Naperlou agreed, it's going to be extremely interesting to see how the private side of space exploration progresses and how fast.Already, with the Virgin entry, we see thinking "out of the box".(I hate that phrase but it certainly think applies here.)I would be very disappointed if the only ultimate result was tourism but it's a good beginning.There must be some quick method to recoup the investment and this is a very good way to initiate that ROI.I am particularly interested in the carbon structures used in the fabrication.To me this is really fascinating.
Mydesign, thanks for the clarification. My interest here has been in materials for the structure, not on engine types, so I don't know whether Virgin has released that information. Perhaps there are details on their website or on Scaled Composites' website, which the article gives links to.
silveradocyn, thanks for the link. That's great to read about someone outside these companies who's actually been inside the spaceship, and get a detailed report.
Ann, Cryogenic is a type of rocket engines which uses fuels in liquid stage (Compressed gas) at a very low temperature (Below -200 degree Celsius). The main advantages of cryogenic engines are it can carry more pay loads. Booster rockets are multi stage rockets, which can be used for a short duration with small pay loads. Normally they are used in initial stage of space vehicles, to create extra thrust against the gravitational forces.
My question is about what types of engines are using in virgin space ship (Is it a cryogenic based or only with booster rockets)
Here is a link to an article from a reporter who had a tour, and first hand report of some of the changes she saw on SS2.
You will find she describes the new "Mega Strakes" that were added, and she mentions that the added mass of the additional areodymanic components is triggering other adjustments...
silveradocyn, SS2 may well have some re-engineering being done for aerodynamics, but it seemed to me that, as Beth said, it's pretty late to be doing major changes to the structural design. I had originally said it therefore seemed unlikely that it Scaled Composites would have gone all the way back to the heavy-duty CFD that Beth was originally suggesting. Do you have other info you can share with us?
Ann, It seems extremely likely that Spaceshiptwo has been having some aerodynamic work done. Its last flight was in Sept, and it departed controlled flight. Normally a long delay like this would imply some significant issue(s) had to be addressed.
Ok, that makes sense given where they are in the development cycle. But in terms of testing aerodynamics, it's pretty late in the game to make major changes, so this is all about minor adjustments and proving out the structural design.
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A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
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