Author Topic: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3  (Read 300638 times)

Offline xpete

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Offline tleski

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #361 on: 11/10/2015 06:43 pm »
<edit> removed duplicate link, mvpel was faster by a few seconds  :)

Does anyone know which test stand is this? It looks different from the photos of the two position test stand that were posted before and what can be seen on the recently updated Google maps satellite imagery.

« Last Edit: 11/10/2015 07:05 pm by tleski »

Offline guckyfan

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #362 on: 11/10/2015 06:55 pm »
I see the two engines throttled independently.

Offline mvpel

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #363 on: 11/10/2015 07:04 pm »
It's on the test stand at the east end of the facility.


Merlin Engine Test Stand
by Michael Pelletier, on Flickr
"Ugly programs are like ugly suspension bridges: they're much more liable to collapse than pretty ones, because the way humans (especially engineer-humans) perceive beauty is intimately related to our ability to process and understand complexity. A language that makes it hard to write elegant code makes it hard to write good code." - Eric S. Raymond

Offline Raul

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #364 on: 11/10/2015 09:11 pm »
Does anyone know which test stand is this? It looks different from the photos of the two position test stand that were posted before and what can be seen on the recently updated Google maps satellite imagery.

SuperDraco test stand is here.
https://goo.gl/maps/gxeyz63MEw92

Here you can see a better how it looks Merlin test stand and this SD stand
 

Offline tleski

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #365 on: 11/11/2015 12:50 am »
Thanks. I did not realize the superdraco stand is located there. But it is rather in the center of the facility near grasshopper testing pad, not in the east end.

Offline sdsds

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #366 on: 11/11/2015 04:20 am »
Hard to image any test that runs the full 3 minutes is anything other than good.

I want an imagination like yours! Instead mine comes up will all kinds of truly dreadful scenarios.... My guess is that after a test burn SpaceX at a minimum does photographic inspection of the engines' exteriors and up into the nozzles. Possibly boroscopic inspection of the combustion chambers as well. But maybe the perceived need for that is merely pessimism rearing its ugly head.... ;)

Seriously though there's always a chance that after shutdown was commanded some transient behavior didn't look right. That would be a  difficult case for us on the outside to distinguish from a fully successful test.
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Offline meekGee

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #367 on: 11/11/2015 04:57 am »
Hard to image any test that runs the full 3 minutes is anything other than good.

I want an imagination like yours! Instead mine comes up will all kinds of truly dreadful scenarios.... My guess is that after a test burn SpaceX at a minimum does photographic inspection of the engines' exteriors and up into the nozzles. Possibly boroscopic inspection of the combustion chambers as well. But maybe the perceived need for that is merely pessimism rearing its ugly head.... ;)

Seriously though there's always a chance that after shutdown was commanded some transient behavior didn't look right. That would be a  difficult case for us on the outside to distinguish from a fully successful test.

Quite.  Damage can be incurred during the burn, and during the post-burn.

Take for example STS-133.  Just cycling the tank caused it to fail structurally, in a pretty hidden way.  But since there were no dynamic or aero loads, it was not catastrophic and was eventually fixable.
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Offline JoerTex

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #368 on: 11/11/2015 03:59 pm »
The red borders drawn on the map from RIK ISS-fan to indicate SpaceX control at McGregor are not accurate in at least one way.  They have built an access control gate at Mother Neff  just about the turn south, the road leading north off Mother Neff close to the Google mark at the lower edge of the map.  So the southern border needs update.  I've seen posts that show SpaceX controlling the field of abandoned storage on the northern side.   The exact leased area is public record since it is McGregor city property.  It'll take contact to city staff.   

http://www.mcgregor-texas.com/city.html

Offline Marslauncher

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #369 on: 11/13/2015 12:50 pm »
Tests of the Dragonfly test article should be upcoming relatively soon as the crane is in place and attachments appear ready. Also behind the second stage / F9r pad is what seems to be a new leg?

Hopefully I will get out there with a Dragonfly on the pad and ready for pictures soon :D

Offline dorkmo

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #370 on: 11/14/2015 06:20 am »
a bunch of helium tanks?

looks like theyre mounted on a rig that they can winch up and then move that stage sized vessel under it and drop it in.

from the earlier pictures i think they were putting lox in the vessel.

the fans look like they would be pointing at the helium tanks when they are in the lifted position. perhaps to heat up the tanks after being removed from the lox. as they lift the tanks out, it would be like the lox level lowering over the tanks as its used during landing.

still cant decide what theyre testing. how fast the helium changes temperature as the lox is used up? trying to replicate the leg extension with flight like helium situation? or maybe to test its ability to stand on its own as the helium warms? maybe trying to find the best time to extend the legs in relation to the amount of lox left in the stage?



i think i spot a pneumatically operated valve at the end of the insulated pipe coming from the left side. yellow with black ends.

also looks like theres a wheeled space heater on the ground to the left. is that just for warming workers up or involved with the test.
« Last Edit: 11/14/2015 06:26 am by dorkmo »

Offline mvpel

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #371 on: 11/14/2015 09:16 pm »
SpaceX recently posted a beautiful mosaic of the SuperDraco test photos, from a lower angle than the video. The original is 3000x3000 resolution.


SuperDraco Test Fire Mosaic by SpaceX Photos, on Flickr

Based on the middle right photo, it appears that the right engine may have run much hotter than the left, which would explain the difference in the volume of dripping depending on the boiling point of the liquid in question.
« Last Edit: 11/14/2015 09:39 pm by mvpel »
"Ugly programs are like ugly suspension bridges: they're much more liable to collapse than pretty ones, because the way humans (especially engineer-humans) perceive beauty is intimately related to our ability to process and understand complexity. A language that makes it hard to write elegant code makes it hard to write good code." - Eric S. Raymond

Offline Lars-J

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #372 on: 11/14/2015 11:30 pm »
SpaceX recently posted a beautiful mosaic of the SuperDraco test photos, from a lower angle than the video. The original is 3000x3000 resolution.

Based on the middle right photo, it appears that the right engine may have run much hotter than the left, which would explain the difference in the volume of dripping depending on the boiling point of the liquid in question.

(attach images, don't embed)

Eh... You do realize that they were running throttling them separately, right?

Offline mvpel

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #373 on: 11/16/2015 03:01 pm »
Eh... You do realize that they were running throttling them separately, right?

Of course. Don't be silly.  ;D
"Ugly programs are like ugly suspension bridges: they're much more liable to collapse than pretty ones, because the way humans (especially engineer-humans) perceive beauty is intimately related to our ability to process and understand complexity. A language that makes it hard to write elegant code makes it hard to write good code." - Eric S. Raymond

Offline Lars-J

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #374 on: 11/16/2015 04:46 pm »
Eh... You do realize that they were running throttling them separately, right?

Of course. Don't be silly.  ;D

Just making sure you didn't forget.  ;)
« Last Edit: 11/16/2015 04:46 pm by Lars-J »

Offline Kartoffelkuchen

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #375 on: 11/21/2015 12:57 pm »
Uhm, any word on the Full Duration Static fire test of Stage 1? I mean, december is getting closer and closer, and still no word of a test.

Offline Johnnyhinbos

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #376 on: 11/21/2015 01:11 pm »

Uhm, any word on the Full Duration Static fire test of Stage 1? I mean, december is getting closer and closer, and still no word of a test.

Uh, I believe the eagle, er, Falcon, has left the nest. It's been confirmed to now be in Florida...
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Offline Kartoffelkuchen

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #377 on: 11/21/2015 02:12 pm »
Oh you're right, I just saw the news article about it! :# I just wondered that there was no word about this in here.

Offline Craig_VG

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #378 on: 11/22/2015 09:15 pm »
Here are some photos of testing Today. These were taken by people on the SpaceX Facebook group:

http://imgur.com/a/6tWo0

And now a video too, check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spacexgroup/permalink/10153797186826318/
« Last Edit: 11/22/2015 11:20 pm by Craig_VG »

Offline Johnnyhinbos

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Testing Updates and Discussion Thread 3
« Reply #379 on: 11/22/2015 11:08 pm »
There's also a vid of the test on the group. Any speculation as to what was being tested? Second stage for RTF?
John Hanzl. Author, action / adventure www.johnhanzl.com

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