翻译，压制：旋火 视频来源：youtu.be/CUfOnwSLWxY 原视频发布日期：20191219
注：Everyday Astronaut意译为每日宇航员
- Hi, it's me, Tim Dodd, The Everyday Astronaut.
嗨 我是Everyday Astronaut的Tim Dodd
注：Rocket Lab意译为火箭实验室
I am here at Rocket Labs brand new launch facility
我在Rocket Lab的全新的发射设施
in Wallops, Virginia.
在Virginia的Wallops
注：MARS = Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
This is Mars Pad 0C,
这里是大西洋中部地区太空港0C号发射台
and this will allow Rocket Lab to launch their
这座发射台将给Rocket Lab
运用自如
awesome little electron rocket from the United States.
提供从美国发射小型运载火箭电子的能力
You know, right now they only have launch complex one
要知道 现在他们只有一个(发射场)LC1
in New Zealand, this is launch complex two,
LC1在新西兰 而这是LC2
and I still have a lot of questions,
当然我还有很多问题想问
especially, Rocket Lab is working on reusability for their
尤其是 Rocket Lab正在研究电子火箭的可重复使用能力
awesome electron rocket, so I wonder if there's anyone
所以我不知道会不会有人
that could, you know, answer a few more questions about
来回答我几个问题
that whole thing.
特别是关于回收使用的问题
You mind if we talk up here...
我们在上面讨论如何
on your launchpad?
在你的发射台上？
- No!
没问题
(Tim laughing)
- So I guess let's talk to someone that knows
我们跟这位懂行的聊聊吧
a lot about everything Rocket Lab.
关于火箭实验室的很多事情
Don't fall in the pit, don't fall in the pit
别掉坑里 别掉坑里
don't fall in the pit.
别掉坑里
Hey Peter!
嘿Peter
- Hey Tim! - How are ya?
嘿Tim 你好吗？
- Good to see you again.
很高兴再次见到你
- You freezing your butt off out here?
有没有感觉屁股快冻住了
- Yes. (Tim laughs)
是的
- Well, it's a good place to end the year though!
来这儿度过年末时光挺不错的
We're almost 2020! - It is a wonderful
快到2020年了
place, yep.
这地方确实不错
- And, you guys had an unbelievable year.
而且 你们这一年的成就难以置信
- Yeah, I'm super proud of the team for 2019.
是啊 我们队伍2019年的成果让我感到很自豪
I think we can end up this year with a smile on their face.
年末大家都会为此感到高兴
- Yeah, so you ended up with six launches right?
今年到头 你们一共发射了6次对吧
- Yup.
对
- And, you ended up with two launchpads now online?
而且 你们现在有两个发射台正在运作
- Yup.
对
- And you, ended up working on recoverability?
而且 你们开始搞重复使用了
- Yeah, now, we achieved a pretty decent milestone with recoverability, actually.
是的 当前可重复使用的工作达到了重要阶段
It was way better than we expected.
比我们预期的更好
- As you know, that's what I want to start on,
那我们从这里开始吧
'cause that's really exciting.
这确实是让人感兴趣的话题
So, you're sitting back here, mister, I don't know,
所以你以前是听之任之 不知道先生
probably not gonna try, recoverability
可能不是要去尝试 可重复使用能力
doesn't have margins in it.
(说)这里面没有利润
First off, tell me what kind of closed for you
首先 跟我说说你是怎么转变看法的
on that concept that maybe there is room,
也就是重复使用其实是有市场的
maybe it's worth it.
也许是值得的
Just run me through your thought process there.
说说你的想法
- So, small launch vehicles are notoriously difficult, right?
那么 小型运载火箭确实是非常困难的
'Cause the margin on a small launch vehicle is so tight.
导致小型运载火箭的利润如此紧张
When you've only got 150 kilograms of payload to play with,
当你的有效载荷只有150kg时
adding 100 kilograms of parachutes, it's just very difficult to trade.
再加入100kg的降落伞是很难处理的事情
- So, what really got me thinking is I started to look at the data
- 那么 真正让我考虑这个事情是当我开始看数据
and started to see how well stage one was surviving.
发现一级火箭的再入大气之后的生存能力是如此之好
We got good measurements during ascent of the environments, and really,
我们获得了很好的上升段的测量数据
I started understanding everything that was going on.
我开始理解这件事
And then also, trying to increase launch cadence at the same time,
当然 也是为了提高发射频率
and steering out into a factory
至于工厂
where we knew we were going to have to double the size of this factory,
我之前就决定必须要把工厂扩建一倍
and just keep on building more and more machines,
然后继续建造更多机器
and automating more and more and more,
让制造过程变得更加自动化
and it just sort of became obvious, well, the data doesn't say that it's insane,
工厂这边的事是很明确的 话说回来 火箭回收这边的数据并不夸张
it says it's difficult, but we're not breaking any laws of physics here.
是很困难 但还不至于打破物理法则
- So, yeah, I formed a small team within the company
- 如此 我在公司内部组建了一个小团队
and we started to go after it.
并着手完成这个项目
注：华纳的动画Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner(威利狼与哔哔鸟)
- Do you have, just a chalkboard full of Wile E. Coyote style, what's going to work for us?
- 你有像Wile E. Coyote的黑板那样的说明来简单介绍一下这个工作吗
- Yeah, I mean there was plenty of whiteboard sessions, that's for sure.
- 是啊 肯定有大量的白板讨论
- Share with me, one other one, before you landed on, was there even something close,
- 跟我分享一下 在你尝试这件事之前
another contender before you landed on trying to do the air recovery?
是否有其他竞争者尝试做空中的回收？
注：av78382556
- Yeah, I mean we looked at landing it in a net
- 是啊 考虑到最后把火箭降落到回收网里
not dissimilar to what SpaceX does with experience.
和SpaceX所做的没有什么不同呢
Obviously, we looked at propulsive re-entry,
更不用说反推式再入
but that was, you know, you only get half a napkin filled out
但这个事情就像是你只有半张餐巾纸写字一样
before you realize that's just not going to work.
最后你会发现这行不通的
(Tim laughing)
And then, yeah, there was all sort of all different concepts from the team, you know,
没错 团队里大家有很多不同的想法
giant drones, and all sorts of stuff, yeah.
类似巨型无人机 或者其他很多东西
- Yeah, okay, I guess we're going to pop right into that, that's actually,
- 啊 对 这正是我想问的
I do a podcast with some guys, it's called "Our Ludicrous Future",
我和一些人做了一个播客叫 Our Ludicrous Future(我们滑稽的未来)
and each week, we take people's questions of
每周 我们会收集人们的问题
"Why don't they just..."
他们为什么不只是...
- Yeah, yeah, right.
- 是啊 是啊 没错
- And that was a good one, it was "Why don't they just use a giant drone,
- 这是个好问题 为什么不干脆用个巨大的无人机呢
you guys already have batteries,
你们已经有电池了
you have motors, and it could be cheaper than operating a helicopter,
你有电动机 使用它的话会比操作一个直升机便宜
you could even do four of them that fly in unison",
甚至能搞成四轴的
why didn't that end up working out?
为什么最后没有这么做呢？
- Well, I mean, I'm trying to get my helicopter's license, so,
- 嗯 我的意思是 我正准备我的直升机驾照 所以
- (laughs) I know you are. using a helicopter is great.
使用直升机很好
- Is this just you wanting to fly a helicopter more often?
- 只是因为你想多飞下直升机吗？
注：电子和原子梗
- No, no, no, but there's a small atom of it.
- 不 不 不 但它有一个小原子在里面
(Tim Laughing)
But, no, I mean, many have recaptured with a helicopter, it's been done before.
当然不是这样 我是指用直升机捕获这件事在之前已经被很多人做过了
And I know a lot of people look at that and
很多人看到这个
they sort of, they say "Man that's super tricky"
他们就会说这些话 这也太难搞了
and "How are they going to pull that off?"
和 这么难的事情怎么能做成呢？
but really that is, relatively academic,
但实际上这是相对正统(理论)的做法
compared to actually re-entering the stage and getting it through one bit.
比起让火箭再入并让其幸存要稍微正统一点
- Right, well, do you work with the company
- 好吧 你与一些公司合作
that was based out of, was it Scotland or England, that has the recovery system?
是那些位于苏格兰或英格兰那些有回收系统的公司吗？
Really?
真的吗
- No, no.
- 不 不
- Okay, 'ccause, of course, everyone on the internet immediately saw
- 好吧 当然 网上的那些人马上就发现了
what you guys are working on, and go "Well, this has already been done"
你们这些人正着手研究的东西没错 这个已经有人做出来了
here's a video of company recovering a, it was a mock-up booster with a parafoil.
一家公司的一个视频 内容是回收一个带翼伞的模型火箭
- Yeah, I mean it's been done.
- 是啊 可这件事在此之前就已完成
注：www.ulalaunch.com/docs/default-source/evolution/partial-rocket-reuse-using-mid-air-recovery-2008-7874.pdf
Lockheed Martin did it, I think it was in the 90's,
洛克希德·马丁公司大概90年代就做到了
to try and recover some re-entered artifacts, so yeah.
他们尝试回收一些再入的人造物体
I mean it's in, you know, if you go back far enough
如果你追溯到更早的时期
注：1959-1972年美国战略侦察卫星任务，再入之后，搭载胶卷的卫星返回舱通过固定翼飞机在空中回收
you look at the Corona missions,
你看看日冕计划
all that was in a helicopter, it's still the same gig.
尽管(ULA回收的那部分)用的是直升机 但和这个也差不多
- Right, same, yup.
- 对 没错
Getting through re-entry popping a chute,
再入之后打开降落伞
swooping it up before it hits the water.
在它溅落之前回收它
- Yup, that's pretty much it.
- 是啊 这基本上一样
- And, how much time do you have
- 那么 你有多少时间
between when the parachutes deploy, and before it hits the ground?
在溅落和降落伞部署之间
- Yeah, so that's the idea of the parafoil is we can steer it into the wind,
- 所以这就是我们用翼伞的想法 可以用风控制它
and maximize the hang-time there.
最大程度的延长滞空时间
So, you could have up to twenty minutes.
差不多可以维持20分钟
- Really? So you could have multiple attempts with the helicopter.
- 所以这么说你可以用直升机多次尝试回收过程
- Yeah, yup, and so we try and limit the descent rate to a maximum of 10 meters a second
- 是啊 所以我们尝试并限制下降率最大为每秒10米
so you know, you get a decent opportunity to go and scoop it.
这么看去用钩子回收的几率很大
- Okay, that's pretty cool, so I guess,
- 好吧 听起来不错
no autonomous drones in the near-time future?
所以近期之内真的没有无人机了吗？
- No, there was talk of autonomous ships at one point, but, no, no autonomous drones at this point.
- 不会的 以前只讨论过无人船 但现在不考虑无人机
- Okay, so that's your "Why don't they just use (laughs) drones."
- 好吧 这是你对 为什么不干脆用无人机(的回答)
- Peter likes flying a helicopter.
- Peter喜欢驾驶直升机
- Because Peter loves flying helicopters, that's why.
- 这就是原因
No, okay, so propulsive, that came up in a lot of discussions, people say,
不过 没关系 关于反推 很多人说
"Why don't they do propulsive re-entry?"
他们为什么不做反推式再入？
The simple answer, most likely, is that you don't need it.
答案很简单 最有可能是 你不需要它
Your booster can survive, it survived the wall.
你的一级火箭能够扛下高温墙
- Yeah it did survive the wall.
- 没错 它确实扛过了高温墙
- Without propulsive slowdown.
- 而且不需要反推来减速
- And not only did it survive the wall,
- 而且它不仅扛下了高温墙
it's the worst possible descent you could imagine,
而且还是最差的再入弹道
there was absolutely no deceleration device on it whatsoever,
绝对没有加上任何减速部件
so it was just coming in screamin' hot.
就是这么热的情况下撑了过来
- So, okay, a couple questions come out of that,
- 那么 好吧 那么问题来了
sorry, I'm just going to keep digging through here, because...
对不起 我就是要好好问清楚这里的问题
注：Rutherford是电子火箭一二级的发动机
Does your engine, the Rutherford, does it actually have re-light capability?
你的发动机卢瑟福能二次点火吗
注：TEA-TAB是化学点火燃料，但是不代表不能多次点火，猎鹰9号使用的就是TEA-TAB
- Well, I mean, we don't use TEA-TEB, we use an igniter torch, so yes it does.
- 因为使用的是火炬式点火器 而不是三乙基铝-三乙基硼烷 所以能多次点火
But, we don't actively use it, I mean there's a few things we'd need to do,
但我们不常用它 因为还有别的事要准备
注：详见space.stackexchange.com/questions/13953/how-do-the-falcon-9-engines-re-ignite
we'd need to purge the chambers with some nitrogen and stuff,
我们需要用氮或者别的东西来清洗燃烧室
but we don't actually use it on the launch vehicle,
在发射的火箭上则完全不使用这个功能
but it's relatively trivial to make it relightable.
二次点火能力(对整个电子火箭的发射过程)而言是没有太大意义的
- But, you've never had missions or anything where you need a relight?
- 但是 你从来没遇到过需要二次点火的任务吗
- No
- 没有
注：kick stage是电子火箭的三级部分(可选分级)，或者说上面级，可以翻译成 踢一脚级
- And that's what the kick stage is for?
- 这就是kick stage的工作吗
- Yeah, well, the kick stage is beautiful,
- 是啊 kick stage很好
because it's a right-sized propulsion system for trying to circulize
对于圆化轨道而言 它的推进系统的大小恰到好处
and insert really, really accurately.
而且轨道注入真的很准确
That's the trouble with doing kind of a second light on a stage two is that
达到这种精度 对于一级火箭和二级火箭而言是很难的
you're only lit for a few seconds, and it's just a big thump.
哪怕只是点火几秒钟也都过度了
注：Curie(居里)是kick stage的发动机
Whereas the Curie burns for like 20 or 30 seconds and you just get exquisite accuracy.
但是居里却要点火20-30秒(才能达到相同的效果) 这样就能获得很高的精度
- Yeah, yeah, you have a long, it's such a low thresh,
- kick stage进行的是时间长 但是推力小的推进过程
or, you can do a tiny little bit of burn, right?
换成推力大的发动机就只要很短时间
- I tell you, there is nothing more satisfying than when we would do the circularization burn on the trims,
- 让我最满意的东西是调整轨道时做的圆化点火
is you know, in mission control, we have the couple of lines, the target line, and then the ascent line,
在任务控制中心 能看到目标轨道和(实际)上升轨道
and just watching those two lines just inch together and converge over 30 seconds is just incredibly satisfying,
看着这两条轨道在30多秒内缓慢地靠近并重合在一起真是令人难以置信的满足
they just (buzzes), and they just pop, it's just beautiful.
很美丽
注：指20191111 starlink mission av75397301 (60+4):55 或 youtu.be/pIDuv0Ta0XQ?t=3599
- That is actually amazing, and there was a recent SpaceX mission where,
- 很精彩 最近有个SpaceX的任务
you know they have such an overpowered upper stage with their Merlin engine
他们的上面级(二级)使用梅林引擎 过于强大
where they, I think they lit it (snaps) for like,
我觉得他们大概
it wasn't even, it was like a half second, or something.
点火点了不到半秒钟
They were just like (explosion imitation).
就像爆炸一样
It's like wow, I can't imagine the startup transience
稍纵即逝
and all that stuff, just for that one, quick, little jolt.
就是晃动了一下
And you guys are able to, with, when,
而你们呢
now you upgraded, too, your Photon, and, do you still do,
现在升级成了光子上面级
do you fly Photon and Curie separate,
光子不使用居里发动机
or is it all just Photon now?
还是说从此往后上面级都叫光子了？
- Yeah, no, so, well it's a bit of a debate really.
- 这里面有些争议
So, the kick stage is really just a Photon now,
kick stage现在就是指光子
but we have different variants, so we have a
但也有不同的种类
mono-propellant kick stage and a bi-propellant kick-stage.
对于kick stage 我们有单组元推进剂的和双组元推进剂的
So, you know, for missions that don't require the extra performance,
所以 你知道 对于不要求额外性能的任务
we just prefer to run mono-propellant,
我们更偏向于用单组元推进剂
because, you just gotta open a valve, that's it.
因为(对于单组元推进剂)你只需要打开一下阀门
But, for higher performing missions, we run the bi-propellant.
但是 对于性能要求较高的任务 我们用双组元推进剂
- What's the specific impulse difference between mono-prop and dual-prop?
- 单组元和双组元之间的比冲差异多大
- It's quite big, you know, it would be probably 50 seconds, 60 seconds, something like that,
- 差不多50-60秒
so it's pretty decent.
确实挺大的
- And, how much delta V does that afford you when you go to the dual-prop?
- 换用双组元之后 你将获得多少dv提升呢
- I can't remember the exact number,
- 我不记得确切的数字
because it depends on what propellant tank combination we're running as well.
因为这取决于推进剂储箱的组合
So, we've got quite a lot of flexibility in that upper stage to really change it up depending on missions.
上面级的灵活性体现在不同任务中进行不同的配置
I mean, flight 10, we flew to a high orbit to 400 Ks,
譬如像第10次飞行中到达400km的轨道
and then, we did a re-light, and lowered, and then deployed some more.
释放部分卫星后 再次点火 降低轨道 然后再部署一些
So, you know, more and more of these missions,
越来越多的这类任务
we're finding, we do multiple re-lights, and change orbits and stuff.
会涉及到多次点火 变轨之类的东西
- Yeah, it's a value to the customer to be able to go directly to where they need to go,
- 是的 这对客户很有价值 可以直接部署到他们想去的轨道
they don't have to have their own propulsion and do all that stuff.
他们自己不需要再做推进的工作
注：专用相对拼车而言，譬如相对猎鹰9号的拼车任务SmallSat Rideshare Program
- Well that's the whole point of dedicated rocket, right?
- 这正是专用火箭的意义所在
I mean, if you can't do that, then, it's a ride share.
对于共同搭载类任务而言是做不到的
- Yeah, yeah, exactly.
- 没错
So, do you guys still have a mission going out to the moon, is that correct?
那么 你们还有个任务是要去月球的吗
- Yeah.
- 是啊
- Yeah, is that, so how much of that is riding on the kick stage, does the kick stage do the full TLI?
- 那么kick stage的地月转移轨道的载荷有多少 或者它能抵达完全的地月转移轨道吗
- Yeah, it's Photon.
- 没错 光子能做到这点
- Really? - Yeah, we'll basically
- 真的吗？ - 是的 基本能达到
just take a Photon to the moon.
光子上面级能到月球
- Wow, it has that much Delta V kick?
- 那这一脚有多少dv
- Yeah, yeah, so, like I say we can configure it and change tank configurations, so,
- 正如我前面说的 可以配置储罐不同的储罐组合
you know, Photon to the moon is just basically a big tank on top of the payload deck.
光子到月球的计划 只是相当于在有效载荷平台上加了个大储罐
You know, everything is already there, all the guidance, comms, and everything, it's just there.
而光子里面还集成了导航 通信 以及其他必要的东西
And, you know, we architected the Curie engine in a way that it could burn for a very long time.
在设计居里发动机时 就考虑到要让其能工作很长的时间
So, yeah, it's not--
所以 -
- Would it take multiple, I'd assume it'd take multiple
- 它能带多个载荷
- Yeah, yeah you want
- 没错
- insertion burns? - to optimize it.
- 轨道注入点火？ - 优化它
Direct inject's expensive, but--
直接入轨代价比较高 但是 -
- That will be really exciting to see that.
- 看到这些让人振奋人心
I mean, just thinking that a rocket this size,
想想这种尺寸的火箭
a relatively small rocket will be able to take a payload to the moon I mean--
一个小火箭也能把有效载荷带到月球
- Yeah, and I think it's exciting on a lot of fronts, because it opens up so many different opportunities.
- 这在很多方面都会振奋人心 因为它带来了很多不同的机会
You know, TLI injection is great, but we can also go to GEO we can do a heliocentric,
TLI很难 但我们也可以去地球同步轨道 或者日心轨道
but there's all sorts of stuff you can do, which are really exciting.
但是这种能力让人振奋
- I didn't even think about GEO.
- 我甚至没有想到GEO
I'm sure there's never been a rocket this small putting anything in geostationary orbit, right?
我肯定以前没有这样的小型火箭做到过
- No, no I'm sure.
- 确实没有
- I mean, not even close.
- 甚至想接近都做不到
So, that's pretty amazing.
所以 这是相当惊人的
One of the things that everyone's, you know, definitely questioning is,
这之中大家都想问的是
some of the hardware that's required to do some of your recovery stuff,
为回收所准备的硬件
is that one of the reasons you also went dual-prop, is to make up for that delta V difference?
你用双组元推进剂有(弥补回收导致的)dv不足这方面的考虑吗
- Yeah, I mean, wherever we, we're continually trying to improve the performance of electron
- 当然 不管是电子的哪个部分 我们都在努力提高它的性能
to both gain margin and also offset the changes that we're making with recovery.
通过提高性能来减少回收的影响
But, like I said before, if a mission doesn't require it,
但正如我之前说的 如果任务不需要它
then we generally won't put it on, we'll just run mono-propellant.
那我们一般不会用上它 我们只用单组元推进剂
- Yeah, so overall,
- 是啊 所以总体来说
have you done any changes to batteries or optimization of the engines between flight one and 10 now that have--
相比于第1次飞行 你在第10次飞行的过程中做了任何电池或者发动机的优化吗
- It's amazing really, remarkably few systems have really changed.
- 很惊人的是 很少部分的系统发生了改变
You know, we've understood the systems better, so we've been able to pull back margin,
我们之前增进了对火箭各系统的了解 这样才能提高余量
but there's been no kind of major re-architect of really any system.
但真的没有对任何一个系统进行了重新设计
You know, we'll continue this year, 2020 we'll continue to kind of tweak,
2020年我们也会如此小幅改进
and make a few improvements along the way,
也会一直进行增强
because we will be adding a bit of mass on stage one to recover,
因为回收 我们会在一级上加质量
so we've got a pretty simple road map, there, to add performance to the vehicle.
在这个简单的路线图上 给载具增加性能
- If you don't mind me asking, how much mass is added for first stage recoverability?
- 方便的话 你能说下为了回收 一级加了多少质量吗
- It really depends on how successful the ballistic descents are with parachutes.
- 这真的取决于下降弹道和降落伞(的设计)有多成功
I mean, I would imagine probably no more than 150 kgs on stage 1, but you have to remember the ratios.
我觉得一级应该增重不超过150kg 但你要知道这些比例
- Yes, what was it, about 4:1?
- 那这比例大概是4比1？
- Actually, on electron it's much, much more than that.
- 其实 对电子火箭而言很多
注：可以参考flight club提供的电子火箭速度时间曲线 flightclub.io/result/2d?id=106ddf97-8dc2-4573-a022-ad3305f89cee
'Cause stage 2 does so much of the work, so it's probably more like 8:1 on a stage 1.
因为2级做的工作更多 对1级而言比例更接近8比1
- Really?
- 真的吗
- Yeah, so we can carry a lot of mass down there.
- 是的 所以在下面(一级)可以带多一些质量
- I should also explain for those watching and listening,
- 我需要给观众解释下
that means, basically, they can add a bunch of weight to the first stage
这意味着他们可以给一级加些质量
and it doesn't take nearly as much payload penalty as it does
而不会对有效载荷带来同等质量的损失
if you were to stick that weight on the upper stage.
这与上面级的质量增加不同
So, you add eight kilograms to the first stage,
所以你在一级增加8kg质量
it'll only detract about one kilogram from your payload capability.
只会让有效载荷质量损失1kg
So, I guess, that's another question, then, is, "Has there ever been any thoughts?"
那么另一个问题是 以前有过什么想法吗
Okay, I'm going to ask this first, how much specific impulse is your upper stage?
好吧 我先问问你上面级的比冲有多少
- So the Rutherford, or--
- 是说卢瑟福吗
- The Rutherford, yeah, sorry, the Rutherford upper stage.
- 啊 是的 是搭载卢瑟福发动机的上面级(二级)
- Yeah, so, it's around about 342
- 它比冲大概有342秒(卢瑟福真空版)
I think, 'round about there.
差不多
It's high performance, it's a screaming, little engine.
它是个声音很大的高性能小发动机
Yeah, it's about 97% seastar efficient, 97, 98.
是啊 大概97％ seastar(?) 效率
It's a screamer.
相当可以
- So, has there ever been any thoughts of going with a different propellant on the upper stage,
- 那么 有没有想过给上面级(二级)换个燃料
or the first stage, like methane, have you guys looked into methane?
或者一级也行 譬如甲烷 你们想过甲烷吗
- Yeah, not really. I mean, I...
- 真没这么想过
I love Kero.
我喜欢煤油
I mean I know there's a lot of talk about,
这里面可以展开很多话题
"Well, it's easier to have two cryogenic propellants than one cryogenic and one not."
两种低温推进剂总比一个低温一个常温好
Well, I prefer not to deal with another cryogenic propellant, personally, especially one that's a bit flamey.
我不想处理第二种低温推进剂 特别是液态甲烷还容易燃烧
I mean if you've seen...
如果你见过了
some of the stuff from SpaceX recently,
SpaceX公司最近发生的一些事情
that methane sure likes to go on fire a lot.
甲烷肯定喜欢着火
Kerosene is much different, like that.
煤油是非常不同的
So, I mean, there's probably some performance upgrades there,
虽然这之中会有一些性能提升
but just the handleability of kerosene and just the ease of it.
但是煤油操作起来更方便
What we're trying to do here is just churn launch out,
我们努力要做的是批量生产并发射出去
so, you know, adding systems that add complexity is not really a gig.
增加复杂度实在不是我们想做的
- I was gonna say that is almost like your calling card, it's like, keep it as simple as possible.
- 这就像你的名片一样 保持越简单越好
Everyone wants to, and this is, again very much an armchair engineer thing,
每个人都希望简单 也就像懒人工程师一样
there's very much fans of aerospace going like
很多航空粉丝就像
"But, they could probably launch 400 kilograms if they switched to this, and this, and this!"
如果他们做了这项 那项增强 他们也许就能发射400kg载荷
It's like, what's the trade-off benefit of that?
这就像权衡利弊的好处
Are you actually going to increase your amount of customers, payload opportunities,
为了增加客户 有效载荷的机会等等
XYZ for all these new complications, all this new R&D.
而研发这些新的复杂的东西
注：20181102发布的视频 youtu.be/Nj9BncsgvuQ?t=2371
I remember we spoke about aerospikes last time
我记得我们上次提到了气尖发动机
I talked to you, and that's one of the perfect example of
这算是完美的例子之一
"maybe it might help in some things, or improve certain situations, but by the end of the day,
也许它可以在某些事情上有帮助 或改善某些情况 但到了最后
even if you get it working perfectly,
即使你能让它完美运转
how much did you spend to get it working, and is it worth it in the long run?"
你让它工作所耗费的成本花费了多少 而且长远来看这是否值得
- Yeah, that's exactly right.
- 是的
- You might end up right back on page one, you know?
- 你最后可能又回到了最初
Okay, so optimizing the upper stage.
那么 优化上面级
So, probably not going to liquid methane or any other cryogenic fuels, or changing up systems.
不会通过液态甲烷或者其他低温燃料 或者改变系统的方式来实现
I've always had a question, two questions about upper stage.
我有两个关于上面级的问题
- Okay.
- 好的
- You ditch both batteries at the same time.
- 你同时分离两个电池
- Correct.
- 没错
- Is there a reason you don't stage them;
- 为什么没打算分阶段分离他们
one and then the other?
一个接着一个
- Yeah, I mean the, payload gained by doing that is relatively minor,
- 没错 有效载荷会因此有轻微上涨
so the beauty of staging two at once is you don't introduce any torque offsets,
但是一次分离两个的优点是你不会引入多余的扭矩
because they null each other out.
因为它们分离时产生的力矩互相抵消了
- One, right.
- 一个(接着一个)
- Whereas if you poke one off, then you sort of punch one way and then the other,
- 其中一个下来的时候 有点抖动 但是加上另外一个
and look, the guidance will deal with that no problem at all,
就会发现导航系统能很顺利地解决这个问题
you see the guidance when you punch both of them off,
在分离两块电池时 你会发现导航系统
it just doesn't even know it's there, and same with the fairings.
甚至没有察觉到分离的动静 整流罩分离时也是如此
So, really that came about from day one trying to minimize risk.
如此 这也是从一开始就降低风险的设计
And, yeah, for just a tiny amount of payload just don't introduce more risk.
特别是对于这么小的有效载荷而言 就不要再引入更多的风险了
- Yeah, yup, again the whole "Don't introduce more risk."
- 没错 又是那个不要再引入更多风险
Second stage has a bunch of sparks that always shoot out of the nozzle.
二级总是有有火花从喷管中喷出
What's that from again?
那个是咋回事儿啊
- Yeah, so, the Rutherford engine is really high performance,
- 卢瑟福发动机效率很高
and what that actually is, it's quite funny, you see people talking,
这件事儿挺有趣的 你常听人们说
"Oh, they must've had a bladed nozzle"
哦 他们一定有个桨式喷嘴
despite the fact that it's glowing bright red.
尽管它泛着鲜艳的红色
But, no, they're little soot deposits.
不过这其实是一些碳质沉积
So, the soot deposits kind of build up on the injector face like stalactites,
这些碳质堆积到喷注器上就像钟乳石一样
and then they get to a certain size, and then break free,
积累到一定规模 就会掉渣
and then that's the carbon entrained into the exhaust plane.
接着这些碳质就夹杂在尾气流中吹走了
- Really?
- 真的吗？
- Yeah.
- 是啊
- So that's your soot of RP-1?
- 这就是RP-1的碳质？
- Yup.
- 对
- Wow, and shooting out as what looks like little sparks?
- 哇 而且射出来看起来像小火花一样
- Little sparks, yeah.
- 小火花 是的
- Really?
- 真的啊
- Yeah, but that injector, the efficiency is, it's a good injector,
- 是的 但是喷注器的效率还是很高的
so it's really--
所以这是真的 -
注：关于喷注器形状，可以参考 youtu.be/aa4ATJGRqA0
- Are you guys doing on-face, like do you go coaxial, or what do you--
- 你们表面是怎么做的 是同轴形状的 还是
- It's a good injector.
- 这是一个很好的喷注器
- It's a good injector, (laughs) keeping it tight.
- 这是一个很好的喷注器 口风很严
I love it.
好好好
Okay, so, we've talked about that, we talked about
好 我们已经讨论过了
the injections, we talked about methane, sparky engines.
喷注器 甲烷 喷火花的发动机
Okay, so, back to recoverability, we're going to wrap this all around.
好的 回到可回收能力 我们只围绕这个话题谈
You didn't have to do any aero-systems at all for your recoverability?
你完全没必要为可回收做任何空气动力的系统吗
- Not any aero-appendages,
- 没有任何空气动力的附件
注：RCS = Reaction control system(反推力系统)，用于调整航天器姿态的小推力反推系统
but the whole stage was guided through RCS.
整个一级是靠RCS控制的
So, a little Reaction Control Rocket motors.
只需要一些RCS发动机
- Little tiny, they're cute.
- 那些RCS发动机很小很可爱
- Yeah, they're a little cute.
- 是的 它们是小可爱
They're little guys, yeah.
那些小家伙啊
- But, that's enough control authority to keep you pointed in the right direction?
- 但这个控制力足以指向正确的方向了吗
- Yeah, so, it's really interesting,
- 是的 这很有趣
you know, the kind of dynamic stability of the stage and the hypersonic regime is...
对一级而言 那种超音速状态下的动态稳定性
It's when we get into the subsonic regime, then it wants to turn itself backwards,
只有在亚音速状态下 它才有翻转的力
but, during the hypersonic regime, it's actually quite stable.
但是在超音速状态下 其实挺稳定的
- Because of the engines being first, and--
- 因为是发动机朝下 而且 -
- The engines and the batteries are all at the bottom, so all the mass is down there at the bottom.
- 因为发动机和电池都在底部 所以质量也集中在底部
So, when we... about 5 seconds after second stage ignited,
所以差不多在二级点火5秒以后
we started the kind of, maneuver, and the first maneuver was to do a flip-around,
我们就开始一种机动 首先是翻转
and then align with the re-entry corridor.
然后指向再入通道的方向
That was so good, too, because I had that on my screen as well,
这个看起来也很好 因为我在屏幕上也能看到
I was watching that very carefully,
当时我看得很仔细
and you know, just watching those rates come down,
只是看着那些比率下降
and they all just converged down to zero,
它们都收敛到零
and I was like, "This is good!"
我当时想 这是好事
So, this thing is just sitting bang on zero,
只需要坐着等 那些数值就都归零了
I thought "this is good."
我想 这是件好事
注：一级火箭分离时，仍有垂直向上的分速度，所以仍未到达最高点，是分离后才到达
And then, you know, we started to reach apogee, and then you see the, you know,
接着一级火箭就抵达了最高点
the alignment vector come all good,
方向矢量没问题
and then it just stayed all good,
一切数值保持在正常状态
and the little engines are firing away and doing their thing.
然后那些RCS的小发动机点火 并完成自己的工作
We saw a bit of roll, but roll is the least damped axis,
火箭有点滚转 但滚转是我们不太在意的那个坐标轴
so, you know, it's always hard to deal with roll.
处理滚转总是很难
注：对液体燃料火箭而言，失重状态下二次点火前需要防止燃料飞溅
- And, you're not having to re-light engines,
- 而且 你不必让(主)发动机二次点火
so you don't have to worry about tank sloshes or anything.
所以你不必担心储罐里燃料飞溅之类的事情
注：否则燃料输送可能出现问题 对于猎鹰9火箭而言似乎是使用防溅板来解决问题youtu.be/mVAGoWJuDKk
- Roll is good, a bit of barbecue roll, it's good so you don't cook things up.
- (适当)滚转是有益的 特别是那种烧烤滚转 这样你就不会(把仪器)烤熟了
注：GNC = Guidance, Navigation and Control (应该是)
But, all credit to the GNC team,
但是 所有的功劳归导航控制团队
they were committing code at 2 o'clock in the morning for weeks and weeks, and tweaking,
他们持续几周半夜两点提交代码并进行调整
and tweaking, and tweaking, so, those guys are just.
那些人实在是
I mean, you see the accuracy of the vehicle,
你看看载具的精度
and it's all down to those guys, they're just incredible, incredible.
都要归功于他们 太不可思议了
- That's amazing, and what do those little RCS thrusters run on? Are they just--
- 这让人吃惊 那么那些小的RCS推进器用的是什么燃料
- Cold gas.
- 冷气体
- Cold gas, yup?
- 冷气体 是吗
And that's enough to, I just,
而这已足够
it's so hard to picture, they're so little.
它们小到难以入镜
- Yeah, but, if you're in the corridor, it's good.
- 但你只要进入了再入通道 就没事了
It's only a problem if you get out of the corridor.
只有在离开再入通道之后 (进行机动时)推力大小这些才是问题
So, the corridor is super narrow,
再入通道是很狭窄的
and if you kind of get out of corridor,
如果你在再入通道外面
then, that's when the plasma knives come back out,
这个时候等离子体就会回来了
and you just trip a shockwave boundary,
你只是挨着(超音速)激波的边缘走
and just attach and you're done.
贴着这个边 就成功了
But, if you can just sit in that nice little wake,
你只需紧跟在那后面
with the big bell shock in front of you, then life's good.
跟在巨大的钟形激波后面 那就没问题了
- It's so unbelievable that we're talking about,
- 你说的这些真令人难以置信
that's a possibility now, you're just literally sending
现在看起来这很有可能
it back through the atmosphere, and it's coming in,
你只是把它带回来 通过大气层
there's parts of it that are as hot as the sun,
尽管回来时 有一部分的温度会达到太阳的水平
and they're able to survive.
然后它们还能幸存下来
And, did you have to beef up heat shield around your structure and stuff like that compared to previous flights?
相比于之前的发射 你是不是必须得在一级(承重)结构之类的地方加了隔热板
- Well I mean, the bottom of electron has quite a hefty heat shield as it is,
- 电子的底部(本来)就有一个很大的隔热板
because of the multiple engines.
因为(底下)有多个发动机
You have a lot of plume-plume interaction,
有很多羽流效应
and then, because of that, you have a lot of recirculation flow, especially at certain mach numbers.
因此 在某些马赫数下 会有很多回流流量
So, the heat shield's pretty decent.
所以需要一个性能较好的隔热板
You know, on the re-entry we did see the heat shield collapse,
再入的时候我们确实发现隔热板有分裂的情况
because the heat shield was never designed for those kind of dynamic pressures.
因为隔热板的设计目的并非用于承受那种动态压力
But, you know, we were still receiving solid telemetry,
但是我们仍然接收到很稳定的遥测信号
the tanks were still pressed, systems still responding, telemetry right to impact,
储罐仍在加压状态 系统仍有响应 遥测信号一直维持到坠毁
and yeah we lost a couple of data acquisition modules,
不过确实失去了几个传感器的信号
and some sensors on the heat shield, but that was it.
包括一些隔热板上的传感器 但也就仅此而已了
- Wow, so you think it was--
- 哇 那么你觉得它 -
- I think it was in good shape.
- 我认为这是在良好的状态
- Wow.
- 哇
- Yeah, yeah, all the data would show that it was in remarkably good shape.
- 所有的数据都显示 这是出奇地好
- Really, so you're going to do that again, basically the same thing?
- 所以你还会这样做一遍吗
- Well I didn't expect flight 10 to be so successful,
- 是的 我没想到第10次飞行是如此成功
so I figured that with all of these things, you know, it's so hard to model and predict,
我觉得这些东西可能比较难以建模和预测
you get a little thing wrong and then you go and learn from it.
从一些小错误中学习并借鉴
So, I said to the team, "Right, let's do two in a row, and you know--"
所以 我跟团队说了没事 我们连续做两次(实验)
- Confirm everything.
- 确认所有东西
- Yeah first one, we'll try our best,
- (收集数据)是第一位的 我们会尽力的
we'll probably learn a lot, and then we'll might get the second one right.
我们可能会学到很多东西 然后第二次可能就成功了
注：第11次飞行直播 youtu.be/af-PplDIkbc?t=1113 (吐槽一下av85905439来源有问题打不开然后音画还不同步)
But, the second time 'round, we'll hold onto the live feed a lot longer in the second time 'round.
第二次时我们直播可能会开久一点
We actually intentionally shut the re-entry camera of the line down,
再入时我们是主动地关闭了相机的下行数据传输
because we wanted to maintain the integrity of the data link.
因为我们想保持完整的数据传输链路
Data is king; images are great, but data is king.
数据是最重要的 尽管图像也很好(但要牺牲一下)
So, we switched into a low-bandwidth mode, and shut down the camera.
所以我们切换到低带宽模式 并关闭了相机
But as it was, we maintained one megabit per second link all the way into impact,
尽管如此 在坠毁之前我们一直保持着1Mbps的速度
so we'll be able to have good camera on the way in on the next one.
所以下次我们可能会一直开着相机
- Wow, wow, so that's great news.
- 哇 所以这是个好消息
So, as far as, so you're going to basically do repeating the thing you just did for flight 10 for flight 11,
所以 你尽量把第10次飞行做的事在第11次飞行上重复一遍
then, is that when you start attaching hypersonic balloons and parachutes on flight 12?
那么到第12次飞行的时候你会把超音速气球和降落伞带上吗
- Not flight 12, I expected us to have to do a lot of work before we would move to the next stage.
- 不会是第12次飞行 我们在转向下一阶段之前会做很多工作
I think we're all in kind of, like, a child giddy mode right now,
我们现在还在很初级的阶段
because we've got all the data we needed to proceed,
因为我们(只是)得到了需要处理的数据
so we'll do another block upgrade,
所以还需要另一部分的升级
and that'll probably take us a few flights.
还需要好几次飞行
- Really?
- 真的吗？
- And then we'll get some chutes on it.
- 然后我们才会加上降落伞
- Another, if you don't mind me asking,
- 另外 方便的话
what changes are gonna happen?
还会有什么别的变化吗
- Chutes, so we'll get some chutes on the next one.
- 下一个阶段就是加上降落伞了
And, you know, we'll still have more work to do with some decelerators,
对于减速装置 我们还有很多事要做
but what I really want to do is get it onto chutes,
但最想做的还是加上降落伞
get it back in one piece, and in the ocean, go fish it out, and do some forensics on it.
能完整地回收 在海里溅落 从里面捞出来 取证并进行分析
That, we'll learn the most by actually physically inspecting the hardware.
只有实际物理地检查了硬件才能了解最多的东西
- Of course, yeah, so as far as maybe having more aerodynamic decelerators...
- 当然 也可能一旦有了更多的空气动力学上的减速装置
注：类似欧洲版猎鹰9 RETALT(反推辅助降落技术) www.retalt.eu/project/ 但实际上和猎鹰9一样，估计都是亚音速段起作用的
has there ever been any talk about having the inter-stage kind of, like, peel back
有人讨论过那种剥皮一样的中间级设计吗
like some kind of flower petal or anything?
像开花一样
注：电子不需要亚音速段的控制，因为降落伞和减速气球足够了
- Yeah, actually, the inter-stage is the wrong place you want it, believe it or not.
- 实际上 那种东西加到级间端就是加错位置了 信不信由你
- Really?
- 真的吗？
- Yeah, it's not, hypersonic flow regime is a little bit different.
- 是的 这和高超音速流体状态是有一点点不同
- Is it because it ends up out so far outside of the wake it's just almost sitting,
- 因为它离激波太远了
and not doing any effect at all?
起不了太多作用？
- Exactly, because you're punching in,
- 没错 (再入时)就像打孔一样
if you get your corridor right you've got a big kind of shadow,
如果你的再入通道没问题 那么激波(在后部)会比较大
so, you end up having to have something something super big to be effective.
所以 (减速装置放在后面)想要起作用就必须变得很大
- And that's just dumb.
- 而这会很蠢
- So if you just, yeah, folded your inter-stage over like petals,
- 所以你把级间端折叠成花瓣一样
there's just nothing there, there's no flow there.
气流不会流过那里
- That makes sense,
- 这讲得通
so, you could potentially have little, small air brakes pop out of your thrust structure or something?
所以 你可能有小的折叠型减速板 在需要时从一级结构上弹出吗
- Yeah, there's all sorts of different regimes.
- 是有各种不同的方法
- Just expand that surface area out a little bit more.
- 只是增加一些表面面积
- I mean, different solutions for different courses.
- 不同的情况有不同的解决方法
Maybe, if you had a shallower angle of attack, then those would be more effective.
可能更小的攻角会更有效(而不需要减速板这些)
But, our whole concept here is to keep the stages cool and out of all the wind as possible.
但是 我们所想的是尽量确保一级火箭温度较低并且不要被风压损坏
- So, as far as your flight corridor;
- 所以 只要保持在你的再入通道里面
is it better for you guys to come in longer, like, steeper like that, or straight down?
所以你们是希望更长一点的通道 还是陡峭或者垂直往下的
- It's really about angle of attack.
- 这些都与攻角有关
That's what we want to try and maintain.
也是我们想尝试维持的参数
- So, what we can look forward to in 2020 would be:
- 因此 我们在2020年可以期待的事情会是：
we're going to be looking for more recovery hardware, more flights.
增加更多的可重复性使用的硬件 更多次发射
- Double the flight rate.
- 发射频率翻番
- Double the flight rate,
- 发射频率翻番
once a month? - Yup, yup.
每月一次？ - 是啊 是啊
- Wow, launches out of here.
- 哇 从这里进行的发射
- Yup, launch out of here.
- 是的 从这里进行的发射
- (laughs) From right here.
- 从这里
- Yeah, in this flying bucket.
- 是啊 在这个飞行桶里
- We won't want to be right here when that happens.
- 当然我们不想在发射的时候呆在这里
And then, anything else you guys are really looking forward to in 2020?
然后 2020年你们有什么期待的呢
- Photon.
- 光子
You know, next year is a big year of the satellite, for us.
对我们而言明年是发射卫星的重要的一年
You know, I'm super pumped about Photon, I think that solves a lot of problems for the industry,
我很看好光子 我认为这为整个行业解决了很多问题
and really lowers the boundaries and barriers for people to put stuff on orbit.
降低了人们把东西发射入轨的门槛
You know, science, and education, commercial business,
科学 教育 商业企业
you know, it just removes all of the fuss, that's in space.
(它能为这些领域的需求)解除烦恼
So, that'll be a big year for us next year, the first Photon mission.
明年对我们而言任务很重 (特别是)第一次的光子任务
And, we'll see, who knows, we might even skid something to the moon.
也许我们也会把东西送到月球
- I hope so.
- 但愿如此
- We'll see how it goes.
- 我们走着瞧
- That's amazing, well thank you so much for your time - Thanks, Tim!
- 这会很了不起的 谢谢你给我这么多的时间 - 谢谢你 Tim
- and congratulations on this wonderful new launch complex!
- 同时祝贺你建设了这么一个新的发射场
- Thanks Tim, appreciate it. - Until next time.
- 谢谢你 Tim - 下次再见
Isn't Peter just awesome?
Thanks to the folks at Rocket Lab for giving me some time
with Peter and letting me pick his brain.
That stuff is just super fun to me.
And, I owe an even bigger thanks to my Patreon supporters
for helping me be able to get myself
and my camera guy, Michael, out there to be able
to shoot this kind of awesome stuff.
If you want to help me continue to do what I do,
please consider becoming a Patreon supporter
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Now, do notice the merchandise is getting awesome.
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you better grab it now, because there's
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We also have that as a hoodie version as well,
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Thanks everybody, that's gonna do it for me.
I'm Tim Dodd, The Everyday Astronaut.
Bringing space down to earth, for everyday people.
(upbeat music)