Author Topic: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : Feb 6, 2018 : Discussion Thread 2 (Read 598056 times)

Kabloona · « **Reply #760 on:** 02/06/2018 11:17 pm »

Quote from: the_other_Doug on 02/06/2018 11:00 pm

From that timing, and from the fact that the pre-launch animation showed that the TMI burn would happen at apogee, I hate to say it, folks, but I think TMI is gonna burn at apogee, not perigee.

As always, I could be (and probably am) wrong...

The timing that Elon mentioned on twitter after launch (TMI burn after about 5+ hrs coast) fits perfectly with a burn at perigee, around 9:45 pm Eastern, where it makes most sense performance-wise.

jimbowman · « **Reply #761 on:** 02/06/2018 11:18 pm »

What was it just passing with all the flashes in the background? Thunderstorm?

JoostNL · « **Reply #762 on:** 02/06/2018 11:19 pm »

Quote from: jimbowman on 02/06/2018 11:18 pm

What was it just passing with all the flashes in the background? Thunderstorm?

Yeah, and it was awesome!!!

envy887 · « **Reply #763 on:** 02/06/2018 11:20 pm »

"How much did you invest in Heavy?"

"A lot more than I want to admit, we tried to cancel it three times"

"Guessing the total was over $500M, maybe more" - Elon

joshcryer · « **Reply #764 on:** 02/06/2018 11:23 pm »

envy887 · « **Reply #765 on:** 02/06/2018 11:26 pm »

Quote from: ChrisGebhardt on 02/06/2018 11:13 pm

Q: Where do you see FH fitting in going forward.

Musk: It launch things direct to Pluto without gravity assists. it can do anything you want. Talks about moon and orbital refueling.

I think Elon's exagerating slightly there. Pluto direct injection is ~140 km^2/s^2, FH would need at least a kick stage and possibly a Jupiter flyby to send anything that fast.

Kabloona · « **Reply #766 on:** 02/06/2018 11:26 pm »

Elon: core hit the water at 300 mph, about 100 yards from OCISLY.

ArbitraryConstant · « **Reply #767 on:** 02/06/2018 11:33 pm »

Question about what the test payload for the BFR will be. He doesn't know.

I think it clearly has to be a Tesla semi.

Kabloona · « **Reply #768 on:** 02/06/2018 11:38 pm »

Elon loves the titanium grid fins, says they worked great, but super expensive, so he's glad they recovered the side boosters. OK that the core crashed because it only had the aluminum grid fins.

envy887 · « **Reply #769 on:** 02/06/2018 11:39 pm »

Elon just smirks at the question about a Space Race with Bezos. Like "I just launched a freaking Mars rocket!"

Marsin2010 · « **Reply #770 on:** 02/06/2018 11:41 pm »

Elon specifically said that it appeared the center core ran short of prop...AND that they would start test flying the BFS NEXT YEAR...probably in Texas!

PeterAlt · « **Reply #771 on:** 02/06/2018 11:51 pm »

Does anyone know if the Tesla Roadster will make a lunar flyby (or at least a closer approach)?

The_Ronin · « **Reply #772 on:** 02/06/2018 11:54 pm »

Between John K's and Brady K's photos, I am in absolute seventh heaven. Looks like Elon agrees, too!!!!!

PeterAlt · « **Reply #773 on:** 02/06/2018 11:59 pm »

So, the Roadster is attached to the second stage rocket, right? Where are all the communication systems? In the second stage? What about power? How is it getting its electricity? Will it detach from the second stage ever? How long until it runs out of battery?

Oersted · « **Reply #774 on:** 02/07/2018 12:00 am »

In the post Falcon Heavy launch presser Elon confirmed that Starman is indeed wearing a test article of their actual spacesuit. Not instrumented, "but you can wear it in a vacuum chamber, it works", Elon said (words to that effect).

MATTBLAK · « **Reply #775 on:** 02/07/2018 12:00 am »

Quote from: PeterAlt on 02/06/2018 11:51 pm

Does anyone know if the Tesla Roadster will make a lunar flyby (or at least a closer approach)?

No, nowhere near it.

RanulfC · « **Reply #776 on:** 02/07/2018 12:01 am »

Anyone else see this and hear the "Heavy Metal" soundtrack going off?

Randy

Lobo · « **Reply #777 on:** 02/07/2018 12:02 am »

Quote from: Steven Pietrobon on 02/06/2018 11:20 pm

For national security, the number of qualification flights depends on the mission. Have commercial customers in the future. STP mission is all Block 5. Single stick block 5 in couple of months. Investment a lot more than what we liked. Tried to cancel it three times because it was a lot harder than we thought. Had to redesign core and grid fins. Nose cone causes loss of control authority. Redesign thrust structure at base. Even the side boosters, a large number of changes. Over $500M development cost.

Yea, that was kind of the irony. The further they got into FH development, the more F9 was improved and matured in it's capacity, and the more they realized the difficulties in the tri-core heavy concept, especially with reuse.

I could see how they considered cancelling it a few times along the way. We would have missed quite the event today if they had though.

AnnK · « **Reply #778 on:** 02/07/2018 12:03 am »

For all of the "fun" the roadster might as well be any inert mass. A ground car is helpless in space. Nothing will work on it and this includes the radio. I would of been more impressed if a dragon capsule would of been launched. As soon as the 2nd stage battery packs are spent it is all over. As for Heavy Metal is is a cartoon from the 70's.

happyflower · « **Reply #779 on:** 02/07/2018 12:04 am »

I would love to see the test article for the BFR be a Falcon 1.