Elon Musk Revealed Why SpaceX ditched Starship's Ceramic Tiles: New Metalic Trick!

Elon Musk Revealed Why SpaceX ditched Starship's Ceramic Tiles: New Metalic Trick!
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00:00: Intro
00:52: Why will SpaceX ditch ceramic tiles?
06:21: Roles of ceramic tiles in the upcoming flights
09:33: How does this change reflect SpaceX’s innovation?
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#greatspacex #elonmusk #spacex #nasa #starship
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Elon Musk Revealed Why SpaceX ditched Starship's Ceramic Tiles: New Metalic Trick!
Re-entry is one of the most intricate and demanding phases of any space mission. Central to this challenge is the heat shield system, traditionally dominated by ceramic materials, known for their reliability and widespread use.
However, Elon Musk and SpaceX are redefining this norm by boldly abandoning ceramic tiles in favor of an innovative solution—an unprecedented approach that has the potential to revolutionize space exploration.
How can they afford to move away from ceramic tiles? What makes their new solution so robust? And what other groundbreaking advancements are in store?
Find out in today’s episode of Great SpaceX.
Elon Musk Revealed Why SpaceX ditched Starship's Ceramic Tiles: New Metalic Trick!
After several low-altitude flights, SpaceX unveiled a new development in 2021 with the introduction of Starship prototype S20, which featured a distinctive black half. This design choice was due to the incorporation of heat-resistant tiles on one side, essential for surviving the intense heat of atmospheric re-entry. This innovation was subsequently adopted in other prototypes, with the exceptions of S26 and S27. The tiles were made of ceramic, a material known for its superior heat resistance compared to most metals, a concept proven effective in earlier spacecraft designs.
Elon Musk Revealed Why SpaceX ditched Starship's Ceramic Tiles: New Metalic Trick!
However, despite several iterations and six test flights, SpaceX’s heat shield system still fell short of expectations. Early flights revealed a critical issue: tiles frequently detached and broke upon impact with the ground. In response, SpaceX implemented improvements, but the system continued to struggle during re-entry. The heat shield proved insufficient to protect sensitive components like the flaps, especially during high-stress phases of flight.
After the fourth flight, Elon Musk initiated a significant upgrade to the heat shield system. This included enhancing the material and adding an ablative layer, effectively doubling its strength. These upgrades enabled Starship to better withstand re-entry and achieve successful vertical landings in the subsequent two flights. Yet, for long-term objectives, such as missions to Mars, these advancements alone might not suffice. Musk has consistently emphasized the need for Starship to have a rapidly reusable and fully robust heat shield system.
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To be resolved, thank you.

[ricklyon]

Why do I keep falling for this clickbait? Lots of bread but no meat in the sandwich. Lots of history and description of issues that we are all aware of but the promised revelation of news goes unfulfilled. Apparently the purpose is advertising revenue and not service to viewers. Last time I am visiting here.

[robertw.anderson]

If ceramics can be replaced. I’m sure SpaceX will be the company to find that replacement. It won’t happen over-night. But it seems obvious ceramics need a replacement.

[cryptonitor]

You are saying nothing and taking a long time to do it

[ogreth]

But are thee any picture of the new heat shields? I'm sure that over 90% of your viewers only clicked this to see them and not to get a total recap without them included again. Didn't see anything new here at all. did i miss it?

[ninehundreddollarluxuryyac]

Something like transpiration was tried on jets in the 1980's. Compressed air was blown out through tiny pores in the wing to keep flow laminar and allow higher angles of attack. It worked, but was impossible to maintain because the pores kept getting clogged by dust.

[Mic_Glow]

NASA tried to make the tiles work for decades...not so great for a reusable spacecraft. At least spacex isn't doubling down and is exploring alternatives after a few tests

[marksstudio]

Just a journeyman who worked on projects with a lot of stainless, and am wondering if the stainless steel deformation could be caused by the rapid quenching the tiles experience when they contact cold sea water. That's gotta be an issue.

[trespire]

The USAF space plane X-20 Dyna Soar developed in the mid '60s, was constructed of all metal.
Using Rene-41 alloy & Inconel-X, welded to create the fuselage and wings. For the hot nose cone, a metal-metal composite was developed using Zirconium pins in a matrix.
All was tested and cerified for the extream conditions of rentry, and fully reusable.

[davidbowerman]

Moving the fwd flaps is the most important thing. Even the rear flaps could be moved another 10°, and this would give enough angle to protect the joints.. what they really have to do is protect the other side of the ship from the thermal radiation. This involves either thermal blankets or an ablative white paint that is used by pretty much every other spacecraft, including the dragon capsule. just like on the space shuttle. The plasma generates enormous infrared heat that must be reflected away on the opposite side. This is why the leeward side is deforming and discoloring so much. This type of stress will make the ship unusable after even a single flight.

[zarl]

Hopefully by flight 9 or 10 the Starship will have landing legs. And along with the new metallic tiles will be a fully functional starship capable of landing on other celestial bodies and not with the catch arms or lost in the ocean depths :)

[jeffdege]

Traditionally, heat shields were ablative.

[GottTS]

Nothing new here, just move on. 13 minutes of things every SpaceX-fan already knew.

[connecticutaggie]

One question I have is when will SpaceX begin deploying payloads with the Starship. SpaceX has already proven the Starship can make it to orbit so why not take the same approach that Falcon9 did where they worked on landing while they were launching payloads.

[opensource]

What’s needed is a breakthrough in material science

[nonowayjose]

As I said 4 years ago: using 1970s titles will doom the starship just like the shuttle. Liquid cooled takes COLD fuel which is mass. That solution is also DOOMED. The amount of liquid fuel to cool the whole ship will NEVER work. THIS WILL AGE WELL.

[danwhiffen]

I suspect the final metallic heat shield won’t be at all like the ceramic tiles, but internal heat sink circuits that more efficiently cool with ullage in a convective way.

[BruceGordon]

As Starship will be made to refuel while in orbit for travel outside LEO there is another option here. Starships which are intended to return to earth could be refueled as well. Then reentry rockets could be fired to reduce the speed of Starship to a reentry speed which wouldn't be so harsh.

[RlsIII-uzkl]

I believe this needed innovative choice will make 3d printing a must.

[Steven_Edwards]

No, they really won't replace it as you say as these All or Nothing ideas are dumb as hell.

Most of the craft the tiles are fine.

It is mainly the joints for the flaps, so for those it would make sense to evaluate adding transparation to the joints.

Trying to cool the entire thing with nitrogen or methane is asinine.

They need to add some ventilation around the flaps/wings and use some of the metal tiles or some other combinations.

[dl]

The potential for 3D printed metalic forms is intriguing...with channels for fluid transport...certainly worth exploring at scale.