Poll

What is Elon talking about regarding a new second stage (Nov 2018)?

 A true "mini-BFS"
14 (13%)
A modified 2nd stage
87 (80.6%)
Something else, I will clarify in a comment
7 (6.5%)

Total Members Voted: 108

Voting closed: 12/08/2018 07:06 pm


Author Topic: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage  (Read 6790 times)

Offline whitelancer64

POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« on: 11/08/2018 03:57 pm »
Per the various tweets from Elon Musk that have generated much interest today:

What do you think the intent is? A true "mini-BFS" or a modified 2nd stage?

A or B?

*edit*

or C, "other" please describe :)
« Last Edit: 11/08/2018 07:08 pm by whitelancer64 »
"One bit of advice: it is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree -- make sure you understand the fundamental principles, ie the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to." - Elon Musk
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Offline cbarnes199

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Re: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #1 on: 11/08/2018 04:01 pm »
B

I think they want to use these modified second stages to launch paying customers.  So they need to be very lightly modified in order to serve their primary purpose.

Anything done to a second stage that will be ready to launch by June is not very major.

Offline kevinof

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #2 on: 11/08/2018 04:04 pm »
B
An existing, slightly modifed S2 with current MVac.

Offline rpapo

Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #3 on: 11/08/2018 04:08 pm »
B.  That's the SpaceX way of doing things.
Following the space program since before Apollo 8.

Offline nacnud

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #4 on: 11/08/2018 04:10 pm »
B

Offline lamontagne

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #5 on: 11/08/2018 05:04 pm »
A.  Need to test the canards

Offline jak Kennedy

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #6 on: 11/08/2018 05:10 pm »
A. Although I think the diameter will match the current fairing. If really reusable the mini BFS would not have to be shipped too much.
... the way that we will ratchet up our species, is to take the best and to spread it around everybody, so that everybody grows up with better things. - Steve Jobs

Offline speedevil

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #7 on: 11/08/2018 05:10 pm »
B).
Carbon chomper, with the maximum diameter of the current fairing. Probably with Mvac initially, but designed to go to Rvac and eventually land propulsively if things go right.

Offline tyrred

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #8 on: 11/08/2018 05:14 pm »
B (C)

B Modified S2

(C) With aero surfaces "tucked" away during launch, so won't look like B quite so much

Offline saliva_sweet

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #9 on: 11/08/2018 06:09 pm »
B

Offline zodiacchris

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #10 on: 11/08/2018 06:16 pm »
B modified first stage, no payload, test vehicle only...

Offline Wolfram66

Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #11 on: 11/08/2018 06:37 pm »
B (C)

B Modified S2

(C) With aero surfaces "tucked" away during launch, so won't look like B quite so much

or new fairing that encapsulates the entire mBFR S2 thus covering the aero surfaces in "Stowed configuration" like Atlas V DreamChaser[TM]

Offline Poole Amateur

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #12 on: 11/08/2018 06:51 pm »
B, I believe it to be a test stage only.

Offline Lar

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #13 on: 11/08/2018 07:11 pm »
I have created an actual poll.

A is the first option, B the second and C the third when trying to correlate what people said in early comments to the actual poll.
« Last Edit: 11/08/2018 07:12 pm by Lar »
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline Coastal Ron

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #14 on: 11/08/2018 07:43 pm »
I chose "B" based on what Elon Musk has said. I'm thinking this won't be a product per se, but just a modification that allows them to incrementally test components for the BFS.
If we don't continuously lower the cost to access space, how are we ever going to afford to expand humanity out into space?

Offline Darkseraph

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #15 on: 11/08/2018 07:47 pm »
I think the third option:

I believe it will be a transitional vehicle that is not quite a mini-BFS yet (no propulsive landing, no in space refuelling) but the door will be left open to develop it into a full mini-spaceship in order to make Falcon completely reusable or in case BFR is delayed.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." R.P.Feynman

Offline HVM

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #16 on: 11/08/2018 08:06 pm »
I am pretty sure it going to be dedicated mission just for testing re-entry, regular vac-merlin and tanks but with a heat shield and aerodynamic surfaces. And will look like A.

Offline Kansan52

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #17 on: 11/08/2018 08:26 pm »
D - Shaped like A and dispenses Matchbook Teslas.

Really though. A if they announce recovery and B if only test. And the A could be a small sat dispenser even with no recovery to pay for some of the costs.

Offline Negan

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #18 on: 11/08/2018 08:42 pm »
I chose B because I can't understand how a 2nd stage that carries no payload could be considered an "upgrade" which is the actual purpose of the Falcon 2nd stage!

Upgrade - raise (something) to a higher standard, in particular improve (equipment or machinery) by adding or replacing components.
« Last Edit: 11/08/2018 08:47 pm by Negan »

Online Doesitfloat

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Re: POLL: "Mini-BFS" or Modified 2nd Stage
« Reply #19 on: 11/08/2018 08:44 pm »
Looking at the Manifest, Spacex has the SARah missions coming up.  Those missions were initially sold as F1 missions. They are 3 small satellites but go to different planes. That is 3 potential flights all out of Vandenburg.
Plenty of excess performance to use for this experiment.  The First part of the mission is to deliver a satellite so the payload adapter and fairing are required. Would be great if they were recovered and reused. 

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