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Dollars to donuts developing the fixes was an ongoing process parallel to the mishap investigation, and most of the recommendations are already done. We've alr
by psunavy03 3y ago
Dollars to donuts developing the fixes was an ongoing process parallel to the mishap investigation, and most of the recommendations are already done.
We've already seen that the pad has been rebuilt with a water deluge.
- Avshalom 3y agomaybe but the water deluge system seems to drain directly into protected US waters https://blog.esghound.com/i/135551935/spacexs-permitting-woes https://blog.esghound.com/i/135551935/spacexs-permitting-woe...
- russdill 3y agoThis is this guy's opinion, it may or may not be a valid interpretation. SpaceX is by far the world's largest operator of space launch deluge systems and other than south texas operates 3 coastal pads, with dozens of launches per year...each. In this case, a retention pond and collection system does exist. However, when the system is starting and stopping there is overspray outside of the launch area that doesn't get collected. This water is potable and ambient temperature though.
- Avshalom 3y agothose other three sites were built by the US government though, SpaceX operates them.
- bewaretheirs 3y agoSpaceX had to rework the business end of the deluge systems at LC39A and likely also at the other pads when they were rebuilt to launch the Falcon 9 / Falcon Heavy.
- ars 3y agoIs that a problem? It's a kerosene engine, there's nothing harmful in the exhaust. And if there was something in the exhaust (there isn't) it goes in the air and lands on that area anyway.
- sneak 3y agoStarship runs on methane and oxygen, but same deal. They use different engines because there are no petrochemicals on Mars, but there is CO2 and H2O, so you can produce CH4 and O2 locally if you have a power source (presumably solar or RTG).
- DennisP 3y agoAlso methane burns cleaner, which helpful when you want to launch a rocket multiple times per day. Performance is pretty great too.
- panick21_ 3y agoIts cheaper too.
- 762236 3y agoWon't they have the same launch problem on Mars with their engines blasting debris everywhere? I guess a smaller gravity well means less thrust, but it still is a lot of thrust.
- grecy 3y agoSame problem on the moon. So far, there has not been public information about what they're going to do about it. A render of the moon landing Starship showed engines higher up that have been speculated to be used for landing and lunch to reduce the problem.
- JumpCrisscross 3y ago> Same problem on the moon You need a lot less thrust to get off the Moon’s surface. That probably puts the problem back into a familiar envelope.
- fuzzbazz 3y agoThey only plan to send the second stage to Mars [1] [1] To Mars and back diagram: https://www.spacex.com/human-spaceflight/mars/ https://www.spacex.com/human-spaceflight/mars/
- phkahler 3y agoIf it weren't for the salt, I'd expect them be using locally sourced water. They are not deliberately adding any contaminants to the water, just heating it with flames from burning methane. It should be relatively harmless, but we'll see if there's a show stopper soon.
- justapassenger 3y agoHot water is a huge environmental hazard. So is water with unknown contamination.
- IshKebab 3y agoHot water is a huge environmental hazard? Riiiight. Maybe from a nuclear power station. Not from this.
- justapassenger 3y agoGet an aquarium, and pour in some boiling hot water into it. Let me know how many creatures survive. Also USA news from literally just few weeks ago - https://apnews.com/article/florida-ocean-heat-climate-coral-record-bfc3010460eb077fc14d53a6f768931d https://apnews.com/article/florida-ocean-heat-climate-coral-... Environments are much more fragile than you think.
- IshKebab 3y agoSpaceX isn't pouring boiling water into an aquarium. Get a lake. Pour some lukewarm water into it. Let me know how many creatures survive. > Also USA news from literally just few weeks ago That is the entire ocean heating up. I think you're getting a bit confused about the thermodynamics.
- justapassenger 3y agoEven few degrees can mess with the environment. So yes, lukewarm water can totally mess with a lake ecosystem, if you happen to pour it in the right place. Will it kill the whole lake? No. But life that happens to be at the spot where you poured the water? Dumping chemicals is also fine, as long as they aren’t strong enough to kill everything in the lake? And spacex launch site is literally surrounded by protected lands, that were there long before their site. Will spacex kill some protected life nearby? We don’t know. But let’s not pretend that dumping hot water is safe. And that news is about parts near Florida reaching reef threatening levels. Based on your reasoning it’s fine, as only reefs near Florida were impacted, ocean is fine, so what’s the big deal, right? It’s really stunning to me, that spacex fans, whose mission is to basically “safe humanity” care so little about the environment, that you know, humanity needs to live.
- stevenjgarner 3y agoI would concur that corrective action has already taken place. Won't the most significant thing in this release be the requirement that SpaceX: > apply for a modified FAA license before launching again ... as SpaceX will now need to go through the wait period of a modified FAA license application?
- stevenjgarner 3y ago"FAA says it may grant a launch license for SpaceX’s Starship by the end of October" - https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/14/world/spacex-starship-faa-license-expected-october-scn/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/14/world/spacex-starship-faa-lic...
- russdill 3y agoThe other large visible change is a purge system for the engine bays to prevent future ongoing fires.
- wredue 3y agoI mean. We will see. Many of the issues should never have happened. On launch day I remember people commenting within seconds of ignition that there was obvious large debris flying everywhere. The investigation would never have had to happen with better controls and not outright lying on their reports.
- grecy 3y agoElon has a tweet in which he specifically says "Not building a deluge system on the pad might be a mistake, and time will tell". They're learning, they're taking risks and they're doing new things. Obviously they're not going to get everything flawless the first time around, and they're going to iterate and improve.
- kanbara 3y agothey’re THE launch provider. have been for a while. most successful and proven rockets. they dont need to go fast and break things; it’s not a startup. innovation can happen while also considering ideas such as “let’s not put a deluge system and just blow up the pad” — tho i suspect elon has something to do with that
- grecy 3y agoFalcon 9 is not a startup, but Starship certain my. You’re right though, they could run it like traditional space… and it would be just like SLS, New Glenn Ariene 6, etc They’re doing what they’re doing for a reason
- panick21_ 3y agoSo your opinion is that any large company must move slowly. That is literally 100% against Musk whole philosophy of innovation. The speed of innovation should be increasing, not decreasing. SpaceX can now invest more, and thus push innovation faster. Just using that new money to do the same thing slower would be stupid. This issue is exactly why so many large companies become un-innovative despite having huge R&D budgets.
- 3y ago
- 2OEH8eoCRo0 3y agoEh, maybe the obvious issues but why would you spend money "fixing" guesses?