SpaceX (general discussion)

Musk released this video of the barge landing from the 2017 Bulgaria Sat launch. Not pretty but it made it. Looks like the initial aim point for landing was off and the booster had to make a hard lateral shift.

Top view didn't look too bad.

Side view is more dramatic.

Look how torched the grid fins got. The one on the right is missing pieces.
 
That launch happened to be the last before the switch to titanium grid fins (2 days later on an Iridium NEXT launch).
 
Look how torched the grid fins got. The one on the right is missing pieces.

Missed that. Explains why it initially was off on the barge aimpoint. I wonder if the flight control software is adaptive so it can add extra angle to the grid and create more drag (assuming the missing pieces cause less drag). Makes the landing more impressive for having succeeded.
 
That is good news that SpaceX have found the cause of the loss. I hope that they do not lose another.

They will almost certainly lose a whole bunch more. Back when they were learning how to do the tanks in the Falcon series, there was a whole series of explosions at McGregor. Sadly I haven't found it in any publised blooper reel. Reportedly one tank stack managed to liberate itself and flew off like a balloon, and one just completely shredded itself on the stand, every join failing almost at once.

The important part is not how many vehicles they lose, as none of the ones they are building now are going to space anyway. The important part is that they are rapidly bringing down the time (and cost!) it takes to build one. This is what makes SpaceX different.
 
The SN3 failure was on April 3
We are now April 11 and SN4 almost completed
That's 8 days !

on new building on site with crane in roof (i called "Lowbay (LB)" in post #2,677)
i believe it's for Dome integration into Ringsegmets and installment of Thrust structure and components
for moment those works are made mostly outdoors
 
The important part is not how many vehicles they lose, as none of the ones they are building now are going to space anyway. The important part is that they are rapidly bringing down the time (and cost!) it takes to build one. This is what makes SpaceX different.

Some of these mishaps seem pretty dumb though. SN1 blew up due to incorrect welds. The rest of the world knows welding has failure modes so critical welds are routinely tested. SN2 blew up due to an error in the test protocol. Again, something that should have been picked up.

The occasional error may be unavoidable, but the Starship development process seems to be cutting more corners than it should.
 
The important part is not how many vehicles they lose, as none of the ones they are building now are going to space anyway. The important part is that they are rapidly bringing down the time (and cost!) it takes to build one. This is what makes SpaceX different.

Some of these mishaps seem pretty dumb though. SN1 blew up due to incorrect welds. The rest of the world knows welding has failure modes so critical welds are routinely tested. SN2 blew up due to an error in the test protocol. Again, something that should have been picked up.

The occasional error may be unavoidable, but the Starship development process seems to be cutting more corners than it should.

It was SN3 not SN2 that failed due to a testing error.
 
This video is bit off topic
since it's about TESLA but there model Y manufacturing site in Palo Alto
show some similarity to the Starship manufacturing site in Boca Chica

 
This here is 3 part Interview between Fritz Schlang and Robert Zubrin about SpaceX and Elon Musk
There other parts will be posten HERE



 
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Stud welding is pretty much standards in the boiler industry for thermal insulation.

Seems SpaceX has been driven toward this industry practices in order to lean cost and increase outputs (I am also thinking at the open air erecting practice).

 
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