SpaceX BFR/BFS SuperHeavy vehicles (space jogging?)

[Dr Mordrid]

The Port of LA SpaceX BFR factory is now official,

https://twitter.com/MayorOfLA/status/985931907970908161?s=19

Mayor Eric Garcetti ✔ @MayorOfLA
Officially announcing that @SpaceX will start production development of the Big Falcon Rocket in the @PortofLA!

This vehicle holds the promise of taking humanity deeper into the cosmos than ever before. #SOTC2018
1:24 PM - Apr 16, 2018

[Dr Mordrid]

At the 2018 International Space Development Conference in LA, SpaceX's propulsion VP

https://www.geekwire.com/2018/spacex...-engines-mars/

SpaceX propulsion guru Tom Mueller looks ahead to Raptor rocket engines for Mars

LOS ANGELES* SpaceXs success owes a lot to the tenacity of the companys billionaire founder, Elon Musk, but some of the credit has to go to the guy who designed the engines that make the rockets go.
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Before signing on with SpaceX, Mueller spent 15 years at TRW, where he was in charge of propulsion and combustion products and liquid rocket engine development.
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"I've been working on Mars for the last four years, so I'm not going to take any credit for the Block 5 engine and all the upgrades that have happened," he said. "I'll take credit for developing the team that developed the Merlin 1D engine."
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The methane-fueled Raptor is expected to be twice as powerful as the Merlin 1D, with liftoff thrust of 380,000 pounds. The BFRs first-stage booster will use 31 of the engines to pack more punch than the Saturn V did during the Apollo era.

Mueller told GeekWire that he's been mulling over the Raptor for about a decade. The engine doesn't make use of the Merlin design, but goes instead with a full-flow, staged-combustion system that requires a clean-sheet design.

Engine development is on track for next years anticipated start of short-hop flight tests of the BFR upper-stage spaceship.

"I don't want to say too much. We're building up the test stand right now. We've got the first flight version of that engine in work. We've been running the development engine quite a bit. It's running great,"*Mueller told the audience.

"The Merlin holds the*thrust-to-weight record*for now," he said. "But the Raptor's coming."

Raptor development engine stand (80% scale)


Raptor flight engine(s) stand (under construction - taken April '18)


Raptor test (2017)

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Full video on Twitter

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/913625659947106304?s=19

[Dr Mordrid]

Rumors of an engine thrust to weight of 250-300:1. Merlin 1D is 200:1 (vacuum). 60-80:1 is typical.

Anner J. Bonilla @annerajb
Replying to @elonmusk @eli_schiff
How's raptor testing going?

Elon Musk ✔ @elonmusk
Good progress. Really proud of this design & SpaceX propulsion team. This engine is something special.
4:46 PM - May 29, 2018

[Dr Mordrid]

Elon Musk ✔ @elonmusk
Running track in @SpaceX BF Spaceship will look something like this
12:02 AM - Jun 8, 2018
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And we’re definitely going to have a pod bay door override button. Lesson learned.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1004936605797212160?s=19

[Dr Mordrid]

The design and Raptor engine qualification processes are wrapping up and they're close to designing the assembly line for the LA BFR/BFS factory.

There's also news about their ISRU (in situ resource utilization) plant being able to scrub atmospheric CO2, add water, and output liquid methane and liquid oxygen on either Mars or Earth. The Sabatier process on seroids.

http://www.spacex.com/careers/position/217464

BFR Build Engineer

The BFR (Big Falcon Rocket) is a massive next generation launch vehicle and spacecraft designed to carry mankind to the moon, Mars, and beyond. Also capable of flying humans from Los Angeles to New York in 25 minutes, the BFR will eventually replace the current Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Dragon programs as the primary vehicle for all SpaceX missions. Working directly in the Vehicle Engineering group, the goal of this team is to investigate, test, and develop new hardware, software, and automation efforts capable of supporting advanced metallic and composite joining methods for the BFR. The team works directly with design and analysis engineers in delivering the development and selection of technologies, specifications and methods needed to manufacture critical structures. Focusing on friction stir welding, EB welding and composite tank lamination, the BFR Build Engineer is responsible for delivering results on critical projects with a highly demanding and fast-paced schedule.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Drive the technology development for manufacturing cryogenic composite tanks through research, mechanical/destructive testing and sub-scale manufacturing

Work closely with vehicle analysts and manufacturing team to ensure solutions meet the requirements for vehicle design as well as the manufacturing processes

Coordinate and execute development, qualification, and acceptance testing of systems and tooling needed to meet hardware deadlines

Design and produce engineering drawings for tooling and test fixture hardware

Participate in design reviews internally and with suppliers and customers

Partner with engineering & production teams to generate ideas, designs, and improvements for current and next-generation vehicles

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree in engineering (mechanical, aerospace, or material science)

Hands-on project experience with complex mechanical systems, preferably as a team or sub-team lead

CAD and drafting experience with NX or other CAD software packages

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

2+ years professional experience in the field of aerospace/mechanical engineering

Excellent grasp of mechanical engineering fundamentals

Experience with fracture-critical component design/analysis

Background in material science, with a focus on aerospace alloys, composite and/or pressurized structures

Experience with finite element analysis (FEA) software packages

Experience with welding processes such as fusion, electron beam and friction-stir

Strong background in composite structures with knowledge of automated fiber placement, autoclaves and composite design criteria

Exposure to advanced NDE methods such as phased array ultrasonics, eddy current arrays and digital radiography

Strong interpersonal and organizational skills

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must be available to work long hours and weekends as needed

[Dr Mordrid]

Via NASASpaceFlight.com,

A Big F'ing Tank has arrived at the SpaceX South Texas Launch Center site, the first tank of a propellant tank farm for BFR/BFS. This one's for LOX, about 220 tonnes of it.

NO idea if they'll build the farm out completely or do it in phases; just a few for BFS hops and more later as flights with the BFB booster begin.

[Dr Mordrid]

Elon Musk ✔ @elonmusk
Feels like a show & tell weekend. I wonder what the cat dragged in
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Chris B - NSF @NASASpaceflight
Replying to @elonmusk
Let's have some updated BFR info please, Elon.
Got to give the people what they want. 😎🚀
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Elon Musk ✔ @elonmusk
In a month or so
9:51 PM - Jul 13, 2018

[Dr Mordrid]

A pic of tankzilla from Nomadd's (a Brownsville, TX resident) tower cam. Note the Commercial Crew (Crew Dragon comms) radio dishes behind it. 600 kW solar farm in the foreground. This is a temporary location as their permanent location near the launch zone isn't ready yet.

There should be several more coming to feed the beastly rocket. Fortunately, there are 3 huge LNG terminals nearby - methane sources.

https://twitter.com/13ericralph31/st...145702401?s=19

Eric Ralph @13ericralph31 (Teslarati)
An immense liquid oxygen (LOX) tank just arrived at @SpaceX's prospective Boca Chica, TX facility, likely to be dedicated to BFR & BFS testing. @NASASpaceflight forum user "Nomadd" caught some of the first detailed photos, as well as the tank's arrival at SpaceX land on July 11.
Jul 12, 2018

[Dr Mordrid]

NASA JPL has been told there may be FH and BFR secondary payload slots to Mars available, just in case they want to hitch a ride.

Also, Eric Ralph is reporting insider info that the BFR Spring structure factory in San Pedro is producing engineering samples, including tanks.

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-bfr-mars-landing-site-2020/