Maybe the payload will simply be the reusable upper stage (plus a small token payload), giving as much propellant as possible to assist recovery.
Plenty of propellant to ballast the stage for Merlin landing would count as payload too.
While true that extra prop would offset the Merlin's power on this lighter stage as it lands (ballasted like Grasshopper was) that extra mass will cause completely different dynamics for S2 reentry and whatever TPS they are using. Although later S2s may land with smaller engines, I would think it is important for S2 mass to be as close to nominal as possible to gather accurate data re. reentry phenomena.
How will those modifications be made in time for the demo launch?
Quote from: OneSpeed on 04/28/2017 08:57 amHow will those modifications be made in time for the demo launch? How do we know they haven't been planning this for a (sufficiently) long time already?
Quote from: Robotbeat on 04/28/2017 04:40 amMaybe the payload will simply be the reusable upper stage (plus a small token payload), giving as much propellant as possible to assist recovery.Sure, but what will the modifications be to the stage to make it reusable? How will those modifications be made in time for the demo launch? What will the EDL profile be like, and how (and where) will it land?
Speculation is leaning toward an optional module, so a customer could either fly expendable or "dual manifest" with the recovery hardware. The module would share most of it's subsystems with the Dragon 2 capsule, but is still a new, untested spacecraft, possibly enough to qualify as a "Hail Mary" by elon's statements.
Quote from: rakaydos on 04/28/2017 03:41 pmSpeculation is leaning toward an optional module, so a customer could either fly expendable or "dual manifest" with the recovery hardware. The module would share most of it's subsystems with the Dragon 2 capsule, but is still a new, untested spacecraft, possibly enough to qualify as a "Hail Mary" by elon's statements.Ok, so assuming that fairings will be used for the demo mission, what are the minimum modifications required to a Dragon 2 capsule, and how would it be mounted at each stage of the mission? Where would it land?
Of course it will be a school bus. Elon has been talking how his fairing is large enough for a school bus.
Serious question - are you allowed to put something into orbit that deliberately has zero control authority (like a bus or a Tesla)? Seems kinda reckless. How stable is, say, GTO?
Quote from: Johnnyhinbos on 04/30/2017 02:32 pmSerious question - are you allowed to put something into orbit that deliberately has zero control authority (like a bus or a Tesla)? Seems kinda reckless. How stable is, say, GTO?Silly was the word, not reckless.I'm assuming they are planning 1) for it to burn up on reentry (likely), or2) to send it into heliocentric orbit (after demonstrating GTO). Less likely but why not?
they could launch a Tesla straight INTO the sun. it would be silly.it would be the largest mass ever launched toward the sun.it would create no new space junk.Tesla could claim to have manufactured the fastest automobile ever produced.is the falcon heavy even powerful enough to do that without the car taking years to slowly spiral into the sun?