4 ms·
The flames around the top of the engines is normal, it's the exhaust from the turbo pumps feeding the main engines. Check this page, the Merlin uses an open cy
by tdy721 10y ago
The flames around the top of the engines is normal, it's the exhaust from the turbo pumps feeding the main engines.
Check this page, the Merlin uses an open cycle, where fuel/oxidizer used to fuel the pumps is just dumped overboard.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-generator_cycle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-generator_cycle
This picture clearly shows both exhausts:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_(rocket_engine_family)#/media/File:SpaceX_Testing_Merlin_1D_Engine_In_Texas.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_(rocket_engine_family)#...
- jacquesm 10y agoFor some reason that effect was much more pronounced during this flight (at least in the video) than in previous launches that I watched. Maybe it was because of the camera angle looking more at the side of the rocket when usually you are looking more at the bottom.
- lutorm 10y agoYeah, it's normal, and it usually ends up getting sucked backward, presumably due to the turbulent airflow in the space between the end of the vehicle and the engine nozzles: Echostar: https://youtu.be/zEfEBJfD_RE?t=18m23s https://youtu.be/zEfEBJfD_RE?t=18m23s JCSAT: https://youtu.be/QZTCEO0gvLo?t=17m38s https://youtu.be/QZTCEO0gvLo?t=17m38s CRS-9: https://youtu.be/ThIdCuSsJh8?t=17m45s https://youtu.be/ThIdCuSsJh8?t=17m45s