Author Topic: Spacex, Raptor, Starship, super heavy...wow. Just wow.  (Read 2217 times)

PonoBill

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Spacex, Raptor, Starship, super heavy...wow. Just wow.
« on: May 09, 2021, 06:22:32 PM »
I've been following the amazing story of Spacex for the last five years and it just gets better. Starship is how we do it. Starship is how we become a multiplanet civilization and ultimately, the first baby step for extrasolar. The vision is fantastic, the design, the raptor methox engine, so FUCKInG smart. A brief aside, I spent about 400 seconds, which was 399 too long, reading the comments of a bunch of Dunning-Kruger "experts" (morons) explaining how Elon is full of crap because the Raptor engine uses methane which is 28 times more effective than CO2 at trapping heat. Like the Raptor spews methane like a party balloon. Oh well. Aside over.

There's a damned good reason NASA is going all in on the Starship. Any smart administrator looking at the options would. Yes, the politics of multistate companies sited to offer the best political cover is compelling. But it's not compelling enough to overcome lifting costs that are two orders of magnitude cheaper--and that will continue to get cheaper.
« Last Edit: May 09, 2021, 06:29:55 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Spacex, Raptor, Starship, super heavy...wow. Just wow.
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2021, 03:12:21 AM »
You should see the Blue Horizon rocket plant on the cape. Just wow. Every time I drive by it, I’m shocked. Doubles in size each time, and they still haven’t launched anything. Maybe bigger than SpaceX on the cape. Jeff isn’t messing around. 

Beasho

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Re: Spacex, Raptor, Starship, super heavy...wow. Just wow.
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2021, 06:41:21 AM »
I've been following the amazing story of Spacex for the last five years and it just gets better. Starship is how we do it. . . Raptor engine uses methane . . . . But it's not compelling enough to overcome lifting costs that are two orders of magnitude cheaper--and that will continue to get cheaper.

Elon seems to be a master at isolating cost, human effort, vs desired outcome.  Can you explain more or provide links to the cost reductions.

I just looked up the energy density of Methane ~ Liquid Natural Gas.  Hydrogen is way more energy rich but I suspect to your point 100X harder, higher labor component, to procure and store?

From:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density

PonoBill

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Re: Spacex, Raptor, Starship, super heavy...wow. Just wow.
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2021, 11:11:14 AM »
Methane has a number of advantages over hydrogen. For one thing it can be synthesized on Mars--water plus CO2 plus electricity. The molecule is much bigger than H2, so it's easy to contain, and it can be maintained as a liquid at about -100F while H2 boils a few degrees above absolute zero.

The Two-bit DaVinci channel on Youtube has a good review of what the Starship is about titled "Why is the Starship so Big".

There are a number of articles and videos about the Raptor engine, which is neither the biggest rocket engine ever built, nor the most efficient, but it's in the Goldilocks spot--big enough, efficient enough, and cheap enough, especially since it's designed to be reused as much as 50 times.

Elon's overarching goal set has dictated an approach that looks incredibly prescient, but really simply connects to the goals. If you're looking to send six people to the moon for national prestige the path is a lot different from sending 100 people at a time to establish lunar and interplanetary colonies.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

 


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