SpaceX Grasshopper a reusable rocket being developed

[dorlomin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOek7XSzsOc

The aim is to cut costs of getting to space by having a fully reusable first stage.

[renton]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOek7XSzsOc

The aim is to cut costs of getting to space by having a fully reusable first stage.

Well, it only took them 40 odd years, but it's nice to see that they've finally done something with Grumman's Lunar Module throttle technology.

On balance, I still think the SABRE engine being developed down south offers a better single stage ground to orbit route.

[DEEJANGO]

Think I'll get one

[Dee Man]

Think I'll get one

I've got two - I'll sell you one. I didn't realise the fuckers were reusable until I looked at the instructions.

[dorlomin]

SpaceX proved yesterday that their Grasshopper prototype Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing (VTVL) vehicle can do more than just go straight up and down. The goal of the test, said SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Twitter was, “hard lateral deviation, stabilize & hover, rapid descent back to pad.”

On August 13th, the Grasshopper did just that, completing a divert test, flying to a 250-meter altitude with a 100-meter lateral maneuver before returning to the center of the pad. SpaceX said the test demonstrated the vehicle’s ability to perform more aggressive steering maneuvers than have been attempted in previous flights.

http://www.universetoday.com/104083/spacex-grasshopper-performs-divert-manuever/#ixzz2bxpJtn4r

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2t15vP1PyoA

So a real re-usable space vehicle is getting closer. From the only people to be able to commercial delivery to the ISS and who have made a commercially viable electric car.... comes perhaps the one genuine viable break through in orbital space flight.

[Romeo]

Old news this....

[dorlomin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZDkItO-0a4

Rocket launch and landing from a drone helicopter.

[Newbornbairn]

Think they should sack the woman who hoovers the launch pad.

[Reynard]

Hopefully it works using the power of pedalling and graphs

[dorlomin]

SpaceX are rather busy beavers. The Grasshopper technology is now on board the Falcon 9.1 launch vehicle. They have tried a few tests of slowing down first stages after separation and gotten it down to a controlled splash down.

This is now ready to set sail.

It is a landing barge.

Here is some video of a controlled splash down

19:30 UK time they are going to try and launch a (now) routine resupply mission to the ISS. They are hoping to land the first stage on the barge, paving the way for a reusable first stage. They give it 50/50 as this is still test flight stuff, so worth a watch in case of big bang. But if they succeed they could be a long way to creating a reusable commercial launch vehicle. Being a liquid fuelled system they have a lot less problems with reusablity than the shuttles solid boosters.

[dorlomin]

 

[bob the tank]

It it was called the Grass X Spacehopper I would buy one [emoji324]

[hellbhoy]

They already had a reusable space program, it was called the space shuttle.

[EdgarusQPFC]

19 minutes ago, hellbhoy said:

They already had a reusable space program, it was called the space shuttle.

Problem was that for all the fuel it spent, its cargo capacity was awful. For LEO the shuttle could carry just shy of 25,000 kg, which sounds impressive, except that the Saturn V could carry just shy of 120,000 kg.

Show i like had a idea which from what i understand is sound. Basically that you build orbital elevators, that is large platforms that go from the ground into LEO via large cables and supports ending in a large counterweight. From what i understand the theory is sound, the counterweight ensures that centrifugal force would keep the cable from collapsing and then you build a tram system to travel the cables, removing the need for rockets. 



From what i understand the biggest issue is the cost.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

13 minutes ago, EdgarusQPFC said:

Problem was that for all the fuel it spent, its cargo capacity was awful. For LEO the shuttle could carry just shy of 25,000 kg, which sounds impressive, except that the Saturn V could carry just shy of 120,000 kg.

Show i like had a idea which from what i understand is sound. Basically that you build orbital elevators, that is large platforms that go from the ground into LEO via large cables and supports ending in a large counterweight. From what i understand the theory is sound, the counterweight ensures that centrifugal force would keep the cable from collapsing and then you build a tram system to travel the cables, removing the need for rockets. 



From what i understand the biggest issue is the cost.

That and ISIS crashing a plane into it.

[dorlomin]

13 hours ago, EdgarusQPFC said:

Problem was that for all the fuel it spent, its cargo capacity was awful. For LEO the shuttle could carry just shy of 25,000 kg, which sounds impressive, except that the Saturn V could carry just shy of 120,000 kg.
 

The biggest problem of the Shuttle was it was a series of political compromises that became a jack of all trades and a master of none. The project was in a bit of bother in financing so the US Airforce got on board but demanded it be big enough to retrieve one of its massive satellites. It was also built to carry humans into orbit for space science and to be a commercial pay load launcher. It ended up too big for just a few humans and way too infrequent to fly to make its re-usability commercially viable. You had a massive stafff taking many months to prepare it for a second launch. 

 

Fuels costs are about the cheapest part of a launch vehicle. Its mostly just refined kerosene and compressed oxygen. Musk has made some real big breakthroughs in terms of cost so far. His team have successfully returned a rocket, whether it can be refurbished quicker and cheaper than manufactured is the next big hurdle. Rockets undergo huge pressure and temperature and this will seriously stress the metals and other materials its made from. But the guy has built a pretty amazing rocket ship. 

 

 

[EdgarusQPFC]

6 minutes ago, dorlomin said:

The biggest problem of the Shuttle was it was a series of political compromises that became a jack of all trades and a master of none. The project was in a bit of bother in financing so the US Airforce got on board but demanded it be big enough to retrieve one of its massive satellites. It was also built to carry humans into orbit for space science and to be a commercial pay load launcher. It ended up too big for just a few humans and way too infrequent to fly to make its re-usability commercially viable. You had a massive stafff taking many months to prepare it for a second launch. 

 

Fuels costs are about the cheapest part of a launch vehicle. Its mostly just refined kerosene and compressed oxygen. Musk has made some real big breakthroughs in terms of cost so far. His team have successfully returned a rocket, whether it can be refurbished quicker and cheaper than manufactured is the next big hurdle. Rockets undergo huge pressure and temperature and this will seriously stress the metals and other materials its made from. But the guy has built a pretty amazing rocket ship. 

 

 

NASA's almost carefree attitude didn't help either. Both the major shuttle Accidents could have been prevented. That brought the reliability of the shuttle into question. Lack of a reliable recovery mission and/or ejector system could have saved lives. 

Having a reliable, reusable rocket system could help develop a rescue system which is sorely needed 

[bennett]

14 hours ago, hellbhoy said:

They already had a reusable space program, it was called the space shuttle.

 

With an amazing insight like that, you should be running NASA.

 

[hellbhoy]

53 minutes ago, bennett said:

 

With an amazing insight like that, you should be running NASA.

 

One of my first missions as NASA CEO would be sending a rocket like you into deep space exploration. The down side to this is that it reduces the possibility of finding intelligent life, in space.

I merely pointed out that there had been a reusable space program, that was all dopey, not exactly rocket science.

[dorlomin]

23 minutes ago, hellbhoy said:

One of my first missions as NASA CEO

NASA has an Administrator at its top, not a CEO. 

Quote

 

Quote

 merely pointed out that there had been a reusable space program, 

 

Just in case someone had just emerged from a 36 year stint in a cave and had missed the whole Shuttle thing.