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>with tests like throwing metal chips (nuts?) into pumps SpaceX did this test with the Merlin engines too. http://www.airspacemag.com/space/is-spacex-changing-
by schiffern 12y ago
>with tests like throwing metal chips (nuts?) into pumps
SpaceX did this test with the Merlin engines too. http://www.airspacemag.com/space/is-spacex-changing-the-rocket-equation-132285884/?all&no-ist http://www.airspacemag.com/space/is-spacex-changing-the-rock...
The chamber pressure (and therefore Isp) are both dialed back for the sake of reusability. They're stated multiple times that they're not running those engines anywhere near their physical limits.
- avmich 12y agoIt's certainly good that SpaceX uses many ways to test hardware, including those approaches successfully used before. During development of F-1 some interesting debugging techniques were invented, some could be well applied in SpaceX. Gas generator cycle in general doesn't allow reaching effective Isp as high as closed loop cycle. On the other hand, smaller pressure reduces stress and generally considered safer. NK-15 were single use engines, but NK-33 and most other modern engines are all reusable.