Spacex and the US Space Force
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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Spacex and the US Space Force
For those unaware, SpaceX is expecting to start test flights of the BFR in 2019 and have it in service as a replacement for their current Falcon and Falcon Heavy rockets around 2022....
https://www.defensenews.com/space/20...-out-of-space/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BFR_(rocket)
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2018/0...e-to-2100.html
https://www.defensenews.com/space/20...-out-of-space/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BFR_(rocket)
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2018/0...e-to-2100.html
In the first article, Gen Everhart is quoted as saying:
What cost is he talking about that makes the BFR cheaper than a C-5?
Unit cost, BFR: US$335 million, C-5C: US$129.17 million
Cost per launch, BFR: US$7 million, C-5C: ??? but it has to be less than $7M to fly half way around the world.
“Think about this. Thirty minutes, 150 metric tons, [and] less than the cost of a C-5,” he continued. In comparison, it would take the service’s cargo aircraft take anywhere from eight to 10 hours to get to the other side of the world.
Unit cost, BFR: US$335 million, C-5C: US$129.17 million
Cost per launch, BFR: US$7 million, C-5C: ??? but it has to be less than $7M to fly half way around the world.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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Depends on what it would cost to build a C-5 now. C-17 cost in 2013 was about £200M/$260M. Present estimate for the BFR booster is $230M.
(The Interplanetary transport system (ITS) adds about $150M for a tanker and $200M for a spaceship - but they’re the extra bits to get to Mars, not for an earth-earth hop.)
(The Interplanetary transport system (ITS) adds about $150M for a tanker and $200M for a spaceship - but they’re the extra bits to get to Mars, not for an earth-earth hop.)
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I'm pretty sure that the USAF now have congressional remit to compulsorily include reusable as opposed to expendable launch systems.
considering the VAST difference in costs it's a win, win all round.
Well apart from the legacy launch providing dinosaurs, who, like their namesakes,are actually dead, but just haven't realised it yet.
JWST anyone? SLS is far too easy a target.
considering the VAST difference in costs it's a win, win all round.
Well apart from the legacy launch providing dinosaurs, who, like their namesakes,are actually dead, but just haven't realised it yet.
JWST anyone? SLS is far too easy a target.
Mystery Russian satellite's behaviour raises alarm in US
On the BBC News website.
A mysterious Russian satellite displaying "very abnormal behaviour" has raised alarm in the US, according to a State Department official.
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They are working on the dream of delivering the equivalent of a C17 load of 80 tons to anywhere on the planet in under an hour
https://www.militarytimes.com/space/..._source=clavis
https://www.militarytimes.com/space/..._source=clavis
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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Delivering it is perfectly credible.
The scissors jack to unload, and the refuelling. turnaround and launch is a bit trickier....
The scissors jack to unload, and the refuelling. turnaround and launch is a bit trickier....
The first test flight of the now renamed Starship prototype SN8 is to take place in a matter of days.
Damn shame there's no transatlantic flights to Texas at the moment or I'd be there up front and centre.
Damn shame there's no transatlantic flights to Texas at the moment or I'd be there up front and centre.
Other option would be landing them on barges out to sea, this is already the plan for point to point, maybe a barge for landing supported by one of the old carriers, it could use reactors to power a sabietier process to create fuel to relaunch. Theres going to be a lot of options, some will work and some wont,
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The first test flight of the now renamed Starship prototype SN8 is to take place in a matter of days.
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An interesting 1hr 25 min video by Elon Musk relating to Starship. Use of 301 stainless steel, low earth orbit refuelling etc. Click on Starship update.
https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/
https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/
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I can understand using them to resupply during wartime operations etc as suggested, but lobbing up resupply rockets unannounced during a war you might get a heck of a lot coming back the other way
Crikey, it really does look like a flying wheat silo.
Here's hoping they've got their math right and that it can withstand max-Q.
The way back down sounds interesting as well - no heatshield - seems they're just relying on stainless strength, lack of ductility under heating and piped cooling on the windward side?
Here's hoping they've got their math right and that it can withstand max-Q.
The way back down sounds interesting as well - no heatshield - seems they're just relying on stainless strength, lack of ductility under heating and piped cooling on the windward side?
Crikey, it really does look like a flying wheat silo.
Here's hoping they've got their math right and that it can withstand max-Q.
The way back down sounds interesting as well - no heatshield - seems they're just relying on stainless strength, lack of ductility under heating and piped cooling on the windward side?
Here's hoping they've got their math right and that it can withstand max-Q.
The way back down sounds interesting as well - no heatshield - seems they're just relying on stainless strength, lack of ductility under heating and piped cooling on the windward side?
Finally it happens
After almost 60 years science finally catches up to Spike Milligan.
Anyone else here remember the Jet Propelled Guided NAAFI from that much loved Goon Show?
Anyone else here remember the Jet Propelled Guided NAAFI from that much loved Goon Show?
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/p...hour-g5fmb7jrt
Pentagon rocket plan to send supplies anywhere in an hour
A test flight of a rocket designed to deliver cargo anywhere in the world within an hour has been given the go-ahead by the US air force.
The rocket, carrying a payload of up to 100 tonnes, equivalent to that of a large C-17 transport aircraft, would take off on a trajectory that takes it to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere before looping down to a projected landing spot.
The rocket could also carry people to remote destinations but initially the idea is to create a superfast delivery service, particularly for special operations troops serving in “austere” environments.
The US air force budget proposals for next year include nearly $48 million for the rocket cargo programme to allow weapons, ammunition and other essentials to be sent to forces wherever in the world they are deployed in the shortest possible time.
The rockets are designed to be reusable and testing of two commercially built systems is expected to begin next year.
Two companies — SpaceX, founded by the billionaire Elon Musk, and Exploration Architecture Corporation, founded in 2007 by the space architect Sam Ximenes — are involved in developing the concept.….
One of the main difficulties now is working out how a cargo, typically in the rocket’s nose, can be quickly unloaded in hostile conditions. There are also questions about how close to buildings or people a rocket would be able to land and what kind of terrain would make a suitable landing zone.
It has been suggested that cargo could be dropped by parachute without the rocket having to land…..
Pentagon rocket plan to send supplies anywhere in an hour
A test flight of a rocket designed to deliver cargo anywhere in the world within an hour has been given the go-ahead by the US air force.
The rocket, carrying a payload of up to 100 tonnes, equivalent to that of a large C-17 transport aircraft, would take off on a trajectory that takes it to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere before looping down to a projected landing spot.
The rocket could also carry people to remote destinations but initially the idea is to create a superfast delivery service, particularly for special operations troops serving in “austere” environments.
The US air force budget proposals for next year include nearly $48 million for the rocket cargo programme to allow weapons, ammunition and other essentials to be sent to forces wherever in the world they are deployed in the shortest possible time.
The rockets are designed to be reusable and testing of two commercially built systems is expected to begin next year.
Two companies — SpaceX, founded by the billionaire Elon Musk, and Exploration Architecture Corporation, founded in 2007 by the space architect Sam Ximenes — are involved in developing the concept.….
One of the main difficulties now is working out how a cargo, typically in the rocket’s nose, can be quickly unloaded in hostile conditions. There are also questions about how close to buildings or people a rocket would be able to land and what kind of terrain would make a suitable landing zone.
It has been suggested that cargo could be dropped by parachute without the rocket having to land…..
