SEA DRAGON - Scale Data . . .

[Ez2cDave]

 

[Huxter]

It looks extremely impressive launching out of the sea!!

 

[Ez2cDave]

More items . . . Feel free to add data !

 

[lakeroadster]

I never even knew about the Sea Dragon. Thanks for the data.

As a fan of the Austin Powers movies... All I can think of is "Fat Bastard" when I see this rocket.

 

[Ez2cDave]

Still more . . .

 

[Hobie1dog]

Are you going to make one?

 

[Ez2cDave]

Are you going to make one?

Probably not . . . I am not a fan of "fin-less" rockets / clear plastic fins.

As you can see, others appear to be interested in this prototype and I wish them success.

Dave F.

 

[Art Upton]

Assembly and launch in Salt Water; What could go wrong?

 

[Ez2cDave]

Assembly and launch in Salt Water; What could go wrong?

Excellent observation !

Dave F.

 

[techrat]

Assembly and launch in Salt Water; What could go wrong?

That's not even the biggest issue for me. Knowing about the combustion instability in the F1 engines for the Saturn 5, and that each engine had to essentially be built and tuned by hand, meaning that no two F1's were exactly alike, I can't even imagine the problems you're going to have building one enormous engine that's bigger than FIVE F1s put together. How would such an engine even be tested? You can't fire that thing in any current test stand, I don't even think you can fire it within 40 miles of a civilian population due to the sound issues alone. There are so many engineering hurdles to jump I'm not even sure where to start.

But yes, someone was clearly out of their gourd for suggesting that this thing could be re-usable after a salt-water launch. Good luck with that.

 

[lakeroadster]

Here's a quick Open Rocket simulation based on a BT-300 body tube.

Another redwood nose cone, full length internal body coupler and rear eject spool.

Base drag makes it stable.

I'll likely never build it... So if somebody here wants to take a stab at it.... here's the OR file and a redlined copy of the dimensional drawing that @Ez2cDave posted, with additional dimensions.

Remember... I'm not a rocket scientist, I'm a hack. Engineer, Simulate, Build and most importantly Test all rockets based on your knowledge and experience.

 

[Ez2cDave]

Here's a quick Open Rocket simulation based on a BT-300 body tube.

Another redwood nose cone, full length internal body coupler and rear eject spool.

Base drag makes it stable.

I'll likely never build it... So if somebody here wants to take a stab at it.... here's the OR file and a redlined copy of the dimensional drawing that @Ez2cDave posted, with additional dimensions.

Remember... I'm not a rocket scientist, I'm a hack. Engineer, Simulate, Build and most importantly Test all rockets based on your knowledge and experience.

View attachment 580767View attachment 580768

Nice addition to the data !

Dave F.

 

[vcp]

Which makes me wonder if there's going to be another season of "For All Mankind"?

edit: found it. 4th season filming has wrapped, but:
"Currently, there is no official confirmation regarding the Season 4 release period. But if we go by the previous seasons premiere history, we can expect ‘For All Mankind’ Season 4 to release sometime in late 2023, but not before November or December 2023. Apple TV+ has multiple shows lined up for premiere this year. Foundation Season 2 has been confirmed to release in the Summer of 2023, while Invasion Season 2 is also arriving sometime this year. Wool TV Series is also expected this year."

 

[Antares JS]

That's not even the biggest issue for me. Knowing about the combustion instability in the F1 engines for the Saturn 5, and that each engine had to essentially be built and tuned by hand, meaning that no two F1's were exactly alike, I can't even imagine the problems you're going to have building one enormous engine that's bigger than FIVE F1s put together. How would such an engine even be tested? You can't fire that thing in any current test stand, I don't even think you can fire it within 40 miles of a civilian population due to the sound issues alone. There are so many engineering hurdles to jump I'm not even sure where to start.

But yes, someone was clearly out of their gourd for suggesting that this thing could be re-usable after a salt-water launch. Good luck with that.

Sea Dragon's first stage was going to be a solid. Solids are much less susceptible to combustion instability.

The case for a large solid is also theoretically reusable, but I assume the reusability was suggested before reloading STS boosters demonstrated it to not really be practical.