SpaceX Grass-hopper RLV testbed (last flight for GH1, F9R next))

[Dr Mordrid]

Why is the word g r a s s h o p p e r filtered? It's a lousy insect name

Hot off the FAA presses. Speculation is rampant, ranging from an entry into the suborbital business to a testbed for recovery of 1st stages for reuse - or both. Elon Musk has an appearance before the National Press Club in Washington DC on the 29th so hopefully he'll clarify things.

SpaceX Gr****opper RLV (FAA tech docs - PDF)....

The Proposed Action (preferred alternative) is for the FAA/AST to issue an experimental permit to SpaceX, which would authorize SpaceX to conduct suborbital launches and landings of the Gr****opper RLV from the McGregor test site in McGregor, Texas (see Exhibits 2-1 and 2-2 below). SpaceX has determined that to support the Gr****opper RLV activities under the experimental permit, it would be necessary to construct a launch pad and additional support infrastructure. Therefore, the Proposed Action analyzed in this Draft EA includes the activities that would be authorized by the experimental permit (i.e., the operation of the launch vehicle) as well as the construction of the launch pad and related infrastructure. The experimental permit would be valid for one year and would authorize an unlimited number of launches2. The FAA/AST could renew the experimental permit if requested, in writing, by SpaceX at least 60 days before the permit expires. SpaceX anticipates that the Gr****opper RLV program would require up to 3 years to complete. Therefore, the Proposed Action considers one new permit and two potential permit renewals.
>
The Gr****opper RLV is a vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) vehicle. The highest altitude which the Gr****opper RLV would reach during launches conducted under an experimental permit is 11,500 feet above ground level (AGL). SpaceX would need to obtain a Letter of Authorization from the Robert Gray Army Radar Approach Control at Fort Hood to operate the Gr****opper RLV in the proposed airspace before any launches could commence.

[cjolley]

gr****opper

[cjolley]

Frau Blücher!

[Evildead666]

Maybe its something to do with a Hopper full of Grass ?
Gr****opper. (Test)

edit : Wow. Use Gl****opper ? Aw, come on, no Gl a s s hopper either ?

it seem to be the a s s h that is blocked. just that by itself isn't allowed.
Maybe its something to do with code for not hacking into the site ?

[Evildead666]

http://a s s h.sourceforge.net/ (remove the spaces in the first part.)
Anonymous Secure Shell ? Could that be why its not allowed ?

[Dr Mordrid]

First G'hopper short-hop test flight - a few meters up, then a dust obscured landing.

Not bad for a first VTVL effort, with much higher tests on the way to a reusable self-landing first stage immanent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObJb3OncSEY

[Dr Mordrid]

Official -

GR****OPPER TAKES ITS FIRST HOP

On Friday, September 21, SpaceX’s Gr****opper vertical takeoff and landing test vehicle (VTVL) took its first test flight hop from the company’s rocket testing facility in McGregor, Texas.

The short hop of approximately 6 feet is the first major milestone for Gr****opper, and a critical step toward a reusable first stage for SpaceX’s proven Falcon 9 rocket. As seen in the video, Gr****opper consists of a Falcon 9 first stage, a Merlin-1D engine, four steel landing legs, and a steel support structure.

SpaceX is working to develop vehicles that are fully and rapidly reusable, a key element to radically reducing cost and increasing the efficiency of spaceflight.

Testing of Gr****opper continues, with the next big milestone – a hover at roughly 100 feet -- expected in the next several months

[Dr Mordrid]

On Nov 3, 2012 Elon Musk tweeted -

@elonmusk: First flight of 10 story tall Gr****opper rocket using closed loop thrust vector & throttle control

http://yfrog.us/f362mloybjbosdefkdeoytqsz

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@elonmusk: @Jack_JL Engine gimbals for pitch and yaw, gas thrusters for roll.

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/5073/62mloybjbosdefkdeoytqs.mp4

[Dr Mordrid]

Guesstimates from informed aerospace sites -

Tank height: 24 m (DC-X(A) VTVL was 12 m total)
Supporting frame height; 6 m
Supporting frame width: 8 m
Total height: ~30 m
Tank mass: 7000 kg
Legs & supporting frame (very rough estimate): 8000 kg
Ballast: Unknown
Propellant load: Unknown
Thrust from Merlin 1D: 650 - 455 kN (based on 70% throttling)
Ballast+propellant load for this flight: 40000 kg

[Dr Mordrid]

Outstanding!!

Single-camera -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz-NYeH-CEY

Multi-camera -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4PEXLODw9c

A second version of Gr****opper will be 50% taller, in line with the Falcon 9 v1.1 tank stretch, have a lighter thrust structure (engine mount) and have legs that fold up along its sides while in flight - akin to those on their "Future" Falcon RLV concept of operations (CONOPS) reusable launcher video.

The FAA license for Gr****opper tests at SpaceX's McGregor, Texas test facility covers flights up to 3,500m / 11,500ft. Higher than that, and supersonic flights, will be done at the White Sands Missile Range.

SPACEX’S GR****OPPER TAKES GIANT LEAP TOWARDS REUSABILITY WITH 12-STORY FLIGHT

SpaceX’s Gr****opper took a 12-story leap towards full and rapid rocket reusability in a test flight conducted December 17, 2012 at SpaceX’s rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas.

Gr****opper, SpaceX’s vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (VTVL), rose 131 feet (40 meters), hovered and landed safely on the pad using closed loop thrust vector and throttle control. The total test duration was 29 seconds.

Gr****opper stands 10 stories tall and consists of a Falcon 9 rocket first stage, Merlin 1D engine, four steel landing legs with hydraulic dampers, and a steel support structure.

The 12-story flight marks a significant increase over the height and length of hover of Gr****opper’s previous test flights, which took place earlier this fall. In September, Gr****opper flew to 1.8 meters (6 feet), and in November, it flew to 5.4 meters (17.7 feet/2 stories) including a brief hover.

Testing of Gr****opper will continue with successively more sophisticated flights expected over the next several months.

[Dr Mordrid]

Tweets by SpaceX'ers Thursday. Sounds like a new video will be making an appearance

Rumors are that in today's hop GH descended faster than before, and "stuck" the landing. Next time they plan on a shutdown-restart.

Other news is that GH2's tank has already been built and is being used in Falcon 9 v1.1 tests at their McGregor test site. After those tests it'll be converted into GH2 and get its landing legs.

The first Falcon 9 v1.1 launch is late June. After the first stage separates GH techniques will be used to rotate the stage and fly it back towards Vandenberg AFB. It will then attempt to "land" on the ocean off the coast. If this eventually proves out a later first stage will attempt a land landing.

RT @GraehamF: Woohoo! Go Go Gadget Gr****opper! @SpaceX #space #weLiveInTheFuture

RT @alias_amanda YEEEEHAW!!! That is all.

[Dr Mordrid]

Video from the March 80m "HoverSlam" flight, which showed the Gr****opper landing with a thrist-to-weight ratio of >1. It does this by timing fuel consumption, descent & throttling so that its vertical velocity zeros out just as altitude = 0m. Before the now lighter Gr****opper can rise again, it cuts its engines to settle. Neat.

The passenger is a cowboy mannequin dressed up as Johnny Cash.

[Dr Mordrid]

SpaceX Gr****opper flies again yesterday. Yes, the cowboy mannequin in Johnny Cash gear went for another ride. Last hop was 80m, and before that 40m, so they're doubling to tripling the previous efforts.

"SpaceX's Gr****opper flies 820 feet, tripling its March 7th leap. Gr****opper is a 10-story Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing (VTVL) vehicle that SpaceX has designed to test the technologies needed to return a rocket back to Earth intact. While most rockets are designed to burn up in the atmosphere during reentry, SpaceX's rockets are being designed to return to the launch pad for a vertical landing."

[Musk:] Gr****opper rocket flies up 250m, holds against wind and lands. Vid taken from our hexacopter

[Question:] Was the rocket leaning into the wind while it was holding it's altitude?

[Musk:] yes

[Question:] is the rocket evolving each trial or are you just testing what is capable of?

[Musk:] evolving

[Dr Mordrid]

A major change in SpaceX Gr****opper test operations, and it appears we are getting very close to Gr****opper 2.0 which will fly to altitudes of 300,000 feet by the time it's done.

This change from McGregor Texas to Spaceport Ameraca, a more open range away from populated areas, previously had been though to end up at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). Perhaps SpaceX doesn't want to be limited by the DoD's test schedule. Spaceport America will also be the base of operations for Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo.

Gr****opper 2.0 will he based on the new Falcon 9 v1.1 core, Merlin 1D engines and have 4 extendable landing legs.

Image of a landing leg at bottom. The legs A frames attach to the bottom of the Gr****opper 2 / F9R thrust structure (engine mount) and the telescoping upper arms attach to hard points around the fuel tank. Extension of the upper arm is accomplished using pressurized helium, which is already onboard to pressurize the fuel and liquid oxygen tanks. Leg span is over 60 feet.

The operational version of a reusable Falcon 9 v1.1 will be named F9R, pronounced "F-Niner."

http://spaceportamerica.com/press-release/spaceport-america-welcomes-spacex-for-reusable-rocket-testing-program/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Spaceport America Welcomes SpaceX for Reusable Rocket Testing Program

(Santa Fe, NM) -

Governor Susana Martinez today announced that Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or SpaceX, has signed a three-year agreement to lease land and facilities at Spaceport America to conduct the next phase of flight testing for its reusable rocket program. The company will be a new tenant at Spaceport America, the state-owned commercial launch site located in southern New Mexico.

“I am thrilled that SpaceX has chosen to make New Mexico its home, bringing their revolutionary “Gr****opper” rocket and new jobs with them,” Governor Martinez said today. “We’ve done a lot of work to level the playing field so we can compete in the space industry. This is just the first step in broadening the base out at the Spaceport and securing even more tenants. I’m proud to welcome SpaceX to New Mexico.”

SpaceX has completed its first series of successful, low-altitude tests of the “Gr****opper” vehicle in McGregor, Texas and is proceeding to the next phase of development that includes testing in New Mexico. With Gr****opper, SpaceX engineers are creating technology that will enable a rocket to return to the launch pad intact for a vertical landing, rather than burning up upon reentry in the Earth’s atmosphere.

SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell said, “Spaceport America offers us the physical and regulatory landscape needed to complete the next phase of Gr****opper testing. We are pleased to expand our reusable rocket development infrastructure to New Mexico.”

The New Mexico Spaceport Authority has been readying the world’s first purpose-built, commercial spaceport specifically for leading-edge programs like Gr****opper.

Christine Anderson, the NMSA Executive Director, said, “We are excited that SpaceX is coming to Spaceport America, where our first-class service will empower them to focus their full attention on their mission.”

Spaceport America hangar and runway



GH2 / F9R landing leg

[Dr Mordrid]

744m hop, and the HexaCopter drone gets close!

A few more Grass-hopper flights at McGregor, TX before F9R-1 (Grass-hopper 2) starts flying at SpacePort America in New Mexico - probably shortly after the first of the year. F9R-1 is a full Falcon 9 v1.1 first stage complete with landing legs etc. which will continue testing the return to launch site and landing flight profile.