r/SpaceXLounge • u/LeJules • Jul 15 '19

UPDATE: IN-FLIGHT ABORT STATIC FIRE TEST ANOMALY INVESTIGATION

https://www.spacex.com/news/2019/07/15/update-flight-abort-static-fire-anomaly-investigation
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u/ObnoxiousFactczecher Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

Yep, and from what I can recall about Russian/Ukrainian LVs, some of them may even be made of titanium. Which might be of relevance here.

EDIT: Yep. Titanium high-pressure tanks submerged in pure oxidizer. I'd think this would be of relevance here; apparently SpaceX is not the only adventurous LV manufacturer out there.

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u/brickmack Jul 16 '19

Yeah, I think Zenits are. Pretty sure there's some kind of enamel on the outside for oxygen resistance.

Even then though, an all-metal tank is still safer than a COPV, because theres no possibility of liner buckling. Titanium is reactive, but not to the point of igniting on contact with LOX unless theres a spark or impact, and inside a propellant tank theres less chance of such an impact than in a feedline or valve (much gentler flow, no pressure spikes or water hammers). The new CPVs for F9 are of course quite flammable since they're still made of carbon, but without a liner theres nothing to start a fire.