All examples of composite use are small and warm compared to its. Good example of failure is x33. It was a long time ago by space tech standards.
Quote from: rsdavis9 on 04/28/2017 12:49 amAll examples of composite use are small and warm compared to its. Good example of failure is x33. It was a long time ago by space tech standards.787 is not small. It's enormous. Wings also composite. X-33 was, of course, liquid hydrogen, which is proportionally further from liquid oxygen temperatures than liquid oxygen is to room temperature (referring to ratio of absolute temperatures). The BFR and a 787-10 are basically the same length.
I not sure that SpaceX would fare as well since it internally funded without a large back order ledger for BFR and ITS. The question I am asking is the risk worth the reward for the interplanetary transportation system?
I did not include specific program names in this initial post. If I did the 787 would have been an example of the very concern that I have. The 787 cost twice as much to develop as originally planned (40 billion) and the initial delivery was 40 months late. Not all because of composite issues but a good part. The break even point is now the 1100th aircraft, wow! Boeing thought it understood the design issues and bet its future on that aircraft. It had the financial resources to recover. I not sure that SpaceX would fare as well since it internally funded without a large back order ledger for BFR and ITS. The question I am asking is the risk worth the reward for the interplanetary transportation system?
Composites have been around since what? the 1980's. Glock made the first composite framed pistol back in the 1980's. ... I used Glock as an example because ITS will have gravitational stresses taking off and landing. ...
Quote from: spacenut on 04/28/2017 12:37 pmComposites have been around since what? the 1980's. Glock made the first composite framed pistol back in the 1980's. ... I used Glock as an example because ITS will have gravitational stresses taking off and landing. ...It's not a great example, since those frames are made out of fiberglass reinforced nylon, not carbon fiber reinforced epoxy. The mechanical properties are very different, nearly as different as AlLi alloy and CFRP.
Quote from: envy887 on 04/28/2017 04:47 pmQuote from: spacenut on 04/28/2017 12:37 pmComposites have been around since what? the 1980's. Glock made the first composite framed pistol back in the 1980's. ... I used Glock as an example because ITS will have gravitational stresses taking off and landing. ...It's not a great example, since those frames are made out of fiberglass reinforced nylon, not carbon fiber reinforced epoxy. The mechanical properties are very different, nearly as different as AlLi alloy and CFRP.I'm pretty sure modern polymer framed pistols aren't fiberglass reinforced... just plastic, with stamped metal inserts for the rails the slide sits on. The first polymer framed pistol was an HK too, IIRC.