SpaceX spacecraft
This time, the Star Ship project "At the Workshop" is a flying model of a rocket designed by Elon Musk's team, designed for multiple flights to future Martian colonies. An interesting project, an interesting story, an interesting model is nothing but the study of a topic and the subsequent implementation of what was conceived. The future is today!
The animator of this space adventure is an extremely colorful character. At the first opportunity, it is worth taking a closer look - but for now, only briefly and from the point of view of our modeling needs.
Elon Reeve Musk
Born in 1971, born in Pretoria (South Africa), worked for many years in North America, visionary entrepreneur, economist and physicist (with a bachelor's degree), founder of, among others,., Neuralink Hyperloop and Boring Company.
At the age of ten, he buys his first computer and learns to program. Two years later, he sells his original program for about US$500. After moving to Canada (where he escapes from military service), he cleans boilers, works on a farm, at a sawmill and logging. Then he moves to Toronto to work in the IT department of one of the banks and study at the same time. After graduation, he moves to the USA.
Living Legend of Aviation (Kitty Hawk Foundation 2010), Winner of the Von Braun Award (awarded by the National Space Society for "leading in major achievements in space exploration in 2008/2009"), Honorary Doctorate in Space (University of Surrey , UK) and even an honorary doctorate from AGH in Krakow - and the owner of a red electric convertible lost in space.
SpaceX
Elon Musk is also the CEO and CTO of Space Exploration Technologies - for short. SpaceX. It was created to design and manufacture launch vehicles for spacecraft. The goal that Musk set for her is to reduce the cost of space flights a hundred times (!) - largely due to innovative, repeatedly used rockets of his own design.
SpaceX's first such rocket was Falcon 1 (in 2009, this was also the first private space launch of a satellite into Earth's orbit in the history of astronautics). Second Falcon 9 (2010) - his main task is to launch his own ship into space The Dragon, which was eventually also used to supply the International Space Station.
1. Today's Starship originally had not only different names, but also completely different concepts and technical characteristics. The design is still evolving and further modifications are expected. 2-4. The rendering of SpaceX's most daring designs to date, combined with the human figure, allows one to imagine the scale of the rocket.
A testament to the company's potential is the fact that in 2008 it won a US$1,6 billion contract to fly twelve resupply flights to the International Space Station (in the future also for manned missions). An even bigger contract than it's about DART project (Double Asteroid Redirection Test), worth $69 million. This Armageddon-style mission (starring Bruce Willis) is scheduled to launch in June 2021 to alter the flight path of the asteroid Didymos using a dedicated Falcon 9 impactor satellite. The mission should be completed in October 2022, when the asteroid will be about 11 million km from Earth. This is just a test of technology, but who knows - maybe thanks to this we will be able to protect ourselves from a real, cosmic Armageddon in the future ...?
However, as is the case with pioneering projects, impressive successes are sometimes intertwined with serious setbacks. Dragon 1 he has already made his first successful orbital flight with an astronaut dummy and a plush Earth. Unfortunately, in April 2019, the Dragon 2 was destroyed during an emergency test - and this casts doubt on its use for transporting people in the near future ...
Starship
Starship is the most recent name of the rocket, which is the theme of the In the Workshop project (Muska announced this via Twitter on November 20, 2018). It is also the latest incarnation of the rocket formerly known as the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS), Mars Colonial Transporter (MCT) and Big Falcon Rocket (BFR).
Developed in parallel with other SpaceX rockets, Starship should take over the tasks of the Falcon 9, that is, deliver the necessary payloads into orbit around the Earth, or possibly also the crews of the ISS. And this is just the beginning! Ambitious plans include the construction of three modifications of the rocket: cargo, manned and orbital tanker. The system should provide both flights to the Moon and transportation of people and equipment for colonization to Mars. In the first phase, the XNUMX-foot Starhooper (already built, then storm-damaged and rebuilt) will be the testbed for Starship system solutions.
5. Separate elements of the system - the first from the left, Starhopper, is only a working platform for finding solutions (especially systems for precision landing). 6. The attackers say that the renders Musk posts on his social profiles are nothing like the retouched photos of the object from the SpaceX site, and even more so the raw photos taken by curious fans ... 7. ... However, as befits a true leader, Elon Musk does little - he has a goal - to colonize Mars! 9. There was also a lot of PR about the starting tower - that it was so comical that it would not work, etc. What will she really be? Let's see!
He also revealed that in 2023 the Japanese billionaire will fly into space around the moon as part of tourism. Yusaku Maedzawa along with a handpicked group of 6-8 artists (if any of the readers were interested in purchasing a ticket, such a one-week trip only costs $70 million...).
8. Elon is also able to captivate others with his idea, such as the Japanese e-commerce mogul who bought a ticket to fly around the moon - although the rocket to fly there remains only on the screens of designers and graphic artists.
Despite the difficulties and contradictions that accompany projects in such times, the already demonstrated skills of the “mad dreamer” and the results he has achieved should be evaluated. Starship seems like one of Elon Musk's future great achievements - I'm sure we'll be hearing about both of them over and over again.
10 At the first stage of the flight, Starship will be launched into orbit using Superheavy, a reusable launch vehicle. After separating from it, it will fly to the Moon and land back to Earth using its own engines. 11 Four of Starship's five ballasts can be rearranged - for transport or, as in this visualization, for a more stable re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. 12 Elon Musk still has a lot of challenges ahead, but all indications are that there are probably also many impressive achievements that the average eater can't even imagine… (photos and renders related to the original project - via SpaceX / Elon Musk).
Air powered mini-Mars rocket
In this section of our favorite monthly (see table opposite), you can read many times about safe, non-powder models of rockets - this has also been one of the best types of models in the studios of the Youth Cultural Center, which I directed, for many years. years. Nicolaus Copernicus in Wroclaw, and others. The ¾” caliber missile is most similar to today's project, launched mainly from foot launchers, and described in “At the Workshop” in 2013.
This time I decided to make the design as simple as possible. half a glass of Elon BFR, hence the two-segment bow (well, maybe with additional, better mock-up than in previous solutions, foreign plywood). Since in the meantime I've found thinner (and cheaper!) 28mm wiring pipes, I recommend this type of launcher to run our model on.
13 The design of the model presented in the article is based on the successful 2013 young technology supported rocket design. The two-piece head is easy to assemble and has already proven itself on hundreds of such models. Ballasts are even simpler than in this design. 14 The basis for assembly work will be: a set of model parts printed on cardboard (A4, 160 g / m2) and an electrical installation pipe with a diameter of 28 mm and a length of 30 cm - in the absence of access to these, you can alternatively use a container with "plush" tablets or a water pipe ¾” (26 mm) by scaling the pattern in the printer panel accordingly. 15 Front stabilizers in particular require a notch before cutting. By piercing the cardboard in the right places with a pin, you can use these holes to make a neat cut on the other side. 16 All elements are cut out and ready to be folded - assembly will begin soon! 17 However, before we start folding the hull, you need to adjust the launcher tube. Gluing directly to the pipe from which the rocket is to be launched is rarely successful. A much better solution would be to prepare a template with a slightly larger diameter so that the model smoothly lifts off the launcher. The easiest way to do this is to stick two layers of masking tape on the pipe (overlap). 18 The target diameter (29mm) can be measured with a caliper, but a paper strip ruler will work fine here (unless the printout has been scaled). The circumference measurement should be 91 mm. 19 Gluing the rocket body is worth practicing on waste paper. For gluing, I recommend using a slightly diluted Magic glue (quick-drying POW). The adhesive should be pressed firmly, pressing the area to be bonded against the micro-rubber (e.g. the left side of the mouse pad). 20 A well-made joint should be smooth and clean. 21 After the fuselage is glued to its upper part, foreign plywood is glued inside (after all, this is a semi-dummy).
As in many previous projects, this one is also based on a specially prepared layout, which can be downloaded from the publisher's website (or the author's website - MODELmaniak.PL). To print it, you will only need a black and white home printer and a sheet from the tech block, and you will also need: a 28 cm piece of electrical tubing with a diameter of XNUMX mm (from poverty, there may be a slightly shorter "tube" after dissolving the additive tablets) and a few basic tools , which they are likely to find in most home workshops.
It is best to follow the design details on the drawings and photographs attached to the article describing the individual assembly steps.
Test flights with this type of model can be performed at home (gentle firing on the curtain will protect the nose of the rocket). You can also launch a rocket with a mouth or leg rocket, and even take part in air rocket competitions. It is not difficult to organize them among colleagues, in a club or at school, although due to a slightly shorter body than usual, one should not expect record-breaking long-distance flights from such a semi-model - its main advantage is its original appearance. and interesting story.
Regardless of the type of launcher and the place of flight, any reasonable astronaut modeler is always strictly forbidden to aim near any eyes. (human and animal - and even from the broth!).
Traditionally, I wish the performers of the presented model good luck in their work and a lot of good, flying and always safe fun! I encourage you to contact the editors of “Młodego Technika” or me, through youth technology sites or model-manic sites - both in case of problems and in case of success!
This type of racquet is ideal for demonstrations or competitions for designers of aerospace models of indoor rockets (these have been held in Wroclaw for several years). An interesting fact is that in this photo from out-of-competition shows there are already three models and three viewports described by “Młodego Technika” “Papa is in the workshop”.
In indoor rocket competitions, a person takes off from the mouthpiece and flies to the maximum distance (all the way to the floor - marked with ribbons every meter). However, a performer of an exceptionally interesting, beautiful or unusual rocket (for example, such as in this article!) can also receive a medal.
The same template can be used to create much larger (like balloons) and smaller rockets. It is also a great topic for all kinds of technical interest circles, clubs, modeling studios - and even university classes (the author is pictured during a lecture for students of the Children's University).
So, let's not let Elon overtake us.
Also worth a look: https://www.kosmicznapropaganda.pl/jak-zmienial-sie-projekt-big-falcon-rocket-i-big-falcon-spaceship/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ BFR_ (missile)
Similar feature articles by the author in “At the workshop”, published in “Młody Technik” 01/2008 MT-08 missile (cal. 15 mm) 06/2008 Supersonic concorde (cal. 15 mm) 12/2008 Rocket for plush (coin) 08 / 2010 Rocket - balloon 10/2013 Walking rocket launchers 11/2013 Walking rocket (ft, cal. ¾”) 01/2017 Straw rockets (3-7 mm cal.)
The countdown lasts: 3,2,1…;o)
