Author Topic: Falcon Heavy Demo Mission Payload Speculation (Read 219860 times)

Req · « **Reply #320 on:** 02/05/2018 04:59 am »

https://www.instagram.com/p/BezcvpzAgYI/?taken-by=elonmusk

elonmusk
Starman in Red Roadster

OnWithTheShow · « **Reply #321 on:** 02/05/2018 05:23 am »

Looks like a 2nd camera tower by the drivers door and maybe something on the back of the car as well.

catdlr · « **Reply #322 on:** 02/05/2018 05:27 am »

Quote from: OnWithTheShow on 02/05/2018 05:23 am

Looks like a 2nd camera tower by the driver's door and maybe something on the back of the car as well.

My bet on the object attached to the rear end of the car is an antenna to transmit a signal from the car (video from the car itself?) back to the second stage.

OnWithTheShow · « **Reply #323 on:** 02/05/2018 05:29 am »

Wouldnt they just hardwire it? Maybe its a solar array!

envy887 · « **Reply #324 on:** 02/05/2018 01:24 pm »

Quote from: OnWithTheShow on 02/05/2018 05:29 am

Wouldnt they just hardwire it? Maybe its a solar array!

Look by the rear tire, there is a cable harness running from the Tesla's adapter to the PAF. There's also a strut connecting the front of the car to the camera tower, which is bolted to the PAF. The Tesla is not going to separate from the PAF, which means it is not going to separate from the second stage.

sghill · « **Reply #325 on:** 02/05/2018 01:59 pm »

Quote from: catdlr on 02/05/2018 05:27 am

Quote from: OnWithTheShow on 02/05/2018 05:23 am
Looks like a 2nd camera tower by the driver's door and maybe something on the back of the car as well.

My bet on the object attached to the rear end of the car is an antenna to transmit a signal from the car (video from the car itself?) back to the second stage.

There is no FCC permit. It'll have to be hard wired to the stage, and the stage can transmit until its batteries die.

Zed_Noir · « **Reply #326 on:** 02/05/2018 02:14 pm »

Wonder if the "Starman" spacesuit is functional? It seems a lost opportunity to not to do some spacesuit tests with the FH demo flight.

envy887 · « **Reply #327 on:** 02/05/2018 02:59 pm »

Quote from: sghill on 02/05/2018 01:59 pm

Quote from: catdlr on 02/05/2018 05:27 am
Quote from: OnWithTheShow on 02/05/2018 05:23 am
Looks like a 2nd camera tower by the driver's door and maybe something on the back of the car as well.

My bet on the object attached to the rear end of the car is an antenna to transmit a signal from the car (video from the car itself?) back to the second stage.

There is no FCC permit. It'll have to be hard wired to the stage, and the stage can transmit until its batteries die.

If this stage is demonstrating GEO coast, that could be 10-12 hours of life, or more, and far enough away to show the entire Earth behind the Roadster.

Lars-J · « **Reply #328 on:** 02/05/2018 04:44 pm »

Quote from: Zed_Noir on 02/05/2018 02:14 pm

Wonder if the "Starman" spacesuit is functional? It seems a lost opportunity to not to do some spacesuit tests with the FH demo flight.

Why would it be? What tests do you think need to happen here that cannot be reproduced much cheaper and easier in a vacuum chamber on Earth?

Zed_Noir · « **Reply #329 on:** 02/05/2018 04:58 pm »

Quote from: Lars-J on 02/05/2018 04:44 pm

Quote from: Zed_Noir on 02/05/2018 02:14 pm
Wonder if the "Starman" spacesuit is functional? It seems a lost opportunity to not to do some spacesuit tests with the FH demo flight.

Why would it be? What tests do you think need to happen here that cannot be reproduced much cheaper and easier in a vacuum chamber on Earth?

The suit works after the acceleration forces and vibrations from a 28 Merlin engines Falcon Heavy flight from takeoff to orbit.

Somehow don't think there is vacuum chamber that can simulated a FH launch enviroment.

intrepidpursuit · « **Reply #330 on:** 02/05/2018 05:01 pm »

Quote from: Zed_Noir on 02/05/2018 04:58 pm

Quote from: Lars-J on 02/05/2018 04:44 pm
Quote from: Zed_Noir on 02/05/2018 02:14 pm
Wonder if the "Starman" spacesuit is functional? It seems a lost opportunity to not to do some spacesuit tests with the FH demo flight.

Why would it be? What tests do you think need to happen here that cannot be reproduced much cheaper and easier in a vacuum chamber on Earth?

The suit works after the acceleration forces and vibrations from a 28 Merlin engines Falcon Heavy flight from takeoff to orbit.

Somehow don't think there is vacuum chamber that can simulated a FH launch enviroment.

There also won't be any missions with people inside a payload faring.

cebri · « **Reply #331 on:** 02/05/2018 06:04 pm »

Welsh Dragon · « **Reply #332 on:** 02/05/2018 06:19 pm »

Bowie. Yes.

Roy_H · « **Reply #333 on:** 02/05/2018 06:21 pm »

What? No seat belt!

BunkerTheHusky · « **Reply #334 on:** 02/05/2018 08:50 pm »

Quote from: Roy_H on 02/05/2018 06:21 pm

What? No seat belt!

What? No Upper Stage!

smndk · « **Reply #335 on:** 02/05/2018 09:07 pm »

Could they have replaced the foldable roof with solar arrays, that they can unfold when in space heading for Mars? Probably not, I know.

speedevil · « **Reply #336 on:** 02/05/2018 09:08 pm »

Quote from: smndk on 02/05/2018 09:07 pm

Could they have replaced the foldable roof with solar arrays, that they can unfold when in space heading for Mars? Probably not, I know.

They could have - but there is little to power.
It would sort of make sense if the craft had a means to signal back, but it seems not to have, so it's mostly pointless.

smndk · « **Reply #337 on:** 02/05/2018 09:12 pm »

Yeah. Would have been nice with a video feed all the way though. :-)

AC in NC · « **Reply #338 on:** 02/05/2018 09:24 pm »

Quote from: smndk on 02/05/2018 09:12 pm

Yeah. Would have been nice with a video feed all the way though. :-)

After a certain point the MP4 is going to look about the same as a JPG.

Joseph Peterson · « **Reply #339 on:** 02/05/2018 09:36 pm »

Did the second stage get more batteries or solar panels to allow for the 6 hour coast?