Posted on 02/03/2017 1:32:19 PM PST by BenLurkin
After launching ten satellites into orbit last month, and successfully landing a Falcon 9 first stage, it looked like SpaceX was getting back on track. But unfortunately, preliminary reports from a Government Accountability Office investigation have found "persistent cracking of vital propulsion-system components," according to The Wall Street Journal. Specifically, turbofans that pump rocket fuel to the Falcon 9 engines were identified as weak points where cracking can occur.
...
Acting NASA administrator Robert Lightfoot told The Wall Street Journal that the agency is "talking to [SpaceX] about turbo machinery," and that he's confident "we know how to fix them." A SpaceX spokesperson added that the Falcon 9's engines are designed to withstand such cracks, but the company is "modifying the design to avoid them altogether... in partnership with NASA to qualify engines for manned spaceflight." It is unclear whether the design modifications will require replacing the turbopumps altogether.
(Excerpt) Read more at popularmechanics.com ...
Cracks “can occur” or “did occur” ???
Hell, cracks “can occur” anywhere inside a multi-million horsepower turbopump spinning at tens of thousands of rpm in a liquid oxygen atmosphere.
NASA can’t do it so they try to bring down those that can.
Because we have all sorts of rocket scientists in the GAO offices...
I read that as cracks occurring in the real world.
And NASA is the customer for SpaceX, just like they were the customer for STS, Apollo, Gemini, and Mercury. And they damn well BETTER be monitoring contractor performance thoroughly, "fella".
All SpaceX has to do is hire more muslims and the problem will vanish.
Cavitation is death to all propellers in contact with liquids
The report comes from those in the field who are monitoring the contract
This is one of the biggest challenges that folks who work with turbines dace
I think they are manufactured via 3-D printers.
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