[AR] Re: electric turbopumps
- From: Henry Spencer <hspencer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: arocket list <arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:15:39 -0400 (EDT)
On Mon, 10 Apr 2023, Ian M. Garcia wrote:
> P.S. Don't forget that in a reusable stage, you might need actuator
> power at times when the engines aren't running.
Is that true? I can imagine that cases when you don't want them flopping
around, assuming power is needed to keep them in place, or to
preposition them before a burn, but the rest of the time ground power
may be available.
Remember that "actuators" covers more ground than just engine gimbaling.
There might be aerodynamic surfaces that need moving, e.g. SpaceX's grid
fins, or landing gear needing deploying. There's also a possibility of
vehicle reconfigurations, e.g. protective covers over the engines for
reentry that have to be moved aside for rocket landing.
Ground power *probably* suffices to fill any gaps for an expendable stage,
but reusables have descent and landing to deal with.
Henry
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