Questions tagged [spacex]
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or SpaceX, is a private space exploration company. It was the world's first privately held company to successfully launch a cargo mission into space , cargo to the ISS (International Space Station), land and reuse a booster, and a crewed mission into orbit. See the wiki for related tags.
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What computer and software is used by the Falcon 9?
I don't know if this would be public, but what CPU / Microcontrollers are used and what software do they run on the Falcon 9? Do they use an OS or is it just bare metal programming?
I found some ...
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What happens to the Falcon 9 second stage after payload separation?
In a Falcon 9 launch, the second stage looks like it achieves orbit along with the payload. But is that impression accurate? Does SpaceX need to do anything to deorbit the stage?
I can see a few ...
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Is the SpaceX Falcon Heavy payload (a Tesla car) space junk?
Yesterday SpaceX succeeded in the first Falcon Heavy launch, but the payload, a Tesla car has no real useful purpose (except for company prestige).
Thus, can it be considered as space junk ? How long ...
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Difference between BlueOrigin and SpaceX rocket landings?
So, SpaceX has finally landed their booster back to the land.
BlueOrigin has achieved the same thing in a recent past, but I have read so many people commenting and criticizing the comparison of ...
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Why is SpaceX considering Methane as fuel for their next engine, the Raptor?
Currently, SpaceX has developed the Merlin 1 family (1B (Falcon 1), 1C (Falcon 9 v1.0), 1D (Falcon 9 v1.1/F9-R/Falcon Heavy), vacuum versions and sealevel versions) which are LOX/RP1 based. (75-...
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Why do SpaceX Starships look so "homemade"?
Maybe this is not possible to answer, but I was hoping there was some reliable information available on this.
It seems to me that the SpaceX Starship rockets have sort of a homemade quality to them, ...
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Why would SpaceX not use parachutes for the final descent of the first stage?
According to what I've read, SpaceX tried to use parachutes to recover the first stage of the Falcon 9, but it did not survive reentry.
Now they plan to use 2 separate rocket burns to land:
Reentry ...
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Can I drive Elon Musk's Tesla after it's been in space for 100 Years?
We know that the the payload of the maiden Falcon Heavy flight will be... Elon Musks's Tesla Which will be placed in "Mars Orbit"
Assuming it is serviced and road ready when launched with the keys in ...
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Why does the SpaceX reusable launcher use vertical rather than horizontal landing?
As alternatives to vertical retro-engines landing:
horizontal landing using wings, already discussed in Why is it preferable for SpaceX to land their booster vertically rather than fly it down with ...
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What are the towers around the SpaceX launch pad used for?
I noticed four(?) towers around the SpaceX launch pad during yesterday's aborted launch
Image credit NBC News
What are the towers used for? Tracking? Radio communications?
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How does the Falcon 9 first stage avoid burning up on re-entry?
Now that a Falcon 9 first stage has successfully landed after a launch mission, I want to know how the first stage can avoid burning up when coming back down to earth.
There doesn't appear to be any ...
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Why doesn't the Falcon-9 first stage use three legs to land?
The immediate thought that would probably come into your mind would be "Because 4 legs is more stable than 3." However that is not always true. 3 legs offer the same or in some cases more stability as ...
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What was the fate of the main core of the first Falcon Heavy launch?
February 6th 2018 saw the first test launch of SpaceX's Falcon 9 Heavy rocket.
During the main core's landing on the marine landing pad, the connection was lost. As such it is not immediately clear ...
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How does the SpaceX Falcon 9 first-stage straighten for landing?
I just saw this video of supposed "SpaceX Rocket Camera Landing Footage Fakery" with over a million views.
The narrator repeatedly says it's complete garbage because he doesn't understand ...
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Why would NOAA restrict the ability of SpaceX to live stream the second stage?
I was watching the live stream of the Iridium-5 launch and they mentioned that NOAA had restricted their ability to live stream the second stage and that SpaceX was working to remove this restriction.
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In Starman's roadster, where's the Towel?
Did Starman forget his towel? A towel is the essential thing every explorer needs to carry, right? Can't get very far without it.
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Is Starman wearing a seatbelt?
While staring at the live feed of a crash dummy in a convertible in outer space, I was wondering: Is this crash dummy following safety conventions and wearing a seat belt? I somehow doubt that it ...
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Why can't Falcon 9 fairings touch the water?
SpaceX is spending considerable effort to catch Falcon 9 fairings into a giant net on a ship. I am aware that salt water ruins almost everything in the long run, but the fairings are a composite ...
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Is a SpaceX launch completely automated?
Once the engines are ignited and liftoff occurs, are any operators/controllers on the ground making any manual changes to the flight? Or are they simply monitoring the entire event until the boosters ...
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What is that haze on Starman's windshield?
There is a haze on the top half of Starman's windshield? It was not there in the first day o fthe launch and the video feed. It looks like fogged window, but assume it cannot be that. What is it and ...
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SpaceX merlin engine failure
On SpaceX's website, they make a claim that their rockets are the safest and most reliable in the industry. This is because apparently it can complete its mission even if up-to two of its engines fail ...
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Why did the SpaceX Starship SN10 explode?
Much to everyone's relief.
The SpaceX Starship SN10 successfully completed its flight and landed.....
But, sometime later, It exploded!
Why?
And did it have anything to do with the fire near the ...
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Before we build a Mars colony, why don't we build a 100% self-sustainable test colony in the Antarctic?
Before we go to Mars, why don't we build a sealed dome self sustaining colony in the Antarctic? One that can heat itself, recycle all materials, water and waste. Grow enough plants to produce oxygen ...
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Why did it take so long for methane to be used as a rocket propellant?
SpaceX have put methane on the map as a rocket fuel, but they weren't the first to consider its use. The first experiments in building a rocket engine that uses methane date back to 2007.
Now methane ...
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After the Crew Dragon's success, does Boeing's Starliner still offer value?
Boeing's Starliner is more expensive than Crew Dragon and seems not to offer any significant advantages. Is there still value to NASA or other parties in the future to having a choice between the two?
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Why did Starhopper's exhaust plume become brighter just before landing?
In 2019 Aug 27's test flight, during the final 8 seconds before landing (T+00:45), Starhopper's plume was suddenly much brighter. Why?
The Raptor's thrust can't ...
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What are these shiny wrist plates worn by astronauts in the SpaceX crew capsule
What are these shiny wrist plates worn by astronauts in the SpaceX crew capsule?
screen shot from the NASA YouTube video Watch NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 Mission Arrive at the International Space Station
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What is the primary reason for SpaceX motion to have astronauts board Dragon before fueling up the rocket?
News piece: NASA supports SpaceX plan to fuel rockets with astronauts on board.
The move is criticized by many as unnecessarily dangerous.
From what I understand though, it shouldn't be necessary - ...
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SpaceX and propulsive landing on Mars -- what just happened? (and why?)
There is some news that I've just read about in the Pod Bay SE chat room:
Wired: SpaceX's Mars Plan Hits a Pothole. Up Next: The Moon?
Ars Technica: Elon Musk’s Mars rocket may be about to lose half ...
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Why was AMOS-6 mounted on the rocket for a test fire?
I understand that the static test is a general test of pre-launch procedures, but risking a multi-million dollar payload for a test seems remarkable. Couldn't they use a mass simulator or something? ...
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