4 ms·

What is the actual significance of the booster catch is ? Re-usability is obviously part of it, but do we really think that thing will just be refueled and sent

What is the actual significance of the booster catch is ? Re-usability is obviously part of it, but do we really think that thing will just be refueled and sent straight back off in the near future? It seems to be an incredible feat of engineering, no doubts there, but how significant are the practical implications? I found this from Musk, which is his usual over the top optimistic self: In an interview to YouTube channel Everyday Astronaut, Musk said that his vision is that Mechazilla will one day be able to turn around and set a rocket back on the launchpad, perhaps as little as 30 minutes after touchdown.

defrost 2y ago
The dimensions quote is: Heavy Booster is 232 feet tall, and 29.5 feet across, and weighs something like 275 tons and that's precision engineering - multiple pressurised chambers, flared and clean flowing pipes for fluid routing, nozzles, etc. These things are no easy build, they take time, high skill levels, resources, etc. 30 minutes turn around on reuse is BS for now, they'll take weeks of fine toothed retesting and examination to clear them for reuse - but that'll still be a considerable saving of time, money, and resources compared to a complete new build from scratch.
- bamboozled 2y ago
  Yeah I see, but also all of that shifting of weight, heat, acceleration and deceleration must be pretty stressful on that structure and on the materials, I feel like it would be best to wait and see what these things look like after one or two uses before claiming the wins.
  - defrost 2y ago
    I dare say that's why they'll take weeks of fine toothed retesting and examination to clear them for reuse and they'll bed a few in before setting long term procedures in stone. What's your Engineering background? Civil, Mechanical? Ever worked on any of those 380+ metre tall North Sea Oil and Gas platforms?
    - bamboozled 2y ago
      I have never worked on a 380+ tall North Sea Oil platform :) I work in Software but I'm a massive tinkerer and have done a lot of work wit my hands. I'm not a structural or mechanical engineer. Most of my knowledge is just things I've picked up doing renovations, fixing my car etc.
tim333 2y ago
>do we really think that thing will just be refueled and sent straight back off in the near future? The Falcon 9s have been landed, checked out, refueled and flown again for a while now. The record is currently 23 flights from a single booster. I don't see how this is fundamentally different - reusing the booster that is. The upper stage is a different matter.

defrost 2y ago

The dimensions quote is: Heavy Booster is 232 feet tall, and 29.5 feet across, and weighs something like 275 tons and that's precision engineering - multiple pressurised chambers, flared and clean flowing pipes for fluid routing, nozzles, etc. These things are no easy build, they take time, high skill levels, resources, etc. 30 minutes turn around on reuse is BS for now, they'll take weeks of fine toothed retesting and examination to clear them for reuse - but that'll still be a considerable saving of time, money, and resources compared to a complete new build from scratch.

bamboozled 2y ago
Yeah I see, but also all of that shifting of weight, heat, acceleration and deceleration must be pretty stressful on that structure and on the materials, I feel like it would be best to wait and see what these things look like after one or two uses before claiming the wins.
- defrost 2y ago
  I dare say that's why they'll take weeks of fine toothed retesting and examination to clear them for reuse and they'll bed a few in before setting long term procedures in stone. What's your Engineering background? Civil, Mechanical? Ever worked on any of those 380+ metre tall North Sea Oil and Gas platforms?
  - bamboozled 2y ago
    I have never worked on a 380+ tall North Sea Oil platform :) I work in Software but I'm a massive tinkerer and have done a lot of work wit my hands. I'm not a structural or mechanical engineer. Most of my knowledge is just things I've picked up doing renovations, fixing my car etc.

tim333 2y ago

>do we really think that thing will just be refueled and sent straight back off in the near future? The Falcon 9s have been landed, checked out, refueled and flown again for a while now. The record is currently 23 flights from a single booster. I don't see how this is fundamentally different - reusing the booster that is. The upper stage is a different matter.