Questions tagged [composite-materials]

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Composite pressure vessels for manned spaceflight

I read about the Composite Crew Module and it looks like they used aluminum honeycomb between two layers of composite. Why didn't they just make the whole thing out of composite? Why is carbon ...
Saturn V's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
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Is it possible for aluminium alloys in a explosion in space or on earth to become pure elemental powder particles? [closed]

If you have some kind of explosion, is it then possible for aluminium alloys to become powder particles?, is yes, can they become pure elemental aluminium particles?, or will they always be aluminium ...
Andy Ljunggren's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
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Which build materials for a long-term crewed space vehicle? (no launch)

So the prerequisites for this question are, of course, strength vs mass. The lighter, the better, in all circumstances, however it still needs to be strong enough to have people inside it and to hold ...
nirurin's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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That's could be a meteorite, what would be a good procedure to be sure? [closed]

[] I found it in Sahara desert(Africa), three years ago. I think, it could be a meteorite.
Siliman's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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How do the mechanical properties of 301 stainless steel, carbon fibre composites, and Aluminium-Lithium alloys compare?

The design of Starship and its Super Heavy booster is based on the reported fact that 301 stainless steel is advantageous to advanced carbon fiber composites and Aluminium-Lithium alloys at both ...
Everyday Astronaut's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
217 views

What is the vapor pressure limit of liquid metals in space?

Would liquid metal be stable in space unlike most other liquids like water? Are there any metals that has a high vapor pressure limit? Side question: Can liquid metal be given an electromagnetic ...
Muze's user avatar
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13 votes
2 answers
4k views

Why has SpaceX changed Starship from carbon fiber composite to stainless steel?

Recently, there was news that SpaceX changed the material used for the BFS/Starship (upper stage of the BFR) from initially planned carbon fiber to metal which seems quite counter-intuitive as carbon ...
alecxe's user avatar
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3 votes
0 answers
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How composite materials used in space tech? [closed]

guys, my name is Muhamed-Kanapiya. Now I am studying at Eurasian National University in Astana, and my specialization is Space vehicles and technologies. My master`s work about using composite ...
Muhamed-Kanapiya's user avatar
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1 answer
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Mass, Chamber pressure and cooling type of Rutherford Engine

What are the specifications of Rocket Lab's Rutherford Engine used by the Electron Rocket? I'm looking for the chamber pressure, propellant mass flow rate, type of cooling for the nozzle, size of ...
Amar's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
609 views

To what extent, if any, does the exterior paint color of a launch vehicle affect its propellant & vehicle thermal management?

Many orbital launch vehicles use a combination of a chilled oxidiser (usually LOX when dealing with liquid-fuelled rockets) and a fuel (commonly RP-1, but with many designs now opting for Methane). ...
marked-down's user avatar
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3 votes
0 answers
443 views

How are composite materials most frequently or most prominently used in satellites and rovers?

I'd like to understand how composite materials (CMs) are used on satellites and rovers. Which parts are made of CMs? If there are numerous examples, then the ones which are particularly large, or ...
Mirko88's user avatar
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5 votes
0 answers
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Were composite materials used on Soyuz and on Atlas launchers?

I would like to know if composite materials were used on Soyuz and Atlas launchers but I can't find a lot on the web. I also would like to know which components of other launchers are made of ...
Mirko88's user avatar
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21 votes
6 answers
15k views

Why not build rockets out of composite materials?

Considering how important mass ratio is for the rocket equation, why are rockets built still out of aluminium, and not some lighter material, perhaps carbon/glass fiber composites? I'm aware ...
radex's user avatar
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