Questions tagged [design]
Questions about how space vehicles and related hardware are designed. See also [structural-design] and [engine-design].
264
questions
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3answers
252 views
How big could a rocket get?
What are the practical limitations on the size of Earth based, orbital rockets? How tall/heavy might we make a rocket?
For the purposes of this question, I'm mostly interested in rockets using ...
1
vote
3answers
178 views
How to make a model rocket that doesn't spin?
I'm attempting to build a rocket with 8 fins (four on bottom and four smaller ones towards the top). The four fins near to the top will be attached to servo motors and programmed to stabilize or guide ...
2
votes
1answer
105 views
How redundant are Orion's power and data units (PDUs)? Doubly? Quadruply? If so, why?
In the news today:
NASA to skip repair of Orion electronics unit
NASA will fly Orion deep-space crew capsule ‘as is,’ despite failed component; The agency claims there is enough redundancy in the ...
3
votes
1answer
144 views
Docking cubesat in orbit - is it possible?
Would it be plausible to launch two or more cubsat's into orbit, and then have them dock together, allowing them to pack on more hardware and even fuel, broadening their capability? If it is possible, ...
3
votes
2answers
132 views
What should be the shape of a rocket going to Mars, since Mars atmosphere is around 2 percent of that of Earth's?
What should be the design or shape of a rocket going to mars?
2
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1answer
148 views
What is the Starship forward dome?
What is the Starship forward dome?
How does it look like?
What other parts are connected to it and what is it good for?
13
votes
1answer
321 views
What was this strange design for the Man In Space Soonest program?
The following picture shows various spacecraft design proposals for the 1958 U.S. Air Force Man In Space Soonest program:
The bottom row depicts various spaceplanes, which should not be a surprise ...
29
votes
9answers
5k views
Is it common and good engineering for a pair of cables to be easily plugged into each other's connectors in modern spacecraft, or
Space News's Human error blamed for Vega launch failure
Analysis of the telemetry from the mission, along with data from the production of the vehicle, led them to conclude that cables to two thrust ...
5
votes
2answers
176 views
How to get started with CubeSats
I am new both to CubeSats and to Stack Exchange.
I have recently started studying and planning on how to build a CubeSat, as cheaply as possible. I have read some blog posts and watched some videos, ...
5
votes
1answer
202 views
MT-135 Sounding Rocket info / design
I'm searching for any design file or deep-info on the MT-135 rocket, the fuel used, engines, engines info, any thing really. I have deep-searched on tons of sites but I just find few missions that ...
2
votes
1answer
69 views
Finding the mass flow rate of a blowdown system?
This is a rather amateur question I will admit but how does one find the mass flow rate of an engine with a given tank pressure? Is it really as simple as calculating the cross-section of all plumbing,...
4
votes
1answer
173 views
What's the status and timeline for Millimetron? (Russia's 10m Deployable Antenna cooled to 6 K Earth-Space VLBI)
Comments below an answer to How does NASA's ASTHROS stratospheric telescope compare to its James Webb space telescope? link to JPL's Paul F. Goldsmith's The Renaissance of High Resolution ...
5
votes
1answer
183 views
Do space suit designers exist?
I was just having a closer look at the new space-suits by SpaceX,
that were worn by NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley (image below this question).
The design made me wonder about who may ...
6
votes
1answer
174 views
Why are the SpaceX Starship, “rings” the width that they are?
Why are the SpaceX Starship, "rings" the width that they are? Wouldn't creating the rings from SS that's twice as wide reduce the welding by half?
6
votes
3answers
185 views
What are the most common practical design specifications for antenna in space?
I'm writing my thesis on antennas for small satellite applications (cubesats).
Apart from the electrical specifications related to the particular application there are also several other "...
4
votes
2answers
144 views
Have there been any square 4U (2x2) cubesats?
How much did each MarCO 6U cubesat weigh? suggests that the density of a MarCO 6U cubesat might be as low as 0.75 g/cm^3 whereas I think they are usually about twice that.
That led me to speculate ...
1
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0answers
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How much did each MarCO 6U cubesat weigh?
Yes the answer is zero now because they are weightless, but I used past tense. In any event, let's try to find a good, reliable source for each spacecraft's mass and whether that number is dry or ...
2
votes
0answers
45 views
Essential sensors for cubesat ADCS
We are building a 3U satellite to orbit Earth and measure space debris.
Between gyroscope, GPS, IMU, magnetometer, Sun sensors and star tracker, which would be essential sensors for the ADCS?
Or ...
13
votes
1answer
304 views
Why do Ingenuity's legs differ?
In the pictures below, I notice that not all of the legs of Ingenuity are the same (look at the end of them, directly touching the surface). It looks like a single one is different than the other 3.
...
2
votes
1answer
120 views
How to design heatshield bluntness?
How is the bluntness or curvature of a heat shield of a reentry spacecraft designed?
If the answer depends on size and mass, consider a deep space sample return "mini capsule" 50 cm in ...
2
votes
1answer
165 views
Are there any uncrewed spacecraft that maintain(ed) an atmosphere?
In How do phonesats stay cool? I wonder if phonesats might have had "cabin pressure" to keep the phones from overheating since they are not designed for space.
But now I'm just wondering if ...
9
votes
3answers
3k views
Why are stages not connected by the engine nozzle? Why are interstages used?
First, a clarification: I understand the aerodynamic reasons that interstages are used, and I understand that the shockwaves that would be generated without an interstage would wreck the rocket. My ...
5
votes
1answer
168 views
Why put chromium on the back side of this JPL-designed solar sail?
This 2013 JPL presentation Solar System Escape Architecture for Revolutionary Science March 2013 Conference NIAC Phase 1: 2012-2013 by PI: Jeff Nosanov Co-Is: Dr. Daniel Grebow, Dr. Brian Trease, John ...
3
votes
1answer
109 views
Could the kinetic energy in the Sun's solar wind power an ion propulsion system for an interplanetary spacecraft?
I am wondering if the kinetic energy of the Sun's solar wind could energize heavy ions to the point in which they would produce enough momentum to propel an interplanetary spacecraft.
To help ...
4
votes
1answer
95 views
What criteria influence launcher aspect ratio?
One factor when designing a launcher is the total $\Delta V$ required. For a given $\Delta V$, engineers can define the propellant quantity. From this quantity they can define the volume of the ...
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0answers
102 views
How did SpaceX's VisorSat work? How did the sunshade articulate to shade parts of Starlink satellite as it orbits the Earth?
CNET's Elon Musk wants SpaceX to launch the next generation of space telescopes says:
The billionaire entrepreneur said that "VisorSat" satellites equipped with a sunshade to block ...
4
votes
1answer
232 views
Balancing Perseverance Mars Rover; couldn't they just “move stuff around a little” rather than add 6+ kg of dead weight?
The NASA News item NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover Gets Balanced says:
Just as an auto mechanic places small weights on a car tire's rim to bring it into balance, the Perseverance team analyzed the ...
2
votes
1answer
113 views
How is Cryogenic fuel kept… Cryogenic in rockets [duplicate]
How is cryogenic fuel & oxidizer kept at cryogenic temperatures in rockets? I am mostly interested in the first stage of launch vehicles rather than something like a Centaur that keeps hydrolox ...
2
votes
1answer
111 views
rocket engine design
Do we need to preheat both the fuel e.g. LH2, and the oxidizer e.g. LOX, by running conduits around the nozzle? I presume both being cryogenic, preheating would be a must otherwise, engines will have ...
3
votes
0answers
72 views
(Possibly fictional) Can you locate this mysterious Project Orion design with NERVA engines as RCS?
Some years ago, I happened to see a drawing of a hypothetical Project Orion (the Nuclear Pulse Propulsion one) type spaceship, that had the notable (and highly questionable, IMO) feature of having a ...
4
votes
2answers
149 views
Why were the openings of the LiOH canisters in Apollo different shapes in the first place?
Many of you probably know the famous "square peg in a round hole" situation on Apollo 13. All three astronauts were in the LM and there was a build up of CO2 from the astronauts exhaling. They had to ...
7
votes
1answer
160 views
Why does the Perseverance rover have such complicated shaped spokes in its wheels?
Phys.org's NASA's Perseverance Mars rover gets its wheels and air brakes has some interesting photos includes some nice photos and below I've included a cropped section of a photo of one of ...
0
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1answer
149 views
Bipropellant RCS systems: Do they go together with docking? Or with manned spaceflight?
In a recent discussion, I asked about using a certain bipropellant system for RCS thrusters (I was actually thinking about it as fuel for an MMU jetpack or the "scooter" commonly imagined in science ...
7
votes
1answer
201 views
Are black and white stripes any better than uniform gray for thermal control?
Q: What color is a spaceship?
Several answers and comments on Why were Europe's first few satellites so stylish? Why the pronounced alternating white and black stripes? contain phrases like "...
2
votes
0answers
48 views
What is the load path for thrust in a rocket engine? [duplicate]
This may be a duplicate of this question but I wasn't sure if I could hijack that one to clarify or regenerate interest there.
What is the distribution of axial force in a combustion chamber? My ...
3
votes
1answer
300 views
What are common rocket fuselage designs?
I am wondering about the basic design considerations when building a rocket body.
is it made as a separate hollow cylinder with standalone tanks inserted inside?
is it made so that the tank walls are ...
2
votes
0answers
103 views
What is the limit to which we can scale up uniformly in all directions Space Shuttle SRB before it becomes unable to take off?
Let's say we like the Space Shuttle design so much, we want to use it as a reference for our new rocket. But we want to build rocket which will be capable of launching larger payload into Earth's ...
3
votes
1answer
135 views
Are few kilogram RTG's possible with similar mass-specific power to current designs?
This answer to Mass ratio of solar-electric versus radioisotope thermo-electric power for propulsion; beyond how many AU do RTGs win? estimates a crossover at about 4.3 AU, so a trip to the outer ...
44
votes
2answers
6k views
Why were the Space Shuttle's main engines placed on the orbiter?
Since the main engines can't be used after external tank separation, what's the reason for having the engines on the orbiter rather than just building a third rocket on the stack instead of the ...
8
votes
1answer
304 views
Why do Soviet and Soviet-derived rockets hot-stage instead of using ullage motors?
I am only aware of one US rocket that used hot-staging for maintaining proper ullage during stage seperation--the Titan family. Otherwise, US rockets tend to use reaction control systems or small ...
6
votes
0answers
252 views
Why is the diameter of the boosters of some launch vehicles smaller than the diameter of their payload fairing?
Whilst watching yesterday's Starliner launch I've noticed how skinny that Centaur (3.1m) looks compared to the CST-100 (4.5m).
Looking up the Atlas V I was amazed to find out that it has even larger (...
5
votes
4answers
381 views
Have there been any spacecraft designs with a bilaterally asymmetric cockpit?
One of the things that makes the Star Wars films so visually distinctive is the asymmetric spaceships, for example the Millennium Falcon below whose cockpit is located in the top right corner as ...
6
votes
0answers
124 views
How does the SpaceX Dragon nosecone separate?
SpaceX's Dragon uses a nosecone to protect the docking port during ascent.
The nosecone seems very large. 1/3 of the capsule's height large. And yet, it separates while the second stage engine is ...
6
votes
1answer
148 views
Mass ratio of solar-electric versus radioisotope thermo-electric power for propulsion; beyond how many AU do RTGs win?
Solar-electric propulsion has been used several times now in deep space missions. This question explores the scalability in comparison to Radioisotope thermoelectric generation or other nuclear-based ...
3
votes
1answer
177 views
Falcon 9 Type Rocket with Raptors
I've seen the question "Why don't SpaceX just use Raptors in the F9 now since their better" asked here and there, and I understand why it isn't possible to do that- they're not a drop-in replacement ...
5
votes
1answer
360 views
Why was the nose cone on the Space Shuttle's external tank pointy?
Inspired by comments under this answer to this question
Just how pointy does a rocket's nosecone need to be? (see also Why are the nose cones of current spacecraft less pointy?)
Why was the ...
24
votes
2answers
5k views
Is the mass of paint relevant in rocket design?
(Prompted by this answer):
Do the designers of large rockets* (have to) take the mass of the exterior paint into account?
If so, do we have examples of actual design changes/decisions based on this (...
2
votes
1answer
150 views
Does any US rocket, historical or current, besides those using LH2 as fuel apply thermal insulation for propellant?
Besides those using LH2 in a booster and/or sustainer stage, that is.
EDIT: I should have made it clear that this applies to launch vehicles, not spacecrafts flying deep space mission.
EDIT: OK, I ...
4
votes
0answers
136 views
Why is the relative axial position of oxidizer vs fuel tank inverted in the upper stages of most rockets?
In the first stages of most rockets, e.g. Atlas V, Delta IV and Falcon 9, the oxidizer tank is stacked on top of the fuel tank, with the usual explanation that such an arrangement gives the rocket a ...
2
votes
2answers
121 views
Are large spin gravity spaceships practical considering strength of materials
Are spaceships using spin-gravity to simulate normal earth gravity on their inner surface practical considering materials available today (i.e., steel, carbon fibre, etc.)? Imagine the
spaceship as ...
