Rmx-1

[shrox]

I guess Spaceship One proves a re-entry without high speed heating is possible. That is the same technique ROMAX will use. Still waiting for arrival of the rotor blades for the RMX-1.

shrox

 

[rstaff3]

For sub-orbital flights maybe. I doubt SS-1 could withstand de-orbiting.

 

[sandman]

Space ship one's flight profile basically had it climb until it just coasted almost to a stop and started back down. Essentially its vertical speed was 0 mph at one point (more or less).

Then it begins to fall and immedietly switches into it's folded "feather" mode and begins it's fall starting at esentially 0 mph.

Orbital velocity requires a minimum of 17,500 mph. Even allowing for a 500 mph decrease from retro-rockets to 17,000 mph that would mean entering the upper atmosphere at mach 23

Zippy Quick!!!

Now that's the speed it's entering the antmosphere and it's going down...it's going to want to accelerate!

Mach 23 is a LOT of kinetic energy! Then it will start to hit the denser lower atmosphere.

This kinetic energy has to be dissapated somehow (energy like mater CANNOT be destroyed...just changed) This kinetic energy is converted into heat...a lot of it!

For you youngsters out there if you want an example of this...have one of your parents take you for a drive.
Get the car up to about 50mph then stop fast! But don't skid the tires.
Jump out and put your fingers (carefully...don't touch it!) through one of the holes in the front wheel rim of the car near that shiny thing behind the wheel, that's the brake rotor.

Careful it's gonna be really really hot!

Hitting the brakes has turned the kinetic energy of the 50 mph car into wasted heat!

That's what the shuttle tiles and the ablative heat shield do on re-entry vehicles. They are designed to deal with a great deal of heat.

My point is Space Ship One is NOT designed for that.

sandman

 

[shrox]

Yes, my point was that you can "enter" space without having the heating problem and in a shirtsleeve environment. That is all the RMX-1 demonstrator will do, but unmanned of course.

shrox

 

[rstaff3]

Originally posted by sandman
...
Mach 23 is a LOT of kinetic energy! Then it will start to hit the denser lower atmosphere.

....
My point is Space Ship One is NOT designed for that.

sandman

Same point as mine, but backed up with facts. Good post sand.

 

[rstaff3]

Originally posted by shrox
Yes, my point was that you can "enter" space without having the heating problem and in a shirtsleeve environment. That is all the RMX-1 demonstrator will do, but unmanned of course.

shrox

That really didn't need to be proven, per-se, although the SS1 design did.

Best of luck on your project, it is awfully ambitious. This is great stuff, I look forward to this becoming the largest thread on TRF

 

[rstaff3]

Originally posted by shrox
Yes, my point was that you can "enter" space without having the heating problem and in a shirtsleeve environment. That is all the RMX-1 demonstrator will do, but unmanned of course.

shrox

Hmm, is what you are building the demonstrator or a prototype? I'm confused.

 

[shrox]

I am building something to demonstrate a concept. Get it on video for bigger investors to see. Nothing works like video of a working machine.

shrox

 

[rstaff3]

ICIC, I think you said that earlier, my bad. Thanks for the clarification though.

 

[shrox]

The rotor blades came today, they are 660mm (27") long and 2 1/2" wide. I have 8 of them rather than 4 to compensate for the narrower blade. They will be canted at 25 degrees from level. They will spin between 1200 and 2000 rpm I am guessing for flight. I am hoping to have a test this weekend!

shrox

 

[shockwaveriderz]

looks like somebody beat shrox to building the rmx...

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2567&item=5905840796&rd=1

 

[shrox]

So it works!!

shrox

 

[wwattles]

Shrox,

For some odd reason, I think yours is going to be a tad bit more complex...

WW

 

[shrox]

That "Tomorrowland" DVD really got my mind going. Now there is not only the RoMax and the StratoMax, but now I have plans for the AstroMax. Oh I wish we had the open coffers of the 60's for space...

 

[WiK]

You got any renders of the AstroMax for us?

And how goes the RMX1?