Next Big Future: SpaceX Successfully Delivers Their First Commercial Satellite
robot_makes_music
· 4 months ago
Next stop, launching Bigelowe pods.
Or at least, I hope so, considering how much cheaper it is for SpaceX to get any payload into orbit vs. a government.
Then eventually Branson will be able to get folk actually to the Bigelowe pods.... and then space will change forever (DISNEY.... IN... SPACE SPACE ACE ACE )
GoatGuy
· 4 months ago
Actually I was more than pleased to watch the attendant video "camera-on-the-rocket" aspect. Interesting how the launch sequence goes, how the atmosphere burns up unused fuel ... until it gets too thin, and how much "shaking and popping" goes on during the flight. Those rocket engines sure do jigger around a lot.
Branson's not-new, but newly respected idea is simple enough: use the lifting power of the air to get the launch vehicle up to an altitude, and to a forward velocity, where the rather underpowered N2O/polybutyl rubber "engine" (really a rocket thruster) can go, go, go. Rather underpowered I bespeak? Yes: not really enough power to get a vehicle into a stabilized orbit. The success was more of a parabolic ballistic track, requiring only about 1/3 the invested kinetic energy of a true orbital shot.
But it is still good science.
I think it needs to become a "three stage" design though, to become really practical.
Stage 1: a broader-winged lifter, with large swept back titanium sheathed wings, black. To carry a heavier payload (its going to be stage 2 that adds most of the weight).
Stage 2: two rather large liquid fueld boosters, on a smaller frame. Takes the craft from 15 kilometers to 60 kilometers, bringing up velocity and changing vector to more orbital.
Stage 3: Orbiter "1" - similar design, N2O powered large polybutyl rubber fueled motor. Gets to 150 kilometers, 4,500 m/sec.
The unit is then in a eliptical orbit, sufficiently out of the atmosphere to maintain a few 90 minute revolutions around terra. azimuthal and other tweak thrusters control roll, yaw ... eventually turning "around" orbiter to decellerate near perigee to allow re-entry. Friction takes over then... I wonder how they intend to keep the thing from burning to a crisp?
After all, all those "tiles" under the shuttle weren't put there as an exercise in beautification.
All Comments
Or at least, I hope so, considering how much cheaper it is for SpaceX to get any payload into orbit vs. a government.
Then eventually Branson will be able to get folk actually to the Bigelowe pods.... and then space will change forever (DISNEY.... IN... SPACE SPACE ACE ACE )
Branson's not-new, but newly respected idea is simple enough: use the lifting power of the air to get the launch vehicle up to an altitude, and to a forward velocity, where the rather underpowered N2O/polybutyl rubber "engine" (really a rocket thruster) can go, go, go. Rather underpowered I bespeak? Yes: not really enough power to get a vehicle into a stabilized orbit. The success was more of a parabolic ballistic track, requiring only about 1/3 the invested kinetic energy of a true orbital shot.
But it is still good science.
I think it needs to become a "three stage" design though, to become really practical.
Stage 1: a broader-winged lifter, with large swept back titanium sheathed wings, black. To carry a heavier payload (its going to be stage 2 that adds most of the weight).
Stage 2: two rather large liquid fueld boosters, on a smaller frame. Takes the craft from 15 kilometers to 60 kilometers, bringing up velocity and changing vector to more orbital.
Stage 3: Orbiter "1" - similar design, N2O powered large polybutyl rubber fueled motor. Gets to 150 kilometers, 4,500 m/sec.
The unit is then in a eliptical orbit, sufficiently out of the atmosphere to maintain a few 90 minute revolutions around terra. azimuthal and other tweak thrusters control roll, yaw ... eventually turning "around" orbiter to decellerate near perigee to allow re-entry. Friction takes over then... I wonder how they intend to keep the thing from burning to a crisp?
After all, all those "tiles" under the shuttle weren't put there as an exercise in beautification.
GoatGuy