Author Topic: Cool SpaceX Projects That Almost Happened (Read 11469 times)

sdsds · « **on:** 07/29/2014 11:03 pm »

I'm hoping to compile a list of "Cool SpaceX Projects That Almost Happened." As examples to get discussion started:

- Falcon 5
- Falcon 1e
- Falcon 9 Block II
- First FH from Vandenberg

Are there others?

[EDIT to add suggestions from below:
- Falcon Air
- Merlin 1B
- Magic Dragon
- Merlin 2
- Hydrolox Raptor
]

mhlas7 · « **Reply #1 on:** 07/29/2014 11:09 pm »

Falcon 9 Air

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9_Air

GregA · « **Reply #2 on:** 07/29/2014 11:32 pm »

Quote from: mhlas7 on 07/29/2014 11:09 pm

Falcon 9 Air

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9_Air

Yes that would have been a cool project. I imagine the larger Falcon 9 1.1 nixed that.
The concept of "what alternative 'first stages' are possible while the rocket is still in the atmosphere" is a good one.

Lars_J · « **Reply #3 on:** 07/30/2014 12:10 am »

Quote from: mhlas7 on 07/29/2014 11:09 pm

Falcon 9 Air

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9_Air

A more accurate name would have been Falcon 4 Air or Falcon 5 Air.

sdsds · « **Reply #4 on:** 07/30/2014 12:14 am »

Yes, definitely "Falcon Air" (whatever number). How about Merlin 1B? Is that generally acknowledged to be "cool but never happened"?

Owlon · « **Reply #5 on:** 07/30/2014 12:23 am »

Quote from: sdsds on 07/30/2014 12:14 am

Yes, definitely "Falcon Air" (whatever number). How about Merlin 1B? Is that generally acknowledged to be "cool but never happened"?

I'm pretty sure the Merlin 1B "happened" in that it was developed, but it was definitely never flown.

QuantumG · « **Reply #6 on:** 07/30/2014 12:30 am »

Revolutionizing the smallsat market with the Falcon 1e.

king1999 · « **Reply #7 on:** 07/30/2014 01:05 am »

Quote from: QuantumG on 07/30/2014 12:30 am

Revolutionizing the smallsat market with the Falcon 1e.

Now FireFly picked up the torch with their Alpha.

wannamoonbase · « **Reply #8 on:** 07/30/2014 01:10 am »

Quote from: QuantumG on 07/30/2014 12:30 am

Revolutionizing the smallsat market with the Falcon 1e.

I think Elon quickly learned there isn't much of a market for small and that it's highly competitive and a larger vehicle can just toss it overboard as a secondary cargo. The smaller market is likelY never going to materialize.

I think the Falcon 5 on Stratolaunch would be my pick for bmost interesting aborted project.

Lars_J · « **Reply #9 on:** 07/30/2014 01:12 am »

Quote from: king1999 on 07/30/2014 01:05 am

Quote from: QuantumG on 07/30/2014 12:30 am
Revolutionizing the smallsat market with the Falcon 1e.

Now FireFly picked up the torch with their Alpha.

And we'll see how much smallsat market there truly is to revolutionize.

Llian Rhydderch · « **Reply #10 on:** 07/30/2014 04:18 am »

I think Wikipedia has had that list compiled for a while now, for the Falcon rockets anyway, try this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_%28rocket_family%29

neilh · « **Reply #11 on:** 07/30/2014 04:56 am »

I suppose there's also Mars Oasis, which essentially started it all.

sdsds · « **Reply #12 on:** 07/30/2014 06:03 am »

Quote from: neilh on 07/30/2014 04:56 am

I suppose there's also Mars Oasis, which essentially started it all.

Ah, indeed! But didn't that predate SpaceX, i.e. wasn't SpaceX founded because Mars Oasis couldn't find a launch vehicle?

I've added Falcon Air and Merlin 1B to the list in the first post. (Falcon 1e was already there.)

What about parachute recovery of a Falcon first stage? It would have been cool, and it almost happened. So... yes?

Lars_J · « **Reply #13 on:** 07/30/2014 06:11 am »

Quote from: Owlon on 07/30/2014 12:23 am

Quote from: sdsds on 07/30/2014 12:14 am
Yes, definitely "Falcon Air" (whatever number). How about Merlin 1B? Is that generally acknowledged to be "cool but never happened"?

I'm pretty sure the Merlin 1B "happened" in that it was developed, but it was definitely never flown.

Exactly... And given that it was immediately replaced by the much superior M1C, I'm not sure it qualifies for the "cool" part of the "cool but never happened" criteria.

DJPledger · « **Reply #14 on:** 07/30/2014 07:34 am »

The Merlin 2 was planned for Falcon X/XX and got to a fairly high level of design before being cancelled in favour of Raptor for BFR. Merlin 2 would have been more powerful than the F-1 engine.

Dudely · « **Reply #15 on:** 07/30/2014 02:38 pm »

Quote from: sdsds on 07/30/2014 06:03 am

Quote from: neilh on 07/30/2014 04:56 am
I suppose there's also Mars Oasis, which essentially started it all.

Ah, indeed! But didn't that predate SpaceX, i.e. wasn't SpaceX founded because Mars Oasis couldn't find a launch vehicle?

I've added Falcon Air and Merlin 1B to the list in the first post. (Falcon 1e was already there.)

What about parachute recovery of a Falcon first stage? It would have been cool, and it almost happened. So... yes?

I thought parachutes were attempted and then cancelled after it failed?

Also, SpaceX was, basically, Mars Oasis renamed and with a different objective.

solartear · « **Reply #16 on:** 07/30/2014 03:41 pm »

Hydrogen fuel upper stage cancelled for methane fuel Raptor.

anonymousgerbil · « **Reply #17 on:** 07/30/2014 05:59 pm »

Magic Dragon? http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27619.0

Sesquipedalian · « **Reply #18 on:** 07/31/2014 04:57 am »

Quote from: sdsds on 07/29/2014 11:03 pm

- Falcon 9 Block II

Isn't this the Falcon 9 v1.1?

sdsds · « **Reply #19 on:** 07/31/2014 05:07 am »

Quote from: Sesquipedalian on 07/31/2014 04:57 am

Quote from: sdsds on 07/29/2014 11:03 pm
- Falcon 9 Block II

Isn't this the Falcon 9 v1.1?

I'll leave it to others to provide details (or not

) but in short Falcon 9 Block II was planned before the full performance gains of Merlin 1D were understood. Once SpaceX took those gains into account they decided to cancel Block II and do a rather more complete upgrade of the F9 vehicle, and thus v1.1 was born.

[P.S.: I added Magic Dragon to the list in the first post.]