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First complete BE-4 engines have been assembled



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 7th 17, 02:39 AM posted to sci.space.policy
Jeff Findley[_6_]
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Default First complete BE-4 engines have been assembled


The first complete BE-4 engines have been assembled.

http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/6/148...origin-rocket-
engine-be-4-new-glenn


http://www.geekwire.com/2017/jeff-be...rocket-engine/


This is not a small engine. Two of these will give the first stage of
Vulcan more thrust than one Russian RD-180 gives Atlas V.

Jeff
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  #2  
Old March 7th 17, 07:13 AM posted to sci.space.policy
Fred J. McCall[_3_]
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Default First complete BE-4 engines have been assembled

Jeff Findley wrote:


The first complete BE-4 engines have been assembled.

http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/6/148...origin-rocket-
engine-be-4-new-glenn


http://www.geekwire.com/2017/jeff-be...rocket-engine/


This is not a small engine. Two of these will give the first stage of
Vulcan more thrust than one Russian RD-180 gives Atlas V.


Note that they've just gotten the first one built, but it's never been
fired. They have a long way to go, particularly at the glacial speed
that Blue Origin usually moves. It has around 2/3 the thrust of a
SpaceX Raptor, which was test fired last year.


--
"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
  #3  
Old March 7th 17, 11:38 PM posted to sci.space.policy
Jeff Findley[_6_]
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Default First complete BE-4 engines have been assembled

In article ,
says...

Jeff Findley wrote:


The first complete BE-4 engines have been assembled.

http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/6/148...origin-rocket-
engine-be-4-new-glenn


http://www.geekwire.com/2017/jeff-be...rocket-engine/


This is not a small engine. Two of these will give the first stage of
Vulcan more thrust than one Russian RD-180 gives Atlas V.


Note that they've just gotten the first one built, but it's never been
fired. They have a long way to go, particularly at the glacial speed
that Blue Origin usually moves. It has around 2/3 the thrust of a
SpaceX Raptor, which was test fired last year.


Yes, the assembly of the first full engines means that they can start
testing testing the complete engine.

That said, they've been testing parts of the engine for almost two years
now and posted some video to go with some of those tests:

BE 4 Engine - Published on Feb 20, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWrGXxB_EIs

Yes, they were testing the turbopumps and injectors separately back
then. I'm not a propulsion guy, but I gather incremental testing like
this is common during liquid fueled rocket engine development.

Jeff
--
All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.
These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,
employer, or any organization that I am a member of.
  #4  
Old March 8th 17, 12:36 AM posted to sci.space.policy
Vaughn Simon
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Default First complete BE-4 engines have been assembled

On 3/7/2017 3:38 PM, JF Mezei wrote:
is there some FAA-like process to put multiple engines through various
tests before they are certified for flight?

Or it is still more of a "wild west" approach when the company decides
when/how the engine is OK to be put on a rocket and send up?


It's mostly the "wild west" and will be for at least a few more years.

The FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation regulates that stuff.
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org...s_offices/ast/

BUT! There is a law, HR2262, greatly limits FAA's authority until 2023.

"The legislation means that private space travel is still considered
young, and lawmakers have given the industry more time to experiment and
gather data."It allows the industry to grow, to test, and to develop
without this overshadow of the regulatory hammer coming down on them,""
  #5  
Old March 8th 17, 12:45 AM posted to sci.space.policy
Fred J. McCall[_3_]
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Posts: 10,018
Default First complete BE-4 engines have been assembled

JF Mezei wrote:

On 2017-03-07 01:13, Fred J. McCall wrote:

Note that they've just gotten the first one built, but it's never been
fired.


Typically would the first one be fired ? Or just used to verify
manufacturing and that parts fit?


Once you've got it put together, why WOULDN'T you test fire it? It
doesn't matter if "parts fit" if the bloody thing doesn't work.


is there some FAA-like process to put multiple engines through various
tests before they are certified for flight?


I doubt it. Just what would a regulatory agency require it to do,
given that engines are different?


Or it is still more of a "wild west" approach when the company decides
when/how the engine is OK to be put on a rocket and send up?


I doubt it. If the thing isn't suitable for its mission, you're not
going to be in business very long.

--
"Some people get lost in thought because it's such unfamiliar
territory."
--G. Behn
  #6  
Old March 9th 17, 07:52 AM posted to sci.space.policy
Fred J. McCall[_3_]
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Posts: 10,018
Default First complete BE-4 engines have been assembled

JF Mezei wrote:

On 2017-03-07 18:45, Fred J. McCall wrote:

I doubt it. Just what would a regulatory agency require it to do,
given that engines are different?


I was thinking about making sure they are sufficiently tested before
allowed to be part of a fully fueled rocket that could explode at some
launch pad.


And how would you do that? What tests would you specify? The folks
using them have a vested interest in doing that, but 'that' is going
to be different depending on the engine.


I guess launch pads are differets icne they are isolated from population
and rockets have range safety, which aeroplanes don't.

first engine produced. Note that Boeing et all wll sacrifice early
production fuselates/wings to stress testing to measure at what force
they break. (destructive testing). I bvelieve aircraft engines are also
tested similarly (to ensure blade containment is sufficient).

Was just wondering if there are similar tests they do. (or perhaps it is
the turbopumps which have destructive testing before the first engine is
put together.


I think there are probably two different approaches to this sort of
testing; test all the pieces separately or put all the pieces together
and test a full up engine. There are advantages and disadvantages to
which mix of those two approaches are done.


--
"Oooo, scary! Y'know, there are a lot scarier things
in the world than you ... and I'm one of them."

-- Buffy the vampire
 




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