Project SpaceX SuperHeavy

BrianJ

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Hi,
just a couple of screen shots to let folks know that progress is being made (slowly!). There's a few serious functional bugs to be sorted out, but hopefully I might have something usable in a few days. Even so, there will still be lots to do improving 1st stage boostback and landing accuracy and efficiency. And maybe reentry autopilot and better landing algorithm for upper stage. Improving appearance. Etc.etc.etc.

Even with 28 Raptors, 2.2MN thrust each, this moves off the pad in a dignified and stately fashion! 3 Raptor(SL) and 3 Raptor(Vac) on the upper stage, which now has payload bay, heatshield and revised RCS for orbital operations. I gave the RCS a vaguely Shuttle-like configuration. It will put 100,000kg into LEO with just enough fuel reserve for 1st stage flyback.

Anyhow, am having much fun building this thing (as ever) and will put a "WIP" version on OH asap, for anyone who wants to play around with it. Thanks to 4throck for the BocaChica hi-res tiles :)

super_heavy_scr3.jpgsuper_heavy_scr4.jpg
super_heavy_scr5.jpg

super_heavy_scr6.jpgsuper_heavy_scr7.jpg

Yep, 1st stage having trouble getting back to base!
Cheers,
Brian
 

Marijn

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Looking great! Will the upper stage be able to drop fuel in case it's too heavy for a landing using the reserve fuel tank?

And I would love it when a little FAA car is included in the scenario.. There has to be an inspector on site!
 

BrianJ

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Looking great! Will the upper stage be able to drop fuel in case it's too heavy for a landing using the reserve fuel tank?
Since this has inherited most of the Falcon9 code, that's already done.
And I would love it when a little FAA car is included in the scenario.. There has to be an inspector on site!
Definitely. Good for giving a sense of scale too. I'll add one to the base scenery :)
 

4throck

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Looks great!
Is there any interest on having SpaceX's spaceport overlaid on the tiles ?
I can take this plan and simply texture the pads, asphalt and concrete areas...
 
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BrianJ

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Hi 4throck,
if you feel like having a go at the launch site - please do!
At the moment, I just have a flat mesh for the ground surface, and a separate mesh with a couple of storage tanks and earth-barriers, all referenced from the BocaChica base .cfg file. The launch stands/tower for Starship/Superheavy are vessels.
I've attached a .zip with all the BocaChica base .cfg/meshes/textures here, in case it's any help for you.
Have fun! :)
P.S. The BocaChica base .cfg origin (0,0,0) coincides with the landing pad, so it can be used as a flyback "target" by SuperHeavy.
 

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ChrisRowland

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Brian, it looks as if my guess about the arrangement of the Raptors is wrong. There seems to be an inner ring of 8 gimballed and an outer ring or 20. The inner ring at a radius of 2.0 m and the outer at 4.0 m. The NasaSpaceflight video from this morning shows a thrust dome with this arrangement.

I've also seen a video where people claimed that the grid fins will be rectangular, the same as the Falcon 9, and there will be some heat shield material round the base.

Chris
 

BrianJ

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Thanks Chris. Darn SpaceX, always changing things ;)
I'll check the NasaSpaceFlight video. Would be a shame about the grid-fins - I thought coffin-shaped looked quite stylish.
At least I'm ahead of the game re: heat shield at the base!
Cheers,
Brian
 

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BrianJ

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@4throck
I modified the Boca Chica base meshes to fit your hi-res tiles.
bc_base.jpg
The base .cfg, mesh and textures are in the attached .zip
Are you going to upload the tiles to OH sometime? If so, do you want to include the base cfg, meshes, textures ?
Or I could include them in the SuperHeavy pack - whatever you like :)

@ChrisRowland or anyone:
Do we know yet if the booster stage has a "flared" engine section or will it be a straight pipe?

Thanks,
Brian
 

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4throck

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@BrianJ You can include the Boca Chica tiles (the base and rest of the area) on your SuperHeavy addon.
Easier that way (single download, all in one place).

Looks quite good! If I may suggest, perhaps you should add some ground support buildings with windows for scale. Those would be at the bottom left area on your screenshot.
And the fence all around. I know, it's extra work but those details will give you scale and realism.
 

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There are some overhead views of a booster thrust dome that seem to show that the booster is constant diameter, at least to that. It would be out of character for them to do otherwise, they seem to be making everything out of 9m diameter stainless steel tubes. The bells of the engines may be below the bottom of the booster, that could give them more room.

Today's NSF video shows a grid fin. It looks as if the inner end is tapered but the outer end is flat.

BN1 is said to be just an engineering test piece, with no intention of flying it, but they may drive it around the site and possibly even do some testing on a sub orbital pad.

Realism is going to be tricky until we know what real is.
 

BrianJ

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@BrianJ You can include the Boca Chica tiles (the base and rest of the area) on your SuperHeavy addon.
Easier that way (single download, all in one place).

Looks quite good! If I may suggest, perhaps you should add some ground support buildings with windows for scale. Those would be at the bottom left area on your screenshot.
And the fence all around. I know, it's extra work but those details will give you scale and realism.
OK! (y)

I'll get back to base building once I've done some more work on the launcher.
(or if anybody else wants to help out by adding some base buildings, go for it!)
 

BrianJ

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Fun with fins.......
fin1.jpg
I'm assuming the pointy bits point into the airflow.....but is that right?? Anyone know?
Thanks,
Brian
 
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