NASA attempts to geld SpaceX? Ironic indeed.
Discussion
"The newspaper says the report has found a "pattern of problems" with the turbine blades within the turbopumps, which deliver rocket fuel into the combustion chamber of the Merlin rocket engine. Some of the components used in the turbopumps are prone to cracks, the government investigators say, and may require a redesign before NASA allows the Falcon 9 booster to be used for crewed flights. NASA has been briefed on the report's findings, and the agency's acting administrator, Robert Lightfoot, told the newspaper that he thinks “we know how to fix them.”
A spokesman for SpaceX, John Taylor, said the company already has a plan in place to fix the potential cracking issue. "We have qualified our engines to be robust to turbine wheel cracks," Taylor said. "However, we are modifying the design to avoid them altogether. This will be part of the final design iteration on Falcon 9." This final variant of the Falcon 9 booster, named Block 5, is being designed for optimal safety and easier return for potential reuse. According to company founder Elon Musk, it could fly by the end of this year."
https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/02/report-con...
http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a250...
A spokesman for SpaceX, John Taylor, said the company already has a plan in place to fix the potential cracking issue. "We have qualified our engines to be robust to turbine wheel cracks," Taylor said. "However, we are modifying the design to avoid them altogether. This will be part of the final design iteration on Falcon 9." This final variant of the Falcon 9 booster, named Block 5, is being designed for optimal safety and easier return for potential reuse. According to company founder Elon Musk, it could fly by the end of this year."
https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/02/report-con...
http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a250...
Can anyone tell how many Merlin engines have failed in operational use so far?
I'll just leave this here
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18925423-90...
O rings anyone...
NASA has spent/is spending a fortune of taxpayers money f
king up.The Irony is of course SpaceX is a private concern.
Eric Mc said:
Sylvaforever said:
Can anyone tell how many Merlin engines have failed in operational use so far?
I'll just leave this here
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18925423-90...
O rings anyone...
NASA has spent/is spending a fortune of taxpayers money fking up.
The Irony is of course SpaceX is a private concern.
ALL the rockets NASA has to launch humans have been built by the private industry. NASA builds nothing.I'll just leave this here
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18925423-90...
O rings anyone...
NASA has spent/is spending a fortune of taxpayers money f
king up.The Irony is of course SpaceX is a private concern.
Setting the safety specs for the rockets you want your astronauts to fly on has to be the right thing
MartG said:
Not at all
It is the way it is being reported, as if SpaceX were deliberately using substandard materials and only fixing the issue because NASA have found them out and are forcing them to address the issue.
During its long history NASA has had many failures, but hasn't generally blamed its contractors in such a public way, especially when the issue has never caused an in-flight problem.
Sadly there seems to be a deeply entrenched anti-SpaceX attitude within certain parts of the space industry
https://youtu.be/8P8UKBAOfGoIt is the way it is being reported, as if SpaceX were deliberately using substandard materials and only fixing the issue because NASA have found them out and are forcing them to address the issue.
During its long history NASA has had many failures, but hasn't generally blamed its contractors in such a public way, especially when the issue has never caused an in-flight problem.
Sadly there seems to be a deeply entrenched anti-SpaceX attitude within certain parts of the space industry
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