It's also interesting that they're sticking with gas generator cycle for the Merlin 2 instead of staged combustion.
Future vehicles slide attached
Would the Falcon X's 6m core still be transportable by road? What about the Falcon XX's 10m core? Would larger cores be a straightforward scaling of their current processes, or would it involve major changes?
Quote from: neilh on 07/30/2010 11:26 pmWould the Falcon X's 6m core still be transportable by road? What about the Falcon XX's 10m core? Would larger cores be a straightforward scaling of their current processes, or would it involve major changes?Not possible in the US, but they could use this:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_Beluga7.7 meter diameter, 37.7 meters long. So it could carry a Falcon 9 1st stage, or a Falcon X 2nd stage. Notice the seams in the 1st stage of the Falcon X and XX? Likely means they would be shipped in 2 parts.Wow, would be intersting to see if they went to boeing or Airbus and requested a 10.5 meter viarant of Beluga / Supper Guppy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_Spacelines_Super_Guppy to transport their Falcon XX stages. Fun times.
Quote from: Downix on 07/31/2010 12:30 amThere is also the Dreamlifter as well:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747_Large_Cargo_FreighterDreamlifter is less than 6 meter across ID. To my knowledge only Airbus Beluga lifters and the Antonov_An-225 would be capable of carrying a 6 meter stage.
There is also the Dreamlifter as well:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747_Large_Cargo_Freighter
Would the Beluga be able to land at Hawthorne airport (which SpaceX is directly adjacent to), or would the slightly more distant LAX be needed?
Quote from: SpacexULA on 07/31/2010 12:47 amQuote from: Downix on 07/31/2010 12:30 amThere is also the Dreamlifter as well:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747_Large_Cargo_FreighterDreamlifter is less than 6 meter across ID. To my knowledge only Airbus Beluga lifters and the Antonov_An-225 would be capable of carrying a 6 meter stage. That does not add up, as then it cannot do it's job in transporting the 6m wide 787 components. (787 Fuselage is 5.97m across) The Fuselage of the Dreamlifter is 8.3m wide, and the walls do not look to be over a meter thick....
There's also barging it from Hawthorne to the Cape through the Panama Canal.Also, anyone see how they're planning on Raptor having a 470s vacuum Isp? That's a *very* tall claim, which I'm likely to call Incorrect on unless they've got some very good numbers or hotfire tests to back it up. SSME is 453s vacuum, by comparison.
Sigh, another thread I'll never read. All conjecture, no facts.