So... is anyone going? I'm not too eager to pay the $1000 to get in, but if you're a student you can get cheaper tickets. I was considering playing the journalist for NSF to get in for cheap if Chris feels like vouching for me.
Length of F9 is already maxed out for road transport. Raptor uses methane which will require more volume in comparison to Merlin. F9 diameter is too small for Raptor booster, not going to happen. They will go directly to a 9m ITS first.
I'm not sure much focus will be on Starlink. No reason to promote it until they either have a service to sell or are doing an IPO. If they do focus on it too much, they might lose out on commercial satellite launches....although given the global slump in geosat orders, it's possible that bird has already flown.
My expectations for IAC 2017:- Starlink unveiling.- More details on energy and resource production on Mars.- Optimal size for current and future Raptor engine determined. (I espect smaller size than at IAC2016)- Proof of concept for cradle landings planned, within a year, with full scale grasshopper BFR (with only center cluster real engines)- A future BFR design with more than 42 engines (e.g. 70 or 105)Maybe:- Something about the Moon.- Something about a slightly longer Falcon 9 Block 6 being almost as payload capable as Falcon Heavy, with Raptor engines. This could even launch Starlink on a every 24h reflight pace. Maybe with second stage re-usability. Second stage can be tested first on Falcon heavy.- Starlink might become a separate financial entity, immediately freeing up a lot of cash from the (stock)market for more rapid development of the interplanetary transport system.Less than a week away, very exited, can’t wait
I'm pretty sure we'll see more about Mars surface infrastructure. I think that because of reasons (just wait a few days).We haven't seen anything that shows how SpaceX plans to recover the Falcon Heavy upper stage, but we DO know Musk said they'll probably try. So, my best guess there is we'll see actual flight hardware of something that looks a bit like a BFS. Maybe TPS on the side of a Falcon upper stage with fins or something. If they can demonstrate reentry and recovery of that sometime late this year or (more likely) early next, then that's one of the biggest questionmarks regarding ITS taken care of.I agree on probably mentioning something about Red Dragon replacement mission, and I definitely agree there'll be something about BFR to the Moon.
That would be 12:30AM EDT for those of us in the Eastern U.S. Australian time is GMT +9:30. Note the 1/2 hour off.
- A future BFR design with more than 42 engines (e.g. 70 or 105)
Quote from: Peter.Colin on 09/24/2017 11:55 am- A future BFR design with more than 42 engines (e.g. 70 or 105)Far too many engines. Just think of all the time and money it would take to check all these engines between missions not to mention the greatly increased risk of engine RUD causing LOM.Maybe a future larger BFR design that is a direct scale up of the mini-BFR with the same no. of scaled up Raptors. Mini-BFR can be design template for all future larger BFR's. Just scale up the design when needed. If mini-BFR has 19-21 engines then larger BFR's will also have 19-21 engines. This no. range is on the high end of what is acceptable on a booster. Any more engines is asking for trouble.
Quote from: DJPledger on 09/24/2017 08:08 pmQuote from: Peter.Colin on 09/24/2017 11:55 am- A future BFR design with more than 42 engines (e.g. 70 or 105)Far too many engines. Just think of all the time and money it would take to check all these engines between missions not to mention the greatly increased risk of engine RUD causing LOM.Maybe a future larger BFR design that is a direct scale up of the mini-BFR with the same no. of scaled up Raptors. Mini-BFR can be design template for all future larger BFR's. Just scale up the design when needed. If mini-BFR has 19-21 engines then larger BFR's will also have 19-21 engines. This no. range is on the high end of what is acceptable on a booster. Any more engines is asking for trouble.Inspection of the 9 engines of Falcon 9 Block 5 will take 24 h and a flashlight.Inspection of 105 engines would take less than 10 days and between 1 and 10 flashlights.And I suspect Elon Musk really likes the number 42... but we wil soon see.
Quote from: BrianNH on 09/18/2017 12:36 pmThat would be 12:30AM EDT for those of us in the Eastern U.S. Australian time is GMT +9:30. Note the 1/2 hour off.2:30am EDT according to TimeBie for the 2PM presentation time.
Quote from: DOCinCT on 09/24/2017 07:32 pmQuote from: BrianNH on 09/18/2017 12:36 pmThat would be 12:30AM EDT for those of us in the Eastern U.S. Australian time is GMT +9:30. Note the 1/2 hour off.2:30am EDT according to TimeBie for the 2PM presentation time.Not sure how you ended up with that result, but I triple checked (including using TimeBie) and got 12:30 AM EDT.