Quote from: Burninate on 03/12/2016 01:46 amWild-ass guesses corroborated by nothing whatsoever:The observed thrust is venting of the remaining pressure in an N2 pneumatic tank normally used in separation, associated with some safety procedure they're testing for Falcon Heavy, which will drop fairings (or perhaps interstage?) on a trajectory much closer to the launchsite in order to optimize RTLS. They want the chance of ballistically dropping pressurized cylinders near population to be closer to zero than it is at present.The cylinder is either a finished fairing at an angle, or a fairing spray/cure booth. As mentioned upthread, fairings are delivered from overseas rather than manufactured in-house, but the center of the picture indicates they may not be painted when they get here. Alternately, it's possible that it's an interstage or a stage that's simply suffering from some flavor of perspective distortion.They make fairings in-house. Do you have a source for your statement that they aren't?
Wild-ass guesses corroborated by nothing whatsoever:The observed thrust is venting of the remaining pressure in an N2 pneumatic tank normally used in separation, associated with some safety procedure they're testing for Falcon Heavy, which will drop fairings (or perhaps interstage?) on a trajectory much closer to the launchsite in order to optimize RTLS. They want the chance of ballistically dropping pressurized cylinders near population to be closer to zero than it is at present.The cylinder is either a finished fairing at an angle, or a fairing spray/cure booth. As mentioned upthread, fairings are delivered from overseas rather than manufactured in-house, but the center of the picture indicates they may not be painted when they get here. Alternately, it's possible that it's an interstage or a stage that's simply suffering from some flavor of perspective distortion.
Do they autoclave their fairings? That would be a huge autoclave.
Any guesses about what the white curved structure barely visible in the extreme lower right of the photo might be? If it is not part of the building, it certainly is of a much larger diameter that anything else in the photo.
Quote from: Retired Downrange on 03/11/2016 08:08 pmAny guesses about what the white curved structure barely visible in the extreme lower right of the photo might be? If it is not part of the building, it certainly is of a much larger diameter that anything else in the photo.I think it's a tank section for either F9 or FH.
Quote from: kkellogg on 03/13/2016 11:48 pmQuote from: Retired Downrange on 03/11/2016 08:08 pmAny guesses about what the white curved structure barely visible in the extreme lower right of the photo might be? If it is not part of the building, it certainly is of a much larger diameter that anything else in the photo.I think it's a tank section for either F9 or FH.I looked through as many of the building tour videos and pictures as I could find and didn'tSee that in any of them.
Quote from: Chris_Pi on 03/08/2016 09:11 pmSeparation is done with pushersI've always known it was done with pushers and I think N gas pushers but I'm surprised by the technology path they've chosen. I always assumed that they used COTS nitrogen gas springs of the type used in automotive lift gates or the type used in stamping dies. In my scenario the halves would be held together with electrically releasable latches such as on car trunks. I guess those assumptions show the field that I've been working in. But also now see that if they'd have chosen the path that I envision there'd be challenges in bringing the fairing halves together evenly against the multiple springs.
Separation is done with pushers
An odd patent... (Low shock separation joint - US 7127994 B2)Most of the spec is about a separation joint - nothing to do with a retained split fairing design...Then there are these two figures at the end, seemingly out of the blue, a bit of text, and no claims related to this mechanism.Sometimes you add text to prove the utility of the patent, but this doesn't look like it at all...head scratch...(And I doubt anyone can patent the idea of a retained split fairing anyway... )
Quote from: meekGee on 03/15/2016 01:56 amAn odd patent... (Low shock separation joint - US 7127994 B2)Most of the spec is about a separation joint - nothing to do with a retained split fairing design...Then there are these two figures at the end, seemingly out of the blue, a bit of text, and no claims related to this mechanism.Sometimes you add text to prove the utility of the patent, but this doesn't look like it at all...head scratch...(And I doubt anyone can patent the idea of a retained split fairing anyway... )Wow, how were you able to find the name and number? I came across it for a Biomimicry class assignment, and it seemed to fit the discussion here in a few & funny ways. Your doubts are not surprising since the patent has lapsed.
Anyone hazard a guess on how well retrieval would work during night launches?
Quote from: Lee Jay on 03/12/2016 12:59 amDo they autoclave their fairings? That would be a huge autoclave.I assume they do? Aerospace autoclaves are rather large... Dreamliner autoclave is 9 m dia, 30 m long.
Quote from: sewebster on 03/12/2016 04:28 amQuote from: Lee Jay on 03/12/2016 12:59 amDo they autoclave their fairings? That would be a huge autoclave.I assume they do? Aerospace autoclaves are rather large... Dreamliner autoclave is 9 m dia, 30 m long.The fairings are cured in an oven, not an autoclave.
Quote from: Rabidpanda on 03/19/2016 08:59 amQuote from: sewebster on 03/12/2016 04:28 amQuote from: Lee Jay on 03/12/2016 12:59 amDo they autoclave their fairings? That would be a huge autoclave.I assume they do? Aerospace autoclaves are rather large... Dreamliner autoclave is 9 m dia, 30 m long.The fairings are cured in an oven, not an autoclave.Thanks. Do you know how they apply pressure to the parts?
Quote from: sewebster on 03/20/2016 05:33 pmQuote from: Rabidpanda on 03/19/2016 08:59 amThe fairings are cured in an oven, not an autoclave.Thanks. Do you know how they apply pressure to the parts?Perhaps they vacuum bag them?
Quote from: Rabidpanda on 03/19/2016 08:59 amThe fairings are cured in an oven, not an autoclave.Thanks. Do you know how they apply pressure to the parts?
The fairings are cured in an oven, not an autoclave.
Quote from: sewebster on 03/20/2016 05:33 pmQuote from: Rabidpanda on 03/19/2016 08:59 amQuote from: sewebster on 03/12/2016 04:28 amQuote from: Lee Jay on 03/12/2016 12:59 amDo they autoclave their fairings? That would be a huge autoclave.I assume they do? Aerospace autoclaves are rather large... Dreamliner autoclave is 9 m dia, 30 m long.The fairings are cured in an oven, not an autoclave.Thanks. Do you know how they apply pressure to the parts?Perhaps they vacuum bag them?
Rough numbers but you get the idea;What's F9's payload capacity to GTO? 10,000 pounds?What's the weight of the payload fairing? 5,000 pounds?What's the revised payload capacity if you take the payload fairing along for the whole ride? ?5000? pounds.Substitute in actual numbers and you get actually poor numbers. Weight carried on the first stage is not good. Weight carried on the second stage is really not good.
Quote from: sghill on 03/10/2016 03:47 pmWhy not develop a fairing that peels back like a banana peel and locks against the second stage skin? Kind of like the legs, but in reverse.It could be used as a TPS for the second stage so the stage can be recovered.No need to peel it back if it is taken to orbit. It could be opened right before spacecraft deployment. But the fairing would reduce payload mass.
Why not develop a fairing that peels back like a banana peel and locks against the second stage skin? Kind of like the legs, but in reverse.It could be used as a TPS for the second stage so the stage can be recovered.
2. The fact that F9 fairings have been recovered, either in pieces or near complete halves, show that they are strong enough to withstand reentry.