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SFS News: SPACEX Falcon 9 Upper Stage Engine Successfully Co
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Moon Mission Member  
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:52 am
Posts: 1276 Location: Exeter, Devon, England 
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 SFS News: SPACEX Falcon 9 Upper Stage Engine Successfully Co Posted on: Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:03 pmNew Merlin Vacuum engine demonstrates highest efficiency for an American hydrocarbon rocket engine.
McGregor, TX. – March 10, 2009 – Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully conducted a full mission duration firing of its new Merlin Vacuum engine on March 7, at SpaceX's Test Facility in McGregor, Texas. The engine fired for a full six minutes, consuming 100,000 pounds of liquid oxygen and rocket grade kerosene propellant. The new engine, which powers the upper stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch vehicle, demonstrated a vacuum specific impulse of 342 seconds – the highest efficiency ever for an American hydrocarbon rocket engine. Thrust was measured at approximately 92,500 lb of force in vacuum conditions and the engine remained thermally stable over the entire run. “Specific impulse, or Isp, indicates how efficiently a rocket engine converts propellant into thrust,†_________________ > http://www.fullmoonclothing.com > http://www.facebook.com/robsastrophotography > robgoldsmith@hotmail.co.uk |
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Space Station Member  
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:51 am
Posts: 420 Location: Vienna, Austria, Europe, Earth
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Posted on: Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:00 pm I can't really explain it, but I really love the ignition sound of the merlin engines. Could listen to it the whole day
 _________________ pride comes before a fall |
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