4 ms·
Elon Musk's tweet: "We’re going to try to catch the Super Heavy Booster with the launch tower arm, using the grid fins to take the load" That'll be fun. Grid f
by souprock 6y ago
Elon Musk's tweet: "We’re going to try to catch the Super Heavy Booster with the launch tower arm, using the grid fins to take the load"
That'll be fun. Grid fins tend to be jagged in order to avoid troubles at transonic speeds. That means little sharp points need to be caught on something. Both the fins and the catcher will face enormous stress.
My suggestion: ask a tire company to make sausage-shaped pads from thick tire material with lots of tough fiber. It should resist puncture and be able to withstand high air pressure.