[AR] Re: Ozone layer was Re: Removing Coking Deposits
- From: Henry Vanderbilt <hvanderbilt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:57:07 -0700
On 9/27/2016 1:25 PM, John Dom wrote:
There was something technologically wrong with the X-33 composite hydrogen
tanks IIRC. Didn't they leak?
Leaked? Try the outer skin delaminated and split wide open during test.
(Let's see if I can attach this old photo...)
Such a pity we never saw that aerospike take
off and fly. I wonder why nobody had other ideas for it.
The X-33 J-2 aerospike variant ended up hugely overweight. The number's
around here somewhere, but it was on the rough order of twice a stock
J-2's weight. A major factor in the X-33 performance dropping back to
single-stage-to-Utah (before it dropped further to
single-stage-to-the-scrapheap) as they kept having to add nose ballast
to keep the CG within limits as engine weight grew.
Henry
Attachment:
x33tank.jpg
Description: JPEG image
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