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**Jeff Findley[_6_]**

In article ,
says...

On 2018-06-12 19:00, Jeff Findley wrote:

Bull****. SpaceX is not demonstrating any new technologies.

Is friction fit welding for the tanks a first for rockets?

I know it isn't "new" since it was used by Airbus and others, but
wondering if it was first use in rockets/tanks.

Doesn't matter if it's a "first for rockets", it's been done before in
other industries (aerospace at that). So, it's absolutely existing
tech. Again, SpaceX hasn't invented any new technologies here.

Since SpaceX is developping composite tanks for BFR, was there any
though of puttting composite tanks for Block 5 Falcon 9? Just
wondering if there would be a big payback in weight or if the difference
not worth the trouble of developping/testing/certifying such a tank.

Composite structures/tanks are also not new. Composites are heavily
used in aerospace. For space specifically, the X-33 program designed
and built cryogenic composite tanks. They failed during testing more
due to their complex geometry than anything else. So no new tech there.

BFR/BFS avoids the complex geometry problem and goes back to a more
"delta clipper" sort of design. Also not new, at least in concept.

Jeff
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