Short version of why Starship thermal protection system not being waterproof is devastating.....
One good thunderstorm and the heat tiles will absorb TONS of water. It rains a lot in TX and FL.
Thats an issue in knowing what the actual launch weight of your vehicle is.
IF you launch with that it will freeze with evaporative cooling in space.... and damage the structure of the heat tiles.
The ice evaporation rate will be slow, and on reentry will boil acting as a fantastic heat transfer agent.....negating the main purpose of the heat shield... insulation!
Shuttle had more or less the exact same tiles, and the exact same problem. The solution... WATERPROOF THE TILES...... downside.... kills rapid reuse as you have to do it every time you fly the vehicle.
Thunderf00t
Short version of why Starship thermal protection system not being waterproof is devastating.....
One good thunderstorm and the heat tiles will absorb TONS of water. It rains a lot in TX and FL.
Thats an issue in knowing what the actual launch weight of your vehicle is.
IF you launch with that it will freeze with evaporative cooling in space.... and damage the structure of the heat tiles.
The ice evaporation rate will be slow, and on reentry will boil acting as a fantastic heat transfer agent.....negating the main purpose of the heat shield... insulation!
Shuttle had more or less the exact same tiles, and the exact same problem. The solution... WATERPROOF THE TILES...... downside.... kills rapid reuse as you have to do it every time you fly the vehicle.
Starship heat tiles are a COMPLETE water sponge!
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 2,034