Parts of the SpaceX BFR have been completed

Yusaku Maezawa tweeted out a completed section of the SpaceX BFR.

35 thoughts on “Parts of the SpaceX BFR have been completed”

  1. The current iteration is a refinement of the previous one, and generally is the same size (same diameter, a few meters longer). The previous iteration has been around for at least a year. They’ve had most of the major details figured out for a while. At this point, they’re just filling in the smaller details and internals. So they can at least get started on the hull and tanks. The raptor engines have gone through at least a few design and testing iterations as well, and are fairly finalized at this point (at least the sea-level version), so they can build those too.

  2. I don’t think the tanks have been changing. Those were pretty much locked as soon as they’d decided the aspect ratio and fuel load.

  3. The current iteration is a refinement of the previous one and generally is the same size (same diameter a few meters longer). The previous iteration has been around for at least a year. They’ve had most of the major details figured out for a while. At this point they’re just filling in the smaller details and internals. So they can at least get started on the hull and tanks. The raptor engines have gone through at least a few design and testing iterations as well and are fairly finalized at this point (at least the sea-level version) so they can build those too.

  4. I don’t think the tanks have been changing. Those were pretty much locked as soon as they’d decided the aspect ratio and fuel load.

  5. The size and thrust of the first stag has not changed significantly since the first iteration. So most of the parts made are probably for the first stage. Most of the changes shown are in the second stage. No one has ever made a reusable second stage so there is a lot more design work that needs to be done for that section. Additionally Spacex will probably end up with several different versions of the second stage. Some for cargo only (no crew), crew and cargo versions for earth orbit only. and versions for the moon and mars. The first stage will be the first part to start testing and when testing is mostly complete on it before testing starts on the second stage.

  6. The size and thrust of the first stag has not changed significantly since the first iteration. So most of the parts made are probably for the first stage. Most of the changes shown are in the second stage. No one has ever made a reusable second stage so there is a lot more design work that needs to be done for that section. Additionally Spacex will probably end up with several different versions of the second stage. Some for cargo only (no crew) crew and cargo versions for earth orbit only. and versions for the moon and mars. The first stage will be the first part to start testing and when testing is mostly complete on it before testing starts on the second stage.

  7. One wonders how this can be so. To date there have been three iterations of the rocket. Each one is essentially a whole new design. How can they be building components at this stage? Perhaps SpaceX has settled on the booster design alone?

  8. One wonders how this can be so.To date there have been three iterations of the rocket. Each one is essentially awhole new design. How can they be building components at this stage? PerhapsSpaceX has settled on the booster design alone?

  9. They are probably building specific components for destructive testing and practice on the fit and so on. Like Shuttle Enterprise and some other prototypes, it will be rolled out with great fanfare, but the first one will do little or possibly nothing in the air.

  10. They are probably building specific components for destructive testing and practice on the fit and so on. Like Shuttle Enterprise and some other prototypes it will be rolled out with great fanfare but the first one will do little or possibly nothing in the air.

  11. Yup.. The first BFS hull SpaceX will build most likely will be a non-flying structural test article. They did the same for the original Falcon 9 v1.0 (core #B0001), the Falcon 9 v.1.1 (B1001), and the Falcon Heavy center core (B1027). Those structural test articles never flew. The ones right after the STA’s were built for flight testing: Grasshopper (core #B0002), F9R Dev1 (B1002), and the second Falcon Heavy center core (B1033). The first BFS hull to fly on the test hops will most likely be the second one built.

  12. Yup.. The first BFS hull SpaceX will build most likely will be a non-flying structural test article. They did the same for the original Falcon 9 v1.0 (core #B0001) the Falcon 9 v.1.1 (B1001) and the Falcon Heavy center core (B1027). Those structural test articles never flew. The ones right after the STA’s were built for flight testing: Grasshopper (core #B0002) F9R Dev1 (B1002) and the second Falcon Heavy center core (B1033).The first BFS hull to fly on the test hops will most likely be the second one built.

  13. Essentially” is a word that allows an otherwise completely WRONG statement to be somewhat defensible. That’s called “a qualifier”. Minor design changes. It’s not like they replaced the engine or the general shape of the structure, or the general flight characteristics. First time size was changed, but in proportion. Second time, control surfaces were modified. Honestly. People are reaching so hard to be negative.

  14. Essentially”” is a word that allows an otherwise completely WRONG statement to be somewhat defensible. That’s called “”””a qualifier””””. Minor design changes. It’s not like they replaced the engine or the general shape of the structure”” or the general flight characteristics. First time size was changed but in proportion. Second time”” control surfaces were modified. Honestly. People are reaching so hard to be negative.”””

  15. Essentially” is a word that allows an otherwise completely WRONG statement to be somewhat defensible. That’s called “a qualifier”. Minor design changes. It’s not like they replaced the engine or the general shape of the structure, or the general flight characteristics. First time size was changed, but in proportion. Second time, control surfaces were modified. Honestly. People are reaching so hard to be negative.

  16. Essentially”” is a word that allows an otherwise completely WRONG statement to be somewhat defensible. That’s called “”””a qualifier””””. Minor design changes. It’s not like they replaced the engine or the general shape of the structure”” or the general flight characteristics. First time size was changed but in proportion. Second time”” control surfaces were modified. Honestly. People are reaching so hard to be negative.”””

  17. Yup.. The first BFS hull SpaceX will build most likely will be a non-flying structural test article. They did the same for the original Falcon 9 v1.0 (core #B0001), the Falcon 9 v.1.1 (B1001), and the Falcon Heavy center core (B1027). Those structural test articles never flew. The ones right after the STA’s were built for flight testing: Grasshopper (core #B0002), F9R Dev1 (B1002), and the second Falcon Heavy center core (B1033). The first BFS hull to fly on the test hops will most likely be the second one built.

  18. Yup.. The first BFS hull SpaceX will build most likely will be a non-flying structural test article. They did the same for the original Falcon 9 v1.0 (core #B0001) the Falcon 9 v.1.1 (B1001) and the Falcon Heavy center core (B1027). Those structural test articles never flew. The ones right after the STA’s were built for flight testing: Grasshopper (core #B0002) F9R Dev1 (B1002) and the second Falcon Heavy center core (B1033).The first BFS hull to fly on the test hops will most likely be the second one built.

  19. “Essentially” is a word that allows an otherwise completely WRONG statement to be somewhat defensible. That’s called “a qualifier”. Minor design changes. It’s not like they replaced the engine or the general shape of the structure, or the general flight characteristics. First time size was changed, but in proportion. Second time, control surfaces were modified. Honestly. People are reaching so hard to be negative.

  20. Yup.. The first BFS hull SpaceX will build most likely will be a non-flying structural test article. They did the same for the original Falcon 9 v1.0 (core #B0001), the Falcon 9 v.1.1 (B1001), and the Falcon Heavy center core (B1027). Those structural test articles never flew. The ones right after the STA’s were built for flight testing: Grasshopper (core #B0002), F9R Dev1 (B1002), and the second Falcon Heavy center core (B1033).

    The first BFS hull to fly on the test hops will most likely be the second one built.

  21. They are probably building specific components for destructive testing and practice on the fit and so on. Like Shuttle Enterprise and some other prototypes, it will be rolled out with great fanfare, but the first one will do little or possibly nothing in the air.

  22. They are probably building specific components for destructive testing and practice on the fit and so on. Like Shuttle Enterprise and some other prototypes it will be rolled out with great fanfare but the first one will do little or possibly nothing in the air.

  23. They are probably building specific components for destructive testing and practice on the fit and so on. Like Shuttle Enterprise and some other prototypes, it will be rolled out with great fanfare, but the first one will do little or possibly nothing in the air.

  24. One wonders how this can be so. To date there have been three iterations of the rocket. Each one is essentially a whole new design. How can they be building components at this stage? Perhaps SpaceX has settled on the booster design alone?

  25. One wonders how this can be so.To date there have been three iterations of the rocket. Each one is essentially awhole new design. How can they be building components at this stage? PerhapsSpaceX has settled on the booster design alone?

  26. The size and thrust of the first stag has not changed significantly since the first iteration. So most of the parts made are probably for the first stage. Most of the changes shown are in the second stage. No one has ever made a reusable second stage so there is a lot more design work that needs to be done for that section. Additionally Spacex will probably end up with several different versions of the second stage. Some for cargo only (no crew), crew and cargo versions for earth orbit only. and versions for the moon and mars. The first stage will be the first part to start testing and when testing is mostly complete on it before testing starts on the second stage.

  27. The size and thrust of the first stag has not changed significantly since the first iteration. So most of the parts made are probably for the first stage. Most of the changes shown are in the second stage. No one has ever made a reusable second stage so there is a lot more design work that needs to be done for that section. Additionally Spacex will probably end up with several different versions of the second stage. Some for cargo only (no crew) crew and cargo versions for earth orbit only. and versions for the moon and mars. The first stage will be the first part to start testing and when testing is mostly complete on it before testing starts on the second stage.

  28. One wonders how this can be so.
    To date there have been three iterations of the rocket. Each one is essentially a
    whole new design. How can they be building components at this stage? Perhaps
    SpaceX has settled on the booster design alone?

  29. The current iteration is a refinement of the previous one, and generally is the same size (same diameter, a few meters longer). The previous iteration has been around for at least a year. They’ve had most of the major details figured out for a while. At this point, they’re just filling in the smaller details and internals. So they can at least get started on the hull and tanks. The raptor engines have gone through at least a few design and testing iterations as well, and are fairly finalized at this point (at least the sea-level version), so they can build those too.

  30. The current iteration is a refinement of the previous one and generally is the same size (same diameter a few meters longer). The previous iteration has been around for at least a year. They’ve had most of the major details figured out for a while. At this point they’re just filling in the smaller details and internals. So they can at least get started on the hull and tanks. The raptor engines have gone through at least a few design and testing iterations as well and are fairly finalized at this point (at least the sea-level version) so they can build those too.

  31. I don’t think the tanks have been changing. Those were pretty much locked as soon as they’d decided the aspect ratio and fuel load.

  32. I don’t think the tanks have been changing. Those were pretty much locked as soon as they’d decided the aspect ratio and fuel load.

  33. The size and thrust of the first stag has not changed significantly since the first iteration. So most of the parts made are probably for the first stage. Most of the changes shown are in the second stage. No one has ever made a reusable second stage so there is a lot more design work that needs to be done for that section. Additionally Spacex will probably end up with several different versions of the second stage. Some for cargo only (no crew), crew and cargo versions for earth orbit only. and versions for the moon and mars.

    The first stage will be the first part to start testing and when testing is mostly complete on it before testing starts on the second stage.

  34. The current iteration is a refinement of the previous one, and generally is the same size (same diameter, a few meters longer). The previous iteration has been around for at least a year. They’ve had most of the major details figured out for a while. At this point, they’re just filling in the smaller details and internals. So they can at least get started on the hull and tanks. The raptor engines have gone through at least a few design and testing iterations as well, and are fairly finalized at this point (at least the sea-level version), so they can build those too.

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