Rhin0@SpaceRhin0·Earlier today we saw an R3 leave the test area with a very dark coating and green valve shielding!
If we are still on R8 or so then if we need R39 (or probably R50 or so) to do the next launch, they'll need to be shipping 3-4 per week out of McGregor
Quote from: InterestedEngineer on 10/01/2025 08:14 pmIf we are still on R8 or so then if we need R39 (or probably R50 or so) to do the next launch, they'll need to be shipping 3-4 per week out of McGregorI've sent a request to the EngineWatchers for a tally sheet.
Quote from: catdlr on 10/01/2025 08:16 pmQuote from: InterestedEngineer on 10/01/2025 08:14 pmIf we are still on R8 or so then if we need R39 (or probably R50 or so) to do the next launch, they'll need to be shipping 3-4 per week out of McGregorI've sent a request to the EngineWatchers for a tally sheet.Quote from: InterestedEngineer on 10/01/2025 08:14 pmIf we are still on R8 or so then if we need R39 (or probably R50 or so) to do the next launch, they'll need to be shipping 3-4 per week out of McGregorDoes anyone have any knowledge as to whether the move to a much more 3D printed engine in R3 would increase or decrease the length of time required to produce an engine, as opposed to the R2 engine? I would suspect that the production time per engine may have increased with the R3 engine.
Rhin0@SpaceRhin0·Replying to @T_De_La_Rosa @Ringwatchers and @NASASpaceflightThese are the Raptor 3 confirmed and unconfirmed engines, most of what’s been seen at McGregor if that helps!
I got a response from them (via charts - get your glasses on)QuoteRhin0@SpaceRhin0·Replying to @T_De_La_Rosa @Ringwatchers and @NASASpaceflightThese are the Raptor 3 confirmed and unconfirmed engines, most of what’s been seen at McGregor if that helps!https://x.com/SpaceRhin0/status/1973497034440319167
Quote from: catdlr on 10/01/2025 09:20 pmI got a response from them (via charts - get your glasses on)QuoteRhin0@SpaceRhin0·Replying to @T_De_La_Rosa @Ringwatchers and @NASASpaceflightThese are the Raptor 3 confirmed and unconfirmed engines, most of what’s been seen at McGregor if that helps!https://x.com/SpaceRhin0/status/1973497034440319167Enhance enhance enhance.... fail. That resolution is way too low to read, unfortunately. The text is just merged pixels.
Quote from: Metalskin on 10/01/2025 10:06 pmQuote from: catdlr on 10/01/2025 09:20 pmI got a response from them (via charts - get your glasses on)QuoteRhin0@SpaceRhin0·Replying to @T_De_La_Rosa @Ringwatchers and @NASASpaceflightThese are the Raptor 3 confirmed and unconfirmed engines, most of what’s been seen at McGregor if that helps!https://x.com/SpaceRhin0/status/1973497034440319167Enhance enhance enhance.... fail. That resolution is way too low to read, unfortunately. The text is just merged pixels.Back from lunch, I'll get back to him. Agree, Lots of empty real estate.
Quote from: catdlr on 10/01/2025 09:20 pmI got a response from them (via charts - get your glasses on)QuoteRhin0@SpaceRhin0·Replying to @T_De_La_Rosa @Ringwatchers and @NASASpaceflightThese are the Raptor 3 confirmed and unconfirmed engines, most of what’s been seen at McGregor if that helps!https://x.com/SpaceRhin0/status/1973497034440319167Enhance enhance enhance.... fail. That resolution is way too low to read unfortunately. The text is just merged pixels.
Quote from: Metalskin on 10/01/2025 10:06 pmQuote from: catdlr on 10/01/2025 09:20 pmI got a response from them (via charts - get your glasses on)QuoteRhin0@SpaceRhin0·Replying to @T_De_La_Rosa @Ringwatchers and @NASASpaceflightThese are the Raptor 3 confirmed and unconfirmed engines, most of what’s been seen at McGregor if that helps!https://x.com/SpaceRhin0/status/1973497034440319167Enhance enhance enhance.... fail. That resolution is way too low to read unfortunately. The text is just merged pixels.Beat me to it!
Rhin0@SpaceRhin0·44mReplying to @sts1251 @T_De_La_Rosa and 2 othersWe’ve seen up to R35 which is probably the more relevant statistic, so they physically have made enough for a stack (34 ignoring but yea with a combination of ruds and dev engines, quite unlikely to have tested enough at mg, wether they have enough in storage is unknown.
Rhin0@SpaceRhin0Ignore me, can’t do maths, yea a couple short of stack but got booster which is likely the priority due to pad 2 testing.
sts125@sts1251I'd say at best then we are probably looking around 10-15 engines that have been fired at McGregor that are ready for a booster then.
sts125@sts1251So in short, we haven't seen enough for a stack, especially when you consider some of the ones seen have gone "boom"
Quote from: northstar on 10/01/2025 08:47 pmQuote from: catdlr on 10/01/2025 08:16 pmQuote from: InterestedEngineer on 10/01/2025 08:14 pmIf we are still on R8 or so then if we need R39 (or probably R50 or so) to do the next launch, they'll need to be shipping 3-4 per week out of McGregorI've sent a request to the EngineWatchers for a tally sheet.Quote from: InterestedEngineer on 10/01/2025 08:14 pmIf we are still on R8 or so then if we need R39 (or probably R50 or so) to do the next launch, they'll need to be shipping 3-4 per week out of McGregorDoes anyone have any knowledge as to whether the move to a much more 3D printed engine in R3 would increase or decrease the length of time required to produce an engine, as opposed to the R2 engine? I would suspect that the production time per engine may have increased with the R3 engine.Production is the hardest thing, but the R3 significantly decreases the parts count (and things like bolted together flanges) and once they have the thing figured out, I expect they will use a lot of 3D printing to achieve a lower labor-time/engine, and increase ability to produce them quickly. Part of the real challenge will be getting sufficient time/facilities to test them at MacGregor, I believe, once they get both towers at starbase and the one at KSC operable (as well as all the GSE).
Rhin0@SpaceRhin0R4 has just been spotted leaving the Raptor North test stand!We had previously seen this engine installed on the horizontal test stand during a flyover. It is likely it was being used to actually test the new stand rather than be tested itself!
I think the reduction in part count for Raptor 3 is partially cosmetic. There is still massive complexity, but it is internal. Cooling passages, internal ports, and the like. 3D printing might actually increase the time to create an engine. It can literally take months to print large metal parts with intricate internal cooling passages. And the scrap rate is higher the more you try to consolidate parts into one.The months printing time is not necessarily a problem in the long run, as you can just buy more 3D printers, but the process is failure prone and it limits iteration time.
