Author Topic: SpaceX's Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship Updates and Discussion Thread 3  (Read 1424360 times)

Offline docmordrid

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Is it me, or does that tank look like it's standard end caps designed to take cylindrical inserts to stretch it for use on the spacecraft or the booster? I'd imagine the methane tanks would have different caps, one conformal to the LOX tank and one the thrust structure cone(s mount).
« Last Edit: 10/26/2016 07:01 am by docmordrid »
DM

Offline guckyfan

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...
Either way, how would they get a giant tank full of liquid cryogen on a barge out in the ocean, or even a few hundred meters off shore?
Fill it up, let a little boil off as it's towed out, then anchor it and press for the test.

They might insulate it to minimize boil off

They could fill it with LOX or liquid nitrogen, if they want it tested in cryogenic state. With the huge tank boiloff would not be too big. Transport it out and close the vent valves. It would pressurise by boiloff. As the test only below burst pressure, they would have release valves and nothing will happen to the tank if the test is successful.


Offline Flying Beaver

Go Searcher made a trip out today.

Quest made her way across the basin to FishLips (probably just to grab a pint) and back to the Barge, and Elsbeth III stayed put, at the Pub.
« Last Edit: 11/01/2016 04:57 am by Flying Beaver »
Watched B1019 land in person 21/12/2015.

Offline MarekCyzio

OCSILY & co.

Offline CameronD

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Go Searcher made a trip out today.

Quest made her way across the basin to FishLips (probably just to grab a pint) and back to the Barge, and Elsbeth III stayed put, at the Pub.

Since not much has been happening lately, I haven't been watching closely.. but taking the boat out for a spin every few weeks is common practice in the marine industry.  Whilst marine engines typically need to be run up at least fortnightly to minimise sea-water corrosion in the engine cooling system, getting the hull moving through the water every so often allows ablative anti-fouling to work properly and also inhibits weed build-up on propellers and other underwater fittings which, let unchecked, reduces thrust and increases fuel consumption later on.

Mostly likely that's what they were doing.. with a pint thrown in as incentive.

« Last Edit: 11/17/2016 12:00 am by CameronD »
With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine - however, this is not necessarily a good idea. It is hard to be sure where they are
going to land, and it could be dangerous sitting under them as they fly overhead.

Offline maximlevitsky

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What worries me is that they removed 2nd set of radiators and partially muffers from blue power units.
I model this ship, and that means that I now don't know what they will do with blue power units - maybe they even replace them with newer model  :-\

Offline John Alan

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It is interesting to compare the pic from 9/24 to the one above...

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=39766.msg1588126#msg1588126

They did change some things... makes ya wonder what's going on...  ???

Maybe they are replacing the rusty coolers with something more corrosion proof...
And adding some chrome exhaust stacks...  :D
« Last Edit: 11/18/2016 05:17 pm by John Alan »

Offline maximlevitsky

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Indeed. I really hope that they just cleanup the rusty parts.

This is the model of power unit I completed not long ago - don't want to loose this work.

I already have build the container that houses the power unit - this was very difficult - it is really tiny.
https://twitter.com/maximlevitsky/status/788155430413463553

Here you can see the progress I make on the whole model - I am close to finishing actually.
https://github.com/maximlevitsky/ASDS/

Offline maximlevitsky

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Any more recent photos of our lovely ship?  ;)

Offline eeergo


Any more recent photos of our lovely ship?  ;)


Ask and you shall receive ;) taken a couple of weeks ago on the 23rd. Not much activity was visible at the times I was there, although there was a container loading device moving up and down in close proximity (not on OCISLY as far as I could tell)
« Last Edit: 12/06/2016 06:58 pm by eeergo »
-DaviD-

Offline maximlevitsky

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@eeergo Thanks a million  :D

It appears that radiators are back on blue power units - they indeed must have cleaned them.
Mufflers are still not on, but now I can be confident that they will put them back on, and that they are not going to update the blue power units.

So I am back to making my model  :)

Attached photos of what I had built so far.

Offline Kansan52

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Offline copper8

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Taken Saturday, Dec 3, 2016, about 4:30p

Offline Johnnyhinbos

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? Something strange is going on in the center of the ASDS' deck. What gives?
John Hanzl. Author, action / adventure www.johnhanzl.com

Offline dorkmo

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looks like they removed the bullseye sections... you can see the old ones to the right.

wonder if they put thicker plate in, or maybe something fun like a fire suppression system

Offline dorkmo

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also looks like theres a new party deck w/ railing over on the left side, on top of one of the containers.

Offline Req

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also looks like theres a new party deck w/ railing over on the left side, on top of one of the containers.

They should install a sealed ALON box with propulsive LAS(landing abort system? :p) and sell tickets!

Offline matthewkantar

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Flame trench?

Offline JasonAW3

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Flame trench?

I think you might be partially correct.

      My guess is that they're going to try the pad landing technique that they intend on using with the ITS first stage.

      It occurs to me that the back-blast off of the concrete pad, from landing such a huge booster might both burn through the pad and the back-blast itself may make either damage the stage itself, or make it too unstable to properly set down without a "Flame Trench".
My God!  It's full of universes!

Offline Alastor

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ITS tests do seem a bit premature, but it looks like it can be opened ...
Maybe some kind of removable deck so that they can bring in hardware from under the deck ...
Refurbishment streamlining by grabbing and securing the booster ? Maybe even being able to remove or refold the legs at sea ?

Since they had a lot of trouble with having to manually approach and secure the boosters, a robotic approach for safety would seem to be a good idea. Then you just need to protect the relatively sensitive equipment below the deck while landing takes place and if you can open safely, it's relatively easy to grab it from below in a similar manner than what they do on land.

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