Recent comments in /f/space

Borg8401 t1_j82dvri wrote

Reply to comment by Feggy_JVS in SpaceX on Twitter: Super Heavy Booster 7 completed a full duration static fire test of 31 Raptor engines, producing 7.9 million lbf of thrust (~3,600 metric tons) – less than half of the booster’s capability by allforspace

The most powerful currently active rocket design is the Space Launch System (SLS), operated by NASA (USA). The Block 1 model of the SLS, which generates a peak thrust of 36,786 kN (8.27 million lbf).-Guinness World Records, 2022

This test at 50% produced nearly equivalent thrust metrics.

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MrZorg58 t1_j82dl5v wrote

Reply to comment by Rocket_wanker in Blue Origin awarded NASA launch contract for Mars mission (Studying magnetic field) by kuroimakina

Musk told reporters, it seemed like Bezo's retired to: “Turns out Besos [sic] retired in order to pursue a full-time job filing lawsuits against SpaceX …"

There are other suits he's done, but failed.

I don't really care, but I think it was a stupid decision on NASA's part, to accept 2 billion "donation" and then award the contract to Bezo's, who hasn't even achieved orbital flight yet.

More on some of his other suits against Musk. https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/jeff-bezos-retired-to-file-lawsuits-against-spacex-says-elon-musk-121082700846_1.html

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Shrike99 t1_j82bang wrote

Reply to comment by RedditorFor8Years in SpaceX on Twitter: Super Heavy Booster 7 completed a full duration static fire test of 31 Raptor engines, producing 7.9 million lbf of thrust (~3,600 metric tons) – less than half of the booster’s capability by allforspace

I doubt the launch pad would survive such a test. I'm not sure there's a facility in the world that could.

The test stand at NASA's Marshall Center was able to handle the Saturn V first stage static firing for a similar duration to Superheavy (~2.5 minutes), but Superheavy's energy output is about 2.7 times greater.

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Reliable_Redundancy t1_j828dmh wrote

Reply to comment by glhope in SpaceX on Twitter: Super Heavy Booster 7 completed a full duration static fire test of 31 Raptor engines, producing 7.9 million lbf of thrust (~3,600 metric tons) – less than half of the booster’s capability by allforspace

There could be strain gauges on the pad, but I would imagine it's hard to calibrate them in situ.

More likely, they have lots of sensors on each engine including pressure transducers. They know from single engine tests that pressures in an engine are correlated to the amount of thrust it is producing. A little bit of math later they get the total thrust of the rocket

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dkf295 t1_j8248dt wrote

Reply to comment by Barrrrrrnd in SpaceX on Twitter: Super Heavy Booster 7 completed a full duration static fire test of 31 Raptor engines, producing 7.9 million lbf of thrust (~3,600 metric tons) – less than half of the booster’s capability by allforspace

A 5 second test is already longer than the rocket will remain on the stand, and damage (thermal and otherwise) decreases exponentially as distance to the pad increases. Which is to say, by a couple seconds into the burn the rocket will be taking off, and by 5 seconds the rocket will be far enough from the mount for the thermal stresses and shockwaves will be less than the 50% intensity, 5 second burn.

Between this and the 10 second, 14 engine test back in November (which was done with inferior concrete that held up dramatically less well than the current 'crete they're using) it's safe to say they're fairly confident there will be no showstopping problems. It is also extremely likely they will have the water deluge system in place for the full launch which will further reduce any damage.

Finally even if they did completely wreck the pad, it's no biggie. Sure, it's not sustainable but this is a test campaign, and they've already re-done the pad several times.

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Anthony_Pelchat t1_j8234dd wrote

Reply to comment by RedditorFor8Years in SpaceX on Twitter: Super Heavy Booster 7 completed a full duration static fire test of 31 Raptor engines, producing 7.9 million lbf of thrust (~3,600 metric tons) – less than half of the booster’s capability by allforspace

Not on the ground. Remember, even at this low amount of thrust, it was still more than the Saturn V produced when it sent humans to the Moon. Full mission duration isn't needed as each engine is already tested that way individually.

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Rocket_wanker t1_j81ty08 wrote

Reply to comment by MrZorg58 in Blue Origin awarded NASA launch contract for Mars mission (Studying magnetic field) by kuroimakina

Not saying the suit had any grounds, but it was exactly one lawsuit.

Elon has quite a few under his belt now though:

2019 (SpaceX vs AFSMSC)

2019 (SpaceX vs NASA bid protest over a launch procurement, later withdrawn)

2014 (SpaceX vs USAF)

2005 (SpaceX vs Boeing and Lockheed)

Not to mention all the shady shit Starlink has pulled with the FCC.

Lawsuits force change in this industry, acting like one lawsuit somehow shaped NASA’s ability to do anything is absurd.

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