. Build once.

Offline cscott

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Re: Fairing reuse
« Reply #1239 on: 02/12/2018 06:32 pm »
Do you have any more info about fairing version 2?
It will be part of block V?
Is it supposed to be more expensive to require recovery be "very important"?
Lighter?
Bigger?

The available info seems to imply it may go along with block V.
The bits of F9 that the fairing attaches to are more-or-less static and unchanged over all blocks, as I understand it.
It may well be more expensive, it's certainly newer. Lighter - well - possibly not - recovery hardware isn't air.

I don't think we've seen any reasonable speculation it would be bigger, and Elon did not mention this when he has mentioned much smaller differences in the above conference.

If the fairing is double the price, and you recover and refly nearly all of them, that's a real bargain.

And an answer from a source who knows!
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/963095860060934144
Quote
20m20 minutes ago
Replying to @DJSnM @doug_ellison @dsfpspacefl1ght

Under consideration. We’ve already stretched the upper stage once. Easiest part of the rocket to change. Fairing 2, flying soon, also has a slightly larger diameter. Could make fairing much longer if need be & will if BFR takes longer than expected.

with wider fairing he wont have to tilt the next car.  :)
I think we established that the car wouldn't have had to be tilted to fit in the current fairing.

Offtopic: I think the tilt was done for aesthetic reasons.  If you think about the hero images produced (fairing deploy, slowly rotating starman, etc) it seems clear that they carefully choreographed the exact camera angles, roll rates, etc, to get the earth framed properly in the shot. I'm pretty sure equal attention was paid to framing the car on top of the stage.

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