[AR] Re: SpaceX Single Stage to Orbit
- From: Craig Fink <webegood@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 25 May 2019 09:29:55 -0700
On Sat, May 25, 2019 at 7:24 AM David Summers <dvidsum@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I sense something I could learn from!
Why do you say 5% to be the economical msss ratio? What drives the numbers?
The difference between a business and a stunt? For SpaceX it's economical
to go SSTO with 0% mass ratio for their prototype vehicle, as it's a second
stage Entry vehicle. Flying a full entry to landing with the prototype
would be the finale of such a development campaign. SSTO with a Titan,
Saturn Second Stage, Falcon 9 first stage would be a stunt. But as
Milestones go, I consider SSTO to be one of the big ones, something to see
when visiting the Smithsonian, like the Wright Flyer.
https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/1903-wright-flyer
Looking at Models in the Smithsonian lacks excitement and should be
removed, looking at un-flown disposable rockets is ok, but seeing actual
flight hardware like the Apollo 11 Command Module, Snoopy and the Hubble
Space Telescope is something special.
Speaking of the Hubble, why isn't NASA talking about the next servicing
mission yet? Hope they wake up before it falls from Orbit.
Was Launching the Tesla into Orbit a Stunt? Or was Elon Musk just shipping
his car to Mars early, so that he has something to drive around in when he
gets there?
My guess: engine cost is much higher than tankage, and you drop them with
the tanks?
If the tank is the payload, then you have something. If it's metal, it
could be cut up into one long welding wire to feed into a Orbital 3-D
printer to make something else, or add a new room.
On Sat, May 25, 2019, 12:08 AM William Claybaugh <wclaybaugh2@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Craig:
Are you being a jerk on purpose or have you just not followed this
conversation?
Second stage of the Saturn 5 was also capable of expendable SSTO if
re-engined with SSME’s. Expendable SSTO has be technically feasible since
the late 1950’s; it simply hasn’t been economic. Nor will it be until 5%
payload fractions are achievable.
Bill
On Fri, 24 May 2019 at 19:01, Craig Fink <webegood@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Wed, May 22, 2019 at 7:34 PM Henry Spencer <hspencer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
On Wed, 22 May 2019, anthony@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Wasn’t the former Titan capable of SSTO, assuming a practical “zero”
payload?
The Titan II first stage could even carry a token payload into orbit,
maybe 1t or so if you did things just right
Hi Henry,
Titan was a missile, how many 1t weapons did it take to orbit?
Or, Ascents did it perform SSTO?
--
Craig Fink
WeBeGood@xxxxxxxxx
--
Craig Fink
WeBeGood@xxxxxxxxx
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