I remember Elon Musk saying that he's worried about a possible pad explosion, so if Falcon Heavy clears the tower, he's relieved for the time being because then the vehicle has to go through Max-Q, which could potentially rip everything apart if there's one or more defects.And about the side core separation, well, there's no separation rockets, so we'll hope for the best.
Quote from: ZachS09 on 11/02/2017 05:00 pmI remember Elon Musk saying that he's worried about a possible pad explosion, so if Falcon Heavy clears the tower, he's relieved for the time being because then the vehicle has to go through Max-Q, which could potentially rip everything apart if there's one or more defects.And about the side core separation, well, there's no separation rockets, so we'll hope for the best.AFAIK, Cold gas thrusters on the top of the side boosters will be fired at separation to impart separation and arcing away from the core boosters velocity vector.
Quote from: rpapo on 11/02/2017 04:06 pmQuote from: wannamoonbase on 11/02/2017 04:01 pmThe side booster staging event is going to be the money event of this launch. We haven't seen a staging event like that since shuttle.Just how different is it from what happens on Delta 4 Heavy launches?It's different than the Space Shuttle and Delta IV Heavy because the Falcon Heavy side cores are NOT equipped with separation rockets, or in KSP terms "sepratrons."Cold-gas thrusters are too weak to help with the separation process.
Quote from: wannamoonbase on 11/02/2017 04:01 pmThe side booster staging event is going to be the money event of this launch. We haven't seen a staging event like that since shuttle.Just how different is it from what happens on Delta 4 Heavy launches?
The side booster staging event is going to be the money event of this launch. We haven't seen a staging event like that since shuttle.
Any clue about the payload for this Falcon Heavy maiden flight ?
I would love to see them launch a Dragon capsule around the moon and back on the first launch.
Can grid fins help with separation? Or is the aerodynamic regime too severe, or does using them 'in reverse' just not work? (turning them 180 at speed might not be the best approach.
I believe the R-7 vents its LOX tank to help tip over the booster. Perhaps SpaceX is doing the same.
Quote from: Steven Pietrobon on 11/03/2017 07:38 amI believe the R-7 vents its LOX tank to help tip over the booster. Perhaps SpaceX is doing the same.R-7 strapons arent required to reignite seconds later for RTLS and I'm not sure venting the tank would be such a good idea.2) F9 LOX vents are actually directed downwards, not sideways so they wouldn't do much. Also, not that it matters that much, the placement of the vents vs core attachment would make the strapons separate a-la Titan IV SRMs and unlike Delta IV Heavy (sideways).
Since this is a demo, I was thinking about re-using a Dragon I capsule they use to supply ISS. Just as a Demo, not a lot of money to spend.
Has anyone here considered a solution to the separation event along the lines of Ariane 3 and Ariane 4?
Quote from: woods170 on 11/03/2017 08:28 amHas anyone here considered a solution to the separation event along the lines of Ariane 3 and Ariane 4?What are you suggesting?
So for one, they need some rear attachment system on the Octawebs that will either allow the outer boosters to pivot outwards, or for the rear attachments to actively push the rear of the boosters outwards during separation (but at less of an acceleration rate than the noses are pushed outwards, to produce an outwards yaw rotation rate). While the forward attachments will actively push the noses outwards pneumatically.