3 ms·
What are the characteristics that make stainless steel a better choice than carbon fiber for the BFR ? Is it just tensile strength ?
by lenkite 8y ago
What are the characteristics that make stainless steel a better choice than carbon fiber for the BFR ? Is it just tensile strength ?
- progval 8y ago> Usable strength/weight of full hard stainless at cryo is slightly better than carbon fiber, room temp is worse, high temp is vastly better https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1077111607564464129 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1077111607564464129
- manicdee 8y agoAlso: SS has longer service life than composites or aluminium due to being less susceptible to fatigue. This is important on a spacecraft intended to be reusable, and SS is highly reflective to infrared aka heat, which is important for handling reentry heating which is mostly radiative heating from the bowshock.