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How did they discover the turbine cracks? It seems a bit unfair if this is a result of examination of returned engines, since other companies leave evidence of
by gozur88 10y ago
How did they discover the turbine cracks? It seems a bit unfair if this is a result of examination of returned engines, since other companies leave evidence of similar problems at the bottom of the ocean.
- JshWright 10y agoAny rocket engine design used on modern launch vehicles has undergone extensive ground testing, including multiple full mission duration burns on test stands.
- gozur88 10y agoThat's true, but it doesn't really address the question. If the cracks are a result of flight stresses, test stand burns won't reveal them.
- aeturnum 10y agoIf the tests don't simulate flight stresses, they are bad tests.
- xorxornop 10y agoIt's simply not possible to test that. This much is obvious if you've thought deeply about the nature of rocket testing. You MUST fly to _really_ test.
- scott113341 10y agoIs there a good way that you're aware of to simulate the acceleration experienced by a rocket?
- JshWright 10y agoYou're talking about a turbopump spinning at several tens of thousands of rpms, at very high temperature. Yes, a couple g's of lateral acceleration adds a bit too those stresses, but it's a fairly minor effect, I'm sure. I think it's vastly more likely they're cracking from the rotation speed, temperature, and pressure.