SpaceX and other space news updates

1,352,744 Views | 15392 Replies | Last: 16 hrs ago by TexAgs91
PJYoung
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aTmAg said:

PJYoung said:

aezmvp said:

One of the Russian modules. Can't find exactly where though, which means lots of places.


Russia actually blamed one of our astronauts of sabotage at one point. Bizarre.
Wasn't there drill marks or something?
Quote:

On Aug. 29, 2018, ISS controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston noticed a slight pressure drop aboard the orbiting outpost. They notified the crew the next day, and the crew was able to trace the leak to a small hole in Russia's Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft, which had docked to the space station in June with Auñn-Chancellor, European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev.

Prokopyev, the commander of the Soyuz at the time, solved the problem by patching the 2-millimeter (0.08 inches) hole using epoxy and gauze. NASA officials stressed that the crew was never in any danger.

Russian space officials decided to investigate the leak, determined to find out its cause. Shortly thereafter, Dmitry Rogozin the head of Roscosmos announced that the breach in the Soyuz wall was a drill hole. And according to Rogozin, the person who made the hole apparently had "a faltering hand," citing nearby scuff marks that likely resulted when the drill slipped.

Russian officials went one step further insinuating that the unsteady hand was likely due to the culprit drilling in microgravity, meaning one of the crew was to blame not the Russian engineers involved in the assembly and testing of the Soyuz spacecraft before launch down on Earth.

NASA officials knew the precise locations of the U.S. astronauts before the leak occurred and at the moment it began, thanks to space station surveillance. The video footage indicated that none of the U.S. astronauts on the station were near the Russian segment where the Soyuz vehicle was docked. But the Russians didn't buy it. They were convinced that one of the crew sabotaged the Soyuz.

The recent TASS article takes those claims one step further and insists that NASA video of the ISS could have been tampered with and that Russian officials were denied the chance to examine Russian tools and administer polygraphs, or lie detector tests, to the astronauts.

But the TASS article seems to dismiss the most likely cause of the hole: human error on the ground. The problem most likely happened on Earth, before launch. This was something that Roscosmos was looking into but the agency has never definitively disclosed the results.

Most likely a technician accidentally damaged the Soyuz spacecraft and then tried to cover up the error with a makeshift patch. That patch could have then become dislodged during flight or its time on-orbit after repeated exposure to extreme temperature differences as the station orbits the Earth.

Quote:

unnamed "high-ranking" official with Russia's space agency made in the Russian news agency TASS. The agency claims that in 2018, Auñn-Chancellor had an emotional breakdown in space and then damaged a Russian Soyuz spacecraft that was docked at the station so that she could return to Earth early.

The article, published on Thursday (Aug. 12), responds to criticism from U.S. media in regards to the near-disastrous incident involving Russia's Nauka science module and the International Space Station (ISS) earlier this month.
They got their feelings hurt after criticism in the U.S. media of the Nauka module incident so they accused Chancellor of sabotaging the spacecraft to return home early for medical treatment of a blood clot. Russia!
TexAgs91
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Duct tape the walls, square meter by square meter until the leak stops.
lb3
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bmks270 said:

ISS Leak getting worse, something is changing over time… do they know the root cause?
The crack is visible and NASA/Roscosmos track the growth. Some holes were drilled by the Russians to try to stop them but it didn't work.

As for root cause, I'm not sure if one has been identified or if it even matters. I'm not familiar with how Russia builds their modules. Bad Tig welds? Not cleaning properly before friction stir welding? Corroding iron riveted lap joints like on the Titanic? Who knows.
OnlyForNow
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Need the crew from Armageddon to fix the ISS I guess.
TexAgs91
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OnlyForNow said:

Need the crew from Armageddon to fix the ISS I guess.
First spin the ISS, then dock
Jock 07
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I'd figure either debris or a micrometeorite impact.
lb3
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Jock 07 said:

I'd figure either debris or a micrometeorite impact.
That would be something new.
nortex97
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Marcus' latest detailing V2.0 upper stage, etc.

fullback44
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This is pretty interesting.. not space X stuff but some new galaxies that were photographed

https://www.yahoo.com/news/nasa-reveals-spooky-eyes-space-024831958.html
nortex97
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Nice.





In orbit fuel transfer testing planned for March. I've read they use raptor to pressurize the tanks which is 'problematic' because it is not pure oxygen but a mix of ox and methane, but this could be solved with raptor 3.0.

Neutron talk (Yes, I know he's pretty obnoxious):
bmks270
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nortex97 said:

Nice.





In orbit fuel transfer testing planned for March. I've read they use raptor to pressurize the tanks which is 'problematic' because it is not pure oxygen but a mix of ox and methane, but this could be solved with raptor 3.0.

Neutron talk (Yes, I know he's pretty obnoxious):



The pumps on Raptor pump pure oxygen, and pure methane when operating. I don't know how the tanks are pressurized or how they plan to transfer propellants.
nortex97
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From NSF discussion;
Quote:

Currently, Starship oxygen tanks are pressurized by Raptor with a mixture of methane combustion gas and high oxygen content.

This mixture results in a lot of problems and performance issues.

Will Raptor 3, or one of its successors, be able to deliver pure gaseous oxygen to pressurize liquid oxygen tanks?

Without a positive answer, rapid reuse is not feasible, and sending Starship to Mars is out of the question.

The day the response is positive, high performance Starship evolutions will be possible.

These include the elimination of a large number of filters, the elimination of header tanks and their piping, and the standardization of the use of main tanks. At present, how much mass would become useless?
Clearly, pressurizing O2 tanks with a combination of O2 and (some) methane is…not ideal. I'd expect they have some sort of improvement/solution planned. Note: I'm certainly not claiming to be an expert in this.

Minor aside, Tim has a video out this past week about a cool (very old, 1940's) cruise missile/rocket:

bmks270
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If using oxygen preburner exhaust, I don't think it would contain methane.
TexAgs91
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If you become a patreon of Cosmic Perspectives, they have a 2 hr video of the IFT-5 launch from liftoff to catch in slowmo.

It's the greatest rocket pron ever recorded.

They said not to share it, but it's there if you become a member.
will25u
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TexAgs91
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TexAgs91 said:

If you become a patreon of Cosmic Perspectives, they have a 2 hr video of the IFT-5 launch from liftoff to catch in slowmo.

It's the greatest rocket pron ever recorded.

They said not to share it, but it's there if you become a member.
They have shared it now on youtube.

Enjoy


Some of my faves
00:01:00 - shockwaves propagating through the launch exhaust
00:11:00 - that glorious rocket plume
00:47:45 - the heavenly stage sep
01:02:50 - just wow
01:44:35 - re-entry heating begins
01:54:50 - booster re-light
bmks270
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Bloomberg headline with Paywall article about Relativity Space running low on cash, and having trouble raising more.
SwigAg11
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Fantastic video!
txags92
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bmks270 said:

Bloomberg headline with Paywall article about Relativity Space running low on cash, and having trouble raising more.
I wonder how much SpaceX's successes and head start on everybody else is chilling the capital market for prospective competitors.
OnlyForNow
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You could always compete, or you could try to be a tag-on business…
txags92
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OnlyForNow said:

You could always compete, or you could try to be a tag-on business…
I would bet there is all kinds of capital available for new satellite based systems (not competing with Starlink) due to the dropping cost of launch services driven by SpaceX. But I bet it is tough to raise money to compete against them in the launch business. When their launch cost is 1/10th or less what everybody else is charging, how can anybody wade into that market with a new unproven launch system without being able to credibly promise investors to be able to launch at SpaceX cost or lower?
bmks270
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txags92 said:

OnlyForNow said:

You could always compete, or you could try to be a tag-on business…
I would bet there is all kinds of capital available for new satellite based systems (not competing with Starlink) due to the dropping cost of launch services driven by SpaceX. But I bet it is tough to raise money to compete against them in the launch business. When their launch cost is 1/10th or less what everybody else is charging, how can anybody wade into that market with a new unproven launch system without being able to credibly promise investors to be able to launch at SpaceX cost or lower?


Relativity Space raised money on the hope that their 3D printed structure and tank would be cheaper. That turned out to be a dead end. They are now using traditional manufacturing for their tanks and structure. So they don't have a competitive edge, except for having some momentum built up and a team and and working engine. But long term, they haven't proven much, so they're a very high risk investment at this point.

I assume continued fund raising will be existing investors following the sunk cost fallacy.
A is A
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TexAgs91 said:

TexAgs91 said:

If you become a patreon of Cosmic Perspectives, they have a 2 hr video of the IFT-5 launch from liftoff to catch in slowmo.

It's the greatest rocket pron ever recorded.

They said not to share it, but it's there if you become a member.
They have shared it now on youtube.

Enjoy


Some of my faves
00:01:00 - shockwaves propagating through the launch exhaust
00:11:00 - that glorious rocket plume
00:47:45 - the heavenly stage sep
01:02:50 - just wow
01:44:35 - re-entry heating begins
01:54:50 - booster re-light


People talk about rocket pron* all the time. This is 2 hours of pure ecstasy.
Decay
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bmks270 said:

txags92 said:

OnlyForNow said:

You could always compete, or you could try to be a tag-on business…
I would bet there is all kinds of capital available for new satellite based systems (not competing with Starlink) due to the dropping cost of launch services driven by SpaceX. But I bet it is tough to raise money to compete against them in the launch business. When their launch cost is 1/10th or less what everybody else is charging, how can anybody wade into that market with a new unproven launch system without being able to credibly promise investors to be able to launch at SpaceX cost or lower?


Relativity Space raised money on the hope that their 3D printed structure and tank would be cheaper. That turned out to be a dead end. They are now using traditional manufacturing for their tanks and structure. So they don't have a competitive edge, except for having some momentum built up and a team and and working engine. But long term, they haven't proven much, so they're a very high risk investment at this point.

I assume continued fund raising will be existing investors following the sunk cost fallacy.

I hadn't heard that. Their whole business model depends on 3D printing parts with advanced integration and turning the whole manufacturing paradigm on its head.

If it's not tenable, I'd basically fold the company unless there is some kind of other breakthrough in their portfolio. It's pointless to continue operating on a failed premise.
PJYoung
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bmks270 said:

Bloomberg headline with Paywall article about Relativity Space running low on cash, and having trouble raising more.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/relativity-space-faces-cash-drain-exploring-options/ar-AA1tm2tA?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds
will25u
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bthotugigem05
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That's big news for sure.
RED AG 98
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nortex97
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Dang, that's too bad. They were the Silicon Valley prom queen of fund raisers for a while for sure.
will25u
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Thats a lot of rockets flying to space and mostly back.

Centerpole90
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Given the President Elect's gushing about the booster landing last night - it wouldn't surprise me to see a Presidential visit to StarBase in the future.
Decay
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Centerpole90 said:

Given the President Elect's gushing about the booster landing last night - it wouldn't surprise me to see a Presidential visit to StarBase in the future.
It was probably inevitable. But this advances the pace of development and makes the moon and Mars goals more likely IMO.
Faustus
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Decay said:

Centerpole90 said:

Given the President Elect's gushing about the booster landing last night - it wouldn't surprise me to see a Presidential visit to StarBase in the future.
It was probably inevitable. But this advances the pace of development and makes the moon and Mars goals more likely IMO.


Bloomberg says as much.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-11-06/musk-says-spacex-mars-plan-under-threat-from-regulators?srnd=homepage-europe

Quote:

Musk Is Counting on Trump Win to Boost SpaceX's Mars Plans
. . .
Donald Trump's presidential election win might just be the fuel Elon Musk needs for his grandiose ambitions to reach the Red Planet in 2026 according to Musk, at least.

In September, the billionaire predicted that SpaceX's Starship, the world's most powerful rocket, would make an uncrewed flight to the planet in two years and send humans there in 2028.

Musk, who spent more than $130 million on Trump and down-ballot Republicans in competitive House races, last week elaborated on the importance a second Trump administration could play in helping SpaceX achieve its Mars plans. . . .

TexAgs91
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I'm looking forward to weekly Starship launches now
"Freedom is never more than one election away from extinction"
Fight! Fight! Fight!
Faustus
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This kind of slipped under the radar and is pretty pragmatic by Musk.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/after-spacexs-requests-taiwanese-suppliers-move-manufacturing-abroad-sources-say-2024-11-05/

Quote:

After SpaceX's requests, Taiwanese suppliers move manufacturing abroad, sources say
. . .
Elon Musk's SpaceX asked Taiwanese suppliers to transfer manufacturing off the island, leading to some relocating portions of their supply chain, according to sources employed by and close to the equipment makers and corporate documents.

A source at a company that is one of the numerous subcontractors that provide components for SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet products said SpaceX asked their manufacturers to produce outside of Taiwan because of geopolitical risks, pushing at least one to move production to Vietnam.

A second source who collaborates with Taiwanese satellite component makers on the island said suppliers were directly asked by SpaceX to transfer manufacturing abroad.

Chin-Poon Industrial (2355.TW), a satellite component maker which said it was recently a SpaceX supplier, told Reuters the U.S. company requested they move their manufacturing from Taiwan to Thailand for new orders "mostly due to geopolitical considerations". It did not elaborate.

The sources declined to be identified because the information was not public. SpaceX did not reply to requests for comment.

SpaceX's requests place a renewed focus on the contentious relationship Musk has had with Taiwan, especially after he said last year it is an "integral part" of China, drawing sharp criticism from the Taiwanese government.
. . .
A Vietnam-based investment adviser told Reuters in October SpaceX representatives said in a private meeting in March 2023 the company was interested in setting up a manufacturing hub for satellite equipment in Vietnam and sought advice on protecting intellectual property.
. . .
Taiwanese SpaceX supplier Wistron NeWeb Corporation (6285.TW), this year began producing routers and other network gear for Starlink at its factory in the northern Vietnamese province of Hanam, about an hour south of Hanoi, two of the plant's workers and a contractor said.
. . .
Universal Microwave Technology , another SpaceX supplier and manufacturer of satellite components, invested in a factory in Vietnam this year, according to a Taiwanese official and public documents from the company.

Universal Microwave Technology declined to comment on individual customers, citing confidentiality agreements, but said it was expanding its presence in Southeast Asia, including new factories in Thailand and Vietnam.

"The planning of overseas production capacity will help customers reduce their doubts about geographical risks, gain customer recognition, and increase the breadth of cooperation with customers," it said.
. . .
Shenmao Technology (3305.TW), a supplier of soldering materials for printed circuit boards, which has provided components to SpaceX, said in April it would spend $5 million to set up a unit in Vietnam, without saying who its clients would be for products from that facility. The company did not respond to a request for comment.

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