Questions tagged [reuse]
Questions regarding the reuse of parts or equipment.
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Rocket Lab Archimedes engine injector and reusable charecteristics
From what has been said, the Archimedes engine isn't particularly ambitious WRT its ISP, however Rocket Lab have said it would be highly reusable, which is interesting. Does anyone know of any special ...
8
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1answer
659 views
CZ-4B Grid fins
In nov 2019 and sept 2020 the CNSA launched CZ-4B Y38 and CZ-4B Y41. Based on different images I noticed that this Long March 4B had grid fins. On CZ-4B Y41 the grid fins from Y38 were reused making ...
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1answer
206 views
What is the heat shield refurbishment procedure for a crew Dragon capsule?
How, specifically, is the heat shield replaced or refurbished? More precisely... How do they know it will work for the next mission? :-P
6
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1answer
303 views
Keep a 2nd stage in orbit and refuel [closed]
Why does SpaceX not develop a second stage that can be used to meet with a first stage to pick up payload and refuel, thus transporting goods to orbit repeatedly instead of being used only once?
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2answers
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Do Falcon 9s get a thorough wash or a fresh coat of paint (they look clean pre-reflight)? [duplicate]
Before/during reflight, the boosters look white and clean, but after, they don't. I'm not sure if that's soot and/or burned paint.
I looked but it doesn't seem to have been asked before.
RE Is Falcon ...
4
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2answers
636 views
Does Starship reuse actually serve a purpose for Mars, or only LEO/Earth-to-Earth?
(In this question, Starship refers to the reusable 2nd stage, not the full stack w/ Super Heavy).
I was thinking about it the other day, and I realized that I'm not sure a reusable Starship actually ...
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6answers
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Isn't Starship way too big?
The Shuttle was designed with a huge payload of 20 tons. This was supposed to not be a problem since:
the reusability would drive down costs until satellite operators dropped expensive space hardware ...
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1answer
396 views
How did the SpaceX come up with such a disruptive design in the Falcon 9?
Because of the answers to Why has a rocket system like Starship never been proposed before?
, now I need to ask something I'd always taken for granted.
If Falcon 9 wasn't revolutionary for technical ...
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0answers
75 views
How does Starship/Superheavy system compare with the hypothetical successor of Soviet Energia/Buran system, "Uragan"?
The both were meant to be fully reusable and have comparable scale.
10
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1answer
457 views
How were STS SRBs disassembled
What was the process for disassembling the SRBs following their recovery?
Was it broken down to the field or factory seal level of segments, and how was it taken apart?
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8answers
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Why not land SpaceX's Starship like a plane?
I get the reasoning behind designing Starship to land upright. It doesn't require landing gear and the turnaround is expected to be much faster. But I'm beginning to question that logic.
I think the ...
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1answer
198 views
How long is Falcon 9 suicide burn?
My question is
How long is a Falcon 9 suicide burn?
I assume the answer might vary between rides, depending on the payload lifted and its destination orbit so the time might not be the same for a ...
3
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1answer
155 views
What's the benefit of making boosters land nicely (SpaceX) instead of parachuting them at sea (Space Shuttle) [duplicate]
SpaceX boosters return by landing nicely thanks to an elaborate guiding system. This requires, well, a guiding system (so, more electronics, more opportunities for failure and massive engineering ...
4
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1answer
226 views
Starship deceleration during belly flop?
Was just wondering what level of deceleration did they get during that belly flop manouver?
Updated:
Hiya, you're all correct, and I was a tad vague in my question! What I'm after is the vertical ...
2
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1answer
109 views
Does Falcon 9 perform static fires before every launch?
Before launching every Falcon 9 rocket, is SpaceX performing a Wet Dress Rehearshal (WDR) and a static fire?
If not before every launch then is it doing it before every first launch of a new booster?
...
6
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1answer
247 views
Which RS-25s are on the Artemis 1 rocket?
The SLS core to be used for the Artemis 1 flight will use four RS-25 engines. These reusable engines were used on the Space Shuttle Orbiter previously.
Is there a listing of which SSMEs are planned ...
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1answer
78 views
Will there be any additional benefits of reusability for the space tug?
We are now seeing certain advantages of the reusable use of different rocket stages. Decrease in price (perhaps not so much yet), increase in launch reliability, etc.
Are there any other benefits of ...
4
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1answer
89 views
Does the SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage fleet, fly in order?
SpaceX by the end of 2020, made it very clear that they have solved the first stage reflight problem. Two cores have flown 7 times. Several are over 4 flights. At the beginning of 2021 they have about ...
24
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4answers
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Are SpaceX Falcon rocket boosters significantly cheaper to operate than traditional expendable boosters?
The title pretty much sums it all up. I remember somebody once remarked about the space shuttle program that “the space shuttle was originally designed to be a space truck. But the shuttle is to ...
0
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1answer
251 views
Why isn't the engine's Case-Throat-Nozzle reusable in Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo?
I raed on https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/engine-powering-future-civilian-spaceflight-enters-collections-180971493/ (mirror):
RocketMotorTwo is a hybrid rocket motor that ...
3
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0answers
97 views
Was the Martin Spacemaster a feasible design for a fully reusable launch system?
The first time I saw this design was in this post and I was intrigued. The Martin Spacemaster from ~1970. What a cool design! Lots of SSME's, fully reusable, asymmetrical cockpit, and air breathing ...
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Which components are non-reusable after a sub-orbital spaceflight with Virgin Galactic?
I wonder which components are non-reusable after a sub-orbital spaceflight with Virgin Galactic.
What I have found so far:
https://www.virgingalactic.com/learn/ (mirror):
With the exception of the ...
4
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0answers
96 views
Does Falcon-9's second stage "blow" into the first stage's top intentionally? [duplicate]
Every time I watch Falcon-9 moments like that at
, I wonder:
Is it really intentional that the main engine of stage 2 after startup blows directly into stage 1´s top, ...
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1answer
2k views
Is Falcon 9 repainted before reuse?
Before reusing the first stage of Falcon 9, is it repainted?
If yes then why?
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1answer
164 views
Are any parts of Sokol suits re-used?
The Sokol spacesuit is the Russian launch and re-entry suit. They appear to be custom-made for each cosmonaut, with mission patches and nametags sewn on to the suit.
Even if the suit as a whole is ...
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1answer
92 views
How long it takes for the Falcon 9 payload fairings to reach the sea?
The payload fairings of Falcon 9 are released at about 3:15 min
How much time they need to fall and reach the sea?
And what is their maximum speed while reentry?
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1answer
101 views
Falcon 9 landing stages
I know the first stage of Falcon 9 separates at about 2:30 min and it lands at about 8:30 min
But what are the distinct stages of the descent? Like deorbit burns, grid fin deployment, leg deployment ...
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0answers
96 views
How much cheaper are pressure fed engines compared to other cycles (e.g. staged combustion, gas generator, electric pump-fed)?
It's well known that pressure fed engines are mechanically simpler, and therefore cheaper than pump-fed cycles (although pressure fed has worse performance). However, I haven't found any sources that ...
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2answers
2k views
What happens to payload fairings of GEO launches?
Say you launch a satellite into GEO using Falcon9
The 1st stage returns
The 2nd stage is moved into graveyard orbit.
But what happens to the payload fairings?
3
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1answer
141 views
Does RUAG Space recover and reuse Ariane 5 and Atlas V payload fairings after splashdown?
RUAG Space is the company that manufactures payload fairings for the Ariane, Vega, Atlas V (500 series) and the upcoming Vulcan.
Back when Spacex started trying to catch the fairing without it hitting ...
3
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1answer
113 views
How many times can Falcon 9's payload fairings be reused?
Falcon 9's first stage can be reused 10 times or even 100 times.
But how about its payload fairings?
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2answers
612 views
Did SpaceX ever reuse payload fairings?
Did they ever reuse the payload fairings of the Falcon 9?
There are a few related questions about maximum reuses and fastest refurbishment that might be asked later I guess
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1answer
81 views
Plasma magnet drive for reusing stages
From what I understand, one of the reasons why it's impractical to recover upper stages of rockets is that they're traveling at high speeds, and methods of making them bleed off that speed (such as ...
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1answer
84 views
Does a published account of the economics of Russian debris shipbreaking exist?
Most Soviet and Russian rockets are/were launched from an inland site, and spent booster stages crash on the ground in sparsely populated (and frequently impoverished) rural areas.
Since the fall of ...
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1answer
198 views
What about recycling used lithium hydroxide on the Moon?
Lithium hydroxide was used to remove exhaled carbon dioxide from breathing gas during the Apollo mission.
Is there any research done how to recycle used lithium hydroxide on the Moon? Separating the ...
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1answer
130 views
What factors do (or are expected to) limit reuse of a Falcon 9 block 5 first stage?
SpaceX have claimed (reported here) that the Falcon 9 Block 5 first stage should be reusable up to 10 times without significant refurbishment, and up to 100 times in total. What factors are expected ...
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230 views
Will SpaceX paint over the NASA Worm on booster 1058 for its next flight?
For the Dragon Crew mission SpaceX flew a brand new booster (how declasse) B1058 and painted it with the old style NASA Worm logo.
SpaceX owns the booster and is most likely to fly it many more times ...
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1answer
219 views
How does re-usable boosters by SpaceX return back and land on the deck 'Of Course I still Love You'? [duplicate]
The idea was to bring back the rockets/boosters safely and re-use them for next time. How SpaceX was able to achieve this?
Intuitively there have to be multiple sensors recording and computer ...
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0answers
58 views
Atmospheric retro-propulsion performance of aerospike nozzles?
I’m thinking about the use of single toroidal aerospike engine for a reusable upper stage with propulsive landing capability and this question came to mind. Do aerospike nozzles even capable of retro ...
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0answers
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What plans were made for Buran post-flight processing?
U.S. Space Shuttles underwent considerable post-processing after each flight. Gases, liquids, and payloads were removed; engines were refurbished; thermal tiles were repaired; and everything was ...
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1answer
104 views
Is present-day plumbing technology enough to make refueling of hypergol rockets safe? What about only in space?
Sadly, all of the currently commonly used chemical rocket fuels that are either hypergolic or storable are horribly toxic/corrosive/explosive. RP-1 is so safe you can pour it out of a gas can, but ...
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0answers
75 views
Have studies / worked examples, including mass figures, been published for these reentry methods for reusable upper stages?
(Related: is there a general rule of thumb for thermal protection systems?)
For a fully-reusable launch vehicle to be developed, we need a lightweight thermal protection system and method for (...
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1answer
288 views
How do ships catch fairings? Can fairings steer or do the ships do all the work?
A comment in The Pod Bay says it all:
...fourth Starlink payload launched. Booster landed on OCISLY. (Has now launched three times, LC-39A, SLC-40, SLC-4W once at each launch pad they own!)
And they ...
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2answers
393 views
Why was the reusability of the SSMEs so poor, and why was this considered acceptable given their purpose to launch a reusable vehicle?
The Space Shuttle Main Engines operated for around 8.5 minutes in every Shuttle launch, yet were removed from the orbiter after each flight and went through an overhaul, parts often being traded from ...
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0answers
63 views
Shuttle main engines RS-25, material damage on parts that needed replacement/refurbishment
Since other members wrote, that my my original question here Shuttle main engines RS-25 refurbishment/material damage was too broad I modified it to asked just one thing, while the other questions I ...
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Shuttle main engines RS-25 refurbishment/material damage
There was some thread here on Space Stack-Exchange about RS-25 refurbishment, but I am interested now, how this refurbishment look from the point of material damage of SSME hardware.
In the early ...
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3answers
170 views
Redeployable solar arrays. Do they exist? or are they being worked on?
Has it ever been done, or is anyone working on, redeployable solar arrays? In other words, a solar cell array that can be deployed in space, used for a period, and then folded up again into the ship, ...
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1answer
124 views
Would Sabre make a good first stage engine for a hypothetical 2-stage design?
Sabre is usually described in the context of the Skylon SSTO design but, would it make more sense to use such engines for the first stage of a two stage design?
Basically, would the air breathing ...
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4answers
879 views
Why do all recent proposed lunar landers have payloads on top?
Every recently-proposed vacuum lander I've seen has its payload as far off the ground as possible. This necessitates cranes, ladders, and elevators to get things down. (Starship may be a partial ...
4
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1answer
136 views
Could the SSMEs of the SLS do retro burns?
The SLS will use the main engines of the space shuttle. Are these capable of retro-burns in the upper atmosphere like SpaceX’s Merlin engines?
More broadly, could the SLS’ main engines and ...
