SpaceX Falcon Heavy Demo - Discussion and Speculation

[Kansan52]

Wouldn't 'big bells' be more appropriate for rocketry?

[SWGlassPit]

Wouldn't 'big bells' be more appropriate for rocketry?

At the risk of riding this topic further off the rails... only really for vacuum stages.  For atmospheric stages, you're limited in how much you can expand the exhaust without creating flow separation and/or shock waves within the nozzle.

[copper8]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=41454.msg1640618#msg1640618
it is indeed a side booster heading east. there are 4 in existence at this point and they ship with their ogive nosecones installed.

4 side boosters?  Or simply 4 nosecones?

[russianhalo117]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=41454.msg1640618#msg1640618
it is indeed a side booster heading east. there are 4 in existence at this point and they ship with their ogive nosecones installed.

4 side boosters?  Or simply 4 nosecones?

both. Lets call them FH integrated booster assemblies for clarity. 1 pair side boosters for demo flight plus 1 backup pair which if not needed for demo would fly on the STP-02 flight.

[Lars-J]

So with the new truncated cone cap on the Falcon currently on LC-39A, how certain are we that it was a Heavy side core seen in the recent photo?

Because that cap is on top of the 2ND stage, and the 1st stage is not shipped mated with the 2nd stage.

[abaddon]

both. Lets call them FH integrated booster assemblies for clarity. 1 pair side boosters for demo flight plus 1 backup pair which if not needed for demo would fly on the STP-02 flight.

Is it known how many of these are repurposed previously-flown cores?

[old_sellsword]

both. Lets call them FH integrated booster assemblies for clarity. 1 pair side boosters for demo flight plus 1 backup pair which if not needed for demo would fly on the STP-02 flight.

Is it known how many of these are repurposed previously-flown cores?

Or previously used as STAs in McGregor?

[biosehnsucht]

Or previously used as STAs in McGregor?

Have any previous SpaceX STAs been flown? If not, what happened to them?

[old_sellsword]

Or previously used as STAs in McGregor?

Have any previous SpaceX STAs been flown? If not, what happened to them?

 v1.0 STA became Grasshopper, v1.1 STA became F9R Dev-1

[russianhalo117]

both. Lets call them FH integrated booster assemblies for clarity. 1 pair side boosters for demo flight plus 1 backup pair which if not needed for demo would fly on the STP-02 flight.

Is it known how many of these are repurposed previously-flown cores?

the first pair of side boosters is used and the second pair I understand might have used cores and am awaiting confirmation of the core numbers. It is known that both of the first 2 FH flights will use new center cores.

[OnWithTheShow]

Actually, IF your balls are big enough you can land both boosters on the single pad and the center core on the ship.

Assuming the approvals and permits are in place I dont see any reason they cant pour a concrete pad before May.

[abaddon]

the first pair of side boosters is used and the second pair I understand might have used cores and am awaiting confirmation of the core numbers. It is known that both of the first 2 FH flights will use new center cores.

Makes sense, the center core is different enough that it is probably not feasible to modify like with the boosters.

That's pretty crazy that this rocket may never use new boosters.

[meekGee]

the first pair of side boosters is used and the second pair I understand might have used cores and am awaiting confirmation of the core numbers. It is known that both of the first 2 FH flights will use new center cores.

Makes sense, the center core is different enough that it is probably not feasible to modify like with the boosters.

That's pretty crazy that this rocket may never use new boosters.

Yup, and it gives all the block 3 rockets something to do.

[meberbs]

both. Lets call them FH integrated booster assemblies for clarity. 1 pair side boosters for demo flight plus 1 backup pair which if not needed for demo would fly on the STP-02 flight.

Is it known how many of these are repurposed previously-flown cores?

the first pair of side boosters is used and the second pair I understand might have used cores and am awaiting confirmation of the core numbers. It is known that both of the first 2 FH flights will use new center cores.

There can't be more than 3 reused cores turned into FH boosters at this point. Using flight numbers:
F9-21: on display
F9-23: SES-10
F9-24: qualification (used up its usefulness in test)
F9-25: FH side booster
F9-27: unknown
F9-28: unknown
F9-29: only just got back.

Considering the rate at which people catch boosters as they move across the country, unless they were able to upgrade F9-27 and F9-28 in place at pad 39A HIF, I doubt that there is more than the one completed side booster that we have pictures of outside Hawthorne. I could possibly see one more have slip through unnoticed, but definitely not 3 unnoticed (for a total of 4).

[rockets4life97]

I don't think russianhalo117 is saying that there are currently 4 FH side boosters. Rather, that is the plan and we should start to see more of them over the next couple months.

[old_sellsword]

I don't think russianhalo117 is saying that there are currently 4 FH side boosters. Rather, that is the plan and we should start to see more of them over the next couple months.

I dunno, his wording was pretty clear (emphasis mine).

it is indeed a side booster heading east. there are 4 in existence at this point and they ship with their ogive nosecones installed. Cant say anything else at this time, but you will be seeing an article from the NSF article team in the near future.

[guckyfan]

So if the second pair of flight proven boosters is used on STP-02 that would be on an Airforce flight, right? Sounds like a major surprise on top of the surprise they are preparing hardware for a second flight at all at this time.

[rockets4life97]

I don't think russianhalo117 is saying that there are currently 4 FH side boosters. Rather, that is the plan and we should start to see more of them over the next couple months.

I dunno, his wording was pretty clear (emphasis mine).

it is indeed a side booster heading east. there are 4 in existence at this point and they ship with their ogive nosecones installed. Cant say anything else at this time, but you will be seeing an article from the NSF article team in the near future.

Looking at meberbs list, there are 4 landed cores that could be in the process of being converted. I think that account for the "in existence". The cores exist, they haven't all been converted yet.

[southshore26]

Actually, IF your balls are big enough you can land both boosters on the single pad and the center core on the ship.

Assuming the approvals and permits are in place I dont see any reason they cant pour a concrete pad before May.

They can't due anything till after June due to Scrub Jay nesting season March - June. The Jays are extremely endangered.

[guckyfan]

They can't due anything till after June due to Scrub Jay nesting season March - June. The Jays are extremely endangered.

It is not yet March. If they clear the area before march there is no risk of them nesting there and they can start laying the concrete through nesting season.