Unanswered Questions
988 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
19
votes
0answers
1k views
Where is the TEA-TEB stored for the Merlin engines onboard Falcon 9?
The Merlin 1D engines can restart up to four times, they use the pyrophoric mixture of TEA-TEB (Triethylaluminum-Triethylborane) to ignite the engines. My question is where is this stored in the ...
16
votes
1answer
170 views
When have secondary payloads damaged the primary payload of a launcher?
Primary payload customers have traditionally been cautious when allowing secondary payloads on the same launcher. For example, a secondary payload is not trusted to have its own chemical propulsion ...
14
votes
0answers
246 views
Has SpaceX ever done a hot restart of a 2nd stage?
Another question highlighted this Space X commentary for the GRACE-FO launch:
Now in order to fly an efficient trajectory for both of the payloads, we’re actually now running the second stage ...
14
votes
1answer
797 views
What is the value of the cross-track angle between the two designated CRS-4 first stage recovery zones?
For the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on its Dragon/CRS-4 cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station, according to Spaceflight 101, two downrange safety zones have been identified:
The SpX-...
13
votes
0answers
207 views
How did “the kid” (John Meisenheimer) calculate that there was a wave in the jet stream and Explorer 1 would be okay to launch?
This tough question links to the NASA YouTube video NASA 60th: How It All Began which shows a lot of really nice, historical file footage and stills.
After about ...
12
votes
0answers
220 views
How far have autophage rockets been developed?
Ars Technica reports on a May 24 phys.org press release/precis on a University of Glasgow paper in Journal of Spacecraft of Rockets about a solid rocket intended to consume itself during use rather ...
11
votes
0answers
137 views
How does increased environmental radiation affect medication potency, long and short term?
The issue of the effects of radiation on medication potency is not only important for long term stays in the ISS, but also very important for longer duration journeys and even for colonization.
One ...
10
votes
0answers
274 views
What were some of the first two stage rockets flown?
The first US two stage rocket was bumper, a combination of a german V2 liquid fuel rocket with an US second stage.
The Soviet Union had the R-1 and R-2 based on the V-2.
In this list, the R-7 is the ...
10
votes
0answers
926 views
How does JAXA's “Int-Ball” manage airflow to optimally navigate inside the ISS?
above: From the BBC's Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS.
This is JAXA's GEM internal ball camera, or "Int-Ball". Kawaii! It looks like it uses a three axis attitude ...
10
votes
0answers
335 views
How are the Voyagers' thrusters configured in a novel way to minimize accelerations along Earth-spacecraft axis?
I've just read in Eshleman et al 1977 Radio Science Investigations with Voyager that the voyagers have:
...a novel attitude-control thruster configuration that minimizes accelerations along the ...
10
votes
0answers
456 views
Why does the YF-75D nozzle have such a strong spiral pattern?
Why does the YF-75D nozzle material have such a strong spiral pattern?
Is it a result/biproduct of a manufacturing process only, or does it have some specific function?
edit: The last, cropped ...
10
votes
0answers
285 views
How do domes in lunar impact melts develop, and might they be hollow?
On the floors of young craters of the Moon, smoothly rounded domes are visible in some spots. Lalande crater has 4 of them, each around 200 m across.
Here are less regular ones on the floor of ...
9
votes
0answers
393 views
What would have been the absolute maximum LEO payload of a two-stage Saturn V?
I read about the Skylab 1 mission in which SA-513 was used to lob the Skylab OWS into orbit. One source (http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=12519.20) gave some payload masses:
Total ...
9
votes
0answers
99 views
Is loss of flexibility a concern with crew on the ISS?
Videos of people on the ISS make it clear how little they need to bend or stretch, and how their joints stay in their neutral position most of the time as they float around - elbows, knees and hips ...
8
votes
0answers
117 views
28V vs. 124V on the ISS
Apparently the US segment of the ISS runs on 124v DC, while the Russian segment is on 28v DC. Why the difference? I understand it is often safer to have several different voltages rather than one, but ...
