Flying with larger & significantly upgraded hypersonic grid fins. Single piece cast & cut titanium. Can take reentry heat with no shielding.
Are they heavier than the originals?
Slightly heavier than shielded aluminum, but more control authority and can be reused indefinitely with no touch ups
Do the larger fins require more hydraulic fluid for the standard recovery profile?
They will, but the hydraulic system is closed loop, so no fluid lost. They do need more power & energy, but rocket has plenty of that.
Is this the first closed loop version? I thought some of the early attempts ran out of hydraulic fluid due to it being open
We used to have a (lame) open loop hydraulic system, but that was upgraded to closed about 2 years ago
Did the heating of the previous fins show noticeable issues with steering?
No, but shielding got fragged every flight. More control authority is for Falcon Heavy, but also enables Falcon 9 to land in heavier winds.
Also probably means the first stage can glide further
True, but that's a minor factor for rockets
Hi res closeup of new grid fins.https://www.instagram.com/p/BVxWVmelhKG/?hl=en