Author Topic: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)  (Read 531510 times)

Offline vaporcobra

A new vehicle is apparently vertical in the structural test stand at McGregor. Commenters are throwing around speculation that it is a Falcon Heavy structural test article, but it seems nearly impossible to judge based on the pictures alone.

Pictures are at this link, as is a link to the original SpaceX Facebook group post http://imgur.com/a/lUneo. All credit to Keith Wallace for the photos.

Edit: Main mods at /r/SpaceX with a history of relatively reliable foreknowledge believe it to definitively be the Falcon Heavy center core structural test article. Grains of sand aplenty, but it is probably the case if they say so.
« Last Edit: 09/11/2016 09:15 pm by vaporcobra »

Offline mlow

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #281 on: 09/12/2016 05:19 pm »
Looks like the top is conical? Anyone have a similar  angle shot of this structure empty to do a comparison?

Offline FH_2011

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #282 on: 09/13/2016 05:27 am »
Looks like the top is conical? Anyone have a similar  angle shot of this structure empty to do a comparison?
It could be the grey counterweight seen in the "cool stuff" internal video on youtube that was wrongly set to public for a few hours.

http://imgur.com/gallery/khi2C

Offline Rei

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #283 on: 09/13/2016 11:07 am »
Quick question: how does the frequency of propellant loadings on F9 stages at McGregor compare to that at Vandenberg and SLC-40?   On the pad you have at least two per launch (per tank), loading for the static test and the flight, plus any extras for scrubbed launches.  McGregor has static tests, also non-flight test/development hardware... is it about a 1:1 ratio, or is one significantly more common than the other?

Offline vaporcobra

Looks like the top is conical? Anyone have a similar  angle shot of this structure empty to do a comparison?
It could be the grey counterweight seen in the "cool stuff" internal video on youtube that was wrongly set to public for a few hours.

http://imgur.com/gallery/khi2C

Good idea! It does look like the current article is much taller than the counterweight.

Offline Axiom

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #285 on: 09/13/2016 06:01 pm »
It very much looks like a F9 stage with a unpainted Dragon 2 test article attached on top. Structural testing ahead of an in-flight abort test?

Online gongora

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #286 on: 09/13/2016 06:27 pm »
It very much looks like a F9 stage with a unpainted Dragon 2 test article attached on top. Structural testing ahead of an in-flight abort test?

You're reading too much into very fuzzy photos.  There isn't any sort of Dragon test article on top.  There is a less fuzzy picture available in the L2 thread.

Online gongora

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #287 on: 09/13/2016 10:05 pm »
Tweet from Jeff Foust
Quote
[Lars] Hoffman [SpaceX]: took one of the Falcon 9 landed boosters to Texas; fired it 7 times so far with no refurbishment. #AIAASpace

Offline cscott

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #288 on: 09/14/2016 07:53 pm »
Anyone nearby going to get updated pictures soon-ish?  In addition to the FH center core and the landed booster, it would be interesting to see what else might be going on.

Offline Flying Beaver

Anyone nearby going to get updated pictures soon-ish?  In addition to the FH center core and the landed booster, it would be interesting to see what else might be going on.

L2, as always, has some noice up-to-date pictures. Really worth a Sub.
Watched B1019 land in person 21/12/2015.

Offline biosehnsucht

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #290 on: 09/14/2016 08:23 pm »
I suspect that for many of us, the threat of a ban for accidentally cross pollinating information from L2 to elsewhere is not worth it, since I'd rather have access to NSF without L2 than no access.

I know that I don't want to try and keep track of where I heard something discussed and then try to keep secrets from the rest of the community. I'd rather be less informed...

Offline cscott

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #291 on: 09/15/2016 12:44 am »
Anyone nearby going to get updated pictures soon-ish?  In addition to the FH center core and the landed booster, it would be interesting to see what else might be going on.

L2, as always, has some noice up-to-date pictures. Really worth a Sub.
I am an L2 member.

Offline MichaelBlackbourn

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #292 on: 09/26/2016 05:21 am »
Elon Musk via Twitter: SpaceX propulsion just achieved first firing of the Raptor interplanetary transport engine https://t.co/vRleyJvBkx
« Last Edit: 09/26/2016 05:23 am by MichaelBlackbourn »

Offline jimbowman

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #293 on: 09/26/2016 05:28 am »
Sweet  ;D

Offline Dante80

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« Last Edit: 09/26/2016 05:37 am by Dante80 »

Offline Toast

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/780280440401764353

Production Raptor goal is specific impulse of 382 seconds and thrust of 3 MN (~310 metric tons) at 300 bar

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
« Last Edit: 09/26/2016 05:40 am by Toast »

Offline ZachF

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #296 on: 09/26/2016 05:43 am »
Elon Musk via Twitter: SpaceX propulsion just achieved first firing of the Raptor interplanetary transport engine https://t.co/vRleyJvBkx

Love that blue methalox flame... BE4 looks pretty too.

Night launches are going to be pretty spectacular with these blue-flamed rockets taking off.. and landing  8)
artist, so take opinions expressed above with a well-rendered grain of salt...
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Offline Dante80

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #297 on: 09/26/2016 05:48 am »
That is a beast. 300 bar is 4351.14 psi or 30 MPa. That is a lot more than even the russian ORSC engines!
If this thing blows, it takes everything with it.
 

Offline ZachF

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #298 on: 09/26/2016 05:54 am »
That is a beast. 300 bar is 4351.14 psi or 30 MPa. That is a lot more than even the russian ORSC engines!
If this thing blows, it takes everything with it.
 


Isp of 382... I'm guessing that's it's vacuum performance, wonder what it's sea level Isp is?... >330?  :o
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Offline docmordrid

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion (Thread 4)
« Reply #299 on: 09/26/2016 05:58 am »
27 engines would be an 18,748,800 lbf  lower stage.  22 would be 15,276,800, closer to Musk's Ask Men interview.

Decisions, decisions....
DM

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