Quote from: aero on 12/23/2017 02:24 pmYes - that fairing is big and it must be expensive. I'm starting to understand why SpaceX wants to recover them.They say $5 million.
Yes - that fairing is big and it must be expensive. I'm starting to understand why SpaceX wants to recover them.
my guess...seats had to be replaced at minimum... air pockets in foam + space = lots of debrisjb
Quote from: jabe on 12/23/2017 04:37 pmmy guess...seats had to be replaced at minimum... air pockets in foam + space = lots of debrisjbOpen cell cell foam shold not be a problem.
Quote from: envy887 on 12/23/2017 01:48 amQuote from: JAFO on 12/23/2017 12:39 amOnly bad thing is that with no antenna, stabilization, etc, they won't be able to beam images back to earth of it once it gets too far away. Or am I missing something?Remember: pictures or it didn't happen.It doesn't look to be separating from the second stage, or transmitting on it's own. It will phone home as long as the second stage lives.How can anyone tell if that launch mount separates or not?Under the car, the clamps may release on command, and there may be a push-off spring.At a very minimum.Given that SpaceX knows a thing or two about payloads, a small solar panel and a beacon don't seem far fetched, and would not require stabilization.Me, I'd also put a nice retro-reflector on it, because if it was my car, I'd want to know where it is.And a LoJack.
Quote from: JAFO on 12/23/2017 12:39 amOnly bad thing is that with no antenna, stabilization, etc, they won't be able to beam images back to earth of it once it gets too far away. Or am I missing something?Remember: pictures or it didn't happen.It doesn't look to be separating from the second stage, or transmitting on it's own. It will phone home as long as the second stage lives.
Only bad thing is that with no antenna, stabilization, etc, they won't be able to beam images back to earth of it once it gets too far away. Or am I missing something?Remember: pictures or it didn't happen.
Does SpaceX have access to a big enough vacuum chamber to make sure nothing in the roadster explodes?
Quote from: Nomadd on 12/24/2017 03:20 am Does SpaceX have access to a big enough vacuum chamber to make sure nothing in the roadster explodes?They did manage to find one big enough to do full scale fairing separation tests, so something tells me finding one for a comparatively tiny roadster won't be a problem. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if they actually have a large enough vacuum chamber on site in Hawthorne.
Haven't seen this posted elsewhere, but if all goes well, this could be a useful exploratory experiment to find out about propellent boil-off times over a full-length transit to Mars? Has anyone actually sent a liquid-fuelled rocket to Mars before?- They already have a camera in the second stage LOX tank.- They can try pointing the second stage towards the sun after TMI to quantify how this slows down boil-off rates, which will improve the accuracy of their models for BFR.- The angled tesla might even help to reflect some of the light away or radiate some excess heat.Who knows, if it works well enough, they might even have some left by the time they reach Mars periapsis. They could try relighting the stage to try and settle into a (very) high Martian orbit. If it fails, they fly by Mars and no harm is done, but if it succeeds, then what a monument for the future people of Mars!
They don't have a license to transmit from the payload. Maybe they would film it floating away from the upper stage, but they wouldn't get any video from the car after separation.
It would make some more sense to me to maximize the publicity for Tesla to launch the new roadster than the old one which is no longer available to buy.
Quote from: First Mate Rummey on 12/24/2017 11:33 amIt would make some more sense to me to maximize the publicity for Tesla to launch the new roadster than the old one which is no longer available to buy.EM has explained at length how the original Roadster was something of a lemon, so i think it will be spun as 'out with the old, in with the new'
Quote from: Barrie on 12/24/2017 12:54 pmQuote from: First Mate Rummey on 12/24/2017 11:33 amIt would make some more sense to me to maximize the publicity for Tesla to launch the new roadster than the old one which is no longer available to buy.EM has explained at length how the original Roadster was something of a lemon, so i think it will be spun as 'out with the old, in with the new'Obviously, since there’s no sign of landing legs on that Roadster...
IMHO, The Tesla will separate, just like any other payload. Do you honestly think Elon would have it any other way? Put on your Elon Hat (he has one) and think Elonish...http://www.planetarysystemscorp.com