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Old June 13th 18, 09:27 AM posted to rec.arts.sf.science,sci.astro,sci.physics,sci.space.policy
Fred J. McCall[_3_]
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Default Towards routine, reusable space launch.

JF Mezei wrote on Wed, 13 Jun 2018
02:15:38 -0400:

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.


I suspect it was used for wheels on rail cars and other similar things
long before it was used on aircraft (and frankly it seems a poor fit
for aircraft use).


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.


I doubt it. They were more interested in fixing the existing COPV
design than grounding waiting for a whole new technology.


--
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable
man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore,
all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
--George Bernard Shaw