tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post295911168151168549..comments2024-03-29T09:08:47.702-04:00Comments on The Silicon Graybeard: Bezos' Blue Origin Just Passed A Major TestSiGraybeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-3320184533071947362018-01-02T17:17:32.381-05:002018-01-02T17:17:32.381-05:00Thanks for your input! We can respect a need to r...Thanks for your input! We can respect a need to remain anonymous. <br /><br />The delay in the comment appearing is because all posts older than 14 days get comments moderated. Over 95% are spam. <br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-68662610962218248922018-01-02T17:06:22.578-05:002018-01-02T17:06:22.578-05:00The BE4 powerhead assembly failed in a Spring 2017...The BE4 powerhead assembly failed in a Spring 2017 test, and I understand there have been no changes to the powerhead since because the first 4 engines were built in parallel. The powerhead is the main part of a liquid booster and the most challenging part of the design. It consists of the preburner and turbo-pumps. To complete the engine, you add the main injector, combustion chamber, and nozzle, but those are more straight-forward, with combustion instability being the main difficulty. Since BE4 is privately funded, there is little public info on test results. It will be interesting what happens ing higher power and longer duration tests. Large methane engines is a new frontier. I work in the industry so must remain anonymous.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-12509058591046107202017-10-22T18:10:07.556-04:002017-10-22T18:10:07.556-04:00According to my Real Rocket Scientist friends at B...According to my Real Rocket Scientist friends at Boeing, SpaceX started with a design that had been funded by NASA sometime back. The design was already finalized, and SpaceX developed it to what it is today.drjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05647484115197408897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-58383896029674112762017-10-22T17:54:13.898-04:002017-10-22T17:54:13.898-04:00I don't believe for one minute that Bezos, Mus...I don't believe for one minute that Bezos, Musk or any other Master of the Universe will personally pay for this. Just like the Tesla, the American taxpayer will pick up most of the tab for this boondoggle. ragmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-63772522992017027182017-10-22T14:41:50.749-04:002017-10-22T14:41:50.749-04:00The way I read that was there was nothing they had...The way I read that was there was nothing they had NASA or any government agency to do that was not billed to and paid for by Blue Origin. BO could contract NASA to do some testing or analysis, but that would be billed to BO as a "direct cost". BO could have used products from the government like printed work or published source code but since they're already created and accessible, there wouldn't be a cost billed to BO. <br /><br />So it's saying they didn't specifically do anything that resulted in new direct costs that the taxpayers ate. <br /><br />I'm not an accountant and lots of aspects of cost tracking makes me nuts. I may be wrong about this. <br /><br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-519887962028507402017-10-22T13:52:56.264-04:002017-10-22T13:52:56.264-04:00"...largely funded by Jeff Bezos, without dir..."...largely funded by Jeff Bezos, without direct cost to taxpayers."<br /><br />That sounds awfully slippery. What exactly does that mean?Arthurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09289639279717534292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-10265342517940919122017-10-22T12:10:36.328-04:002017-10-22T12:10:36.328-04:00This is very cool.This is very cool.Borepatchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05029434172945099693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-75885478776681510052017-10-21T17:06:36.875-04:002017-10-21T17:06:36.875-04:00And I do need to make one more correction:
While t...And I do need to make one more correction:<br />While the RS-25 engine is reusable, the SLS mission profile does not currently plan to reuse that engine in order to maximize the lift capability of the integrated system.Mark Matisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-87182535794664536132017-10-21T14:07:53.769-04:002017-10-21T14:07:53.769-04:00All three of those engines are impressive beasts. ...All three of those engines are impressive beasts. RS-25 included.Mark Matisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-77721810874774172802017-10-21T10:11:20.849-04:002017-10-21T10:11:20.849-04:00Thanks, Mark. The quote is lifted from ARS, and t...Thanks, Mark. The quote is lifted from ARS, and they didn't specify largest non-solid fuel engine, as if they meant all engines. They should have. Their emphasis was that it was a liquefied natural gas engine. <br /><br />That SLS solid sure is an impressive beast, though. Both of those engines are impressive beasts. <br /><br /><br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-29371973007918467422017-10-21T09:02:00.505-04:002017-10-21T09:02:00.505-04:00At only 550,000 pounds of thrust, this engine is F...At only 550,000 pounds of thrust, this engine is FAR short of "...<i>the most powerful rocket engine developed in the US since Rocketdyne built the RS-68 engine two decades ago...</i>" If you want that, look no further than:<br />http://tinyurl.com/ybhf43tx<br />which is the most powerful rocket engine EVER developed. And it is as fully reusable as Mr. Bezos. Of course, if you're only talking about liquid-fueled engines, then it is indeed more powerful than the new RS-25:<br />http://tinyurl.com/y7bmdlne<br />which only makes 512,000 pounds of thrust and is also fully reusable. And has run at that level for full mission duration...Mark Matisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-58799747998554408392017-10-21T00:26:10.273-04:002017-10-21T00:26:10.273-04:00Impressive.Impressive.LLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05538854359365988863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-1646798859489681862017-10-21T00:22:47.547-04:002017-10-21T00:22:47.547-04:00I think this is the first "big" methane ...I think this is the first "big" methane powered engine, too.<br /><br />Everything else uses RP1/LOX or H2/LOX.drjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05647484115197408897noreply@blogger.com