Image: SpaceX Flight Hardware
SpaceX Octaweb, OnOrbit
“In the background – the harness that holds a ring of eight Merlin 1D engines in a ring of fire, with a 9th in the middle.”
SpaceX Octaweb, OnOrbit
“In the background – the harness that holds a ring of eight Merlin 1D engines in a ring of fire, with a 9th in the middle.”
To get a little size perspective, click over to one of the larger resolution versions of this photo (from the OnOrbit web page) and look at the brown table top behind the DO NOT TOUCH sign. Further back, directly behind that table is a person (with F9 on his shirt back) sitting facing away from the camera. Look at him and the equipment around him, and then look up at the thrust frame. It sure looks a lot bigger than when you see the finished LV sitting on the pad at a distance. Very impressive. It reminds me of standing next to a cut open F-1 engine bell — more like a large cave than a piece of precision hardware.
What is the green cable with clamps to the engines? Is that to reduce static electricity buildup?
Electronic anti-rust? Due to mixed metals? (Wired version of a sacrificial anode.)
my guess would also be a grounding strap
McGregor TV media reported ghere was to be another 9 engine test ladt night. It’ll be interesting to get info and pics / video of this beast roaring.
SpaceX flights are really slipping. The next CRS is in Dec. I guess nothing needs to be returned from ISS.The Canada sat. was June,now Summer. They have a lot of launches scheduled for the last 6 months of this year.
The Canada launch is huge, not only for the customer but for Space X as it’s the first flight of the Falcon 9 v1.1. with a test of the booster as well.
There’s a CRS in Dec and then another CRS in Apr of next year. Both via v1.1 of course.
For the most part the SpaceX launch manifest is for show. Elon and Co. have never successfully launched more than 2 rockets in a year and the last four lauches have all been for NASA.
Most everyone knows how hard it is to succeed in launching rockets. SpaceX cannot afford any mistakes whatsoever or the press will eat them alive.