In reviewing the replay video
of the live coverage of Starman/Roadster floating around the Earth I found a camera view that is different from the rest.Does anyone know what this view is of?
View starts at 1:14:47 - 1:15:03
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
2
-
1$\begingroup$ They seem to have blanked out those parts of the video... But it still shows up on the thumbnail. $\endgroup$– PearsonArtPhoto ♦Feb 10, 2018 at 4:10
-
$\begingroup$ Weird was showing up all day... hmmm $\endgroup$– SteveFeb 10, 2018 at 4:28
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
5
That is the Oxygen tank, inside Stage 2. Looking at the intake for the engine.
This has been show before on different missions.
In order to re-light the engines, the fuel needs to be near the intake, which in Zero-g, is not a given on a mostly empty stage.
Typically upper stages use ullage boosters, small rockets that accelerate the stage enough to push the gas to the intake, where the pump on the engine can suck it in, and once the engine starts, the acceleration forces the propellants to the back wall.
-
1$\begingroup$ Looks like a school of fish in the lower right quadrant :) $\endgroup$ Feb 9, 2018 at 19:49
-
1$\begingroup$ @OrganicMarble Ever wonder why it is called "Lox and cream cheese"? $\endgroup$– geoffcFeb 9, 2018 at 19:50
-
3$\begingroup$ This brings up an interesting problem for SpaceX. As the phase descends the fuel and rocket will be initially in free fall. Is atmospheric drag on the booster sufficient to have the fuel move down, essentially a reversed accelerometer effect? $\endgroup$ Feb 9, 2018 at 22:12
-
2$\begingroup$ @Eric i think that would be a great new question. $\endgroup$ Feb 9, 2018 at 22:55
-
1$\begingroup$ @OrganicMarble those are definitely fish, but if they are swimming, they couldn't have been smoked very much, hmm... $\endgroup$– uhohFeb 10, 2018 at 15:31