A technology only becomes truly mature when after years of engineers have optimizing it to within an inch of perfection the artists are once again permitted to optimize its aesthetics.
Painter: "All the hard work was worth it. I'm gonna be so proud of seeing my work flying through the sky when it lifts off!" Cryogenic Propellant Technician: "So, yeah, about that..."
Yeah I really don't see the point, given the rest of the rocket stage wasn't painted it doesn't seem like the paint is for anything other than looks and once it's fueled you can't see it. Maybe it'll just be for the first few?
@@andycanfixit I don't know, I think they'll keep painting it. It's just a branding/recognition thing, it looks nice. New Glenn will probably have a huge feather paint job or something as well, covered in ice lol. Some smaller rockets like from Firefly and Relativity also have paint jobs, I guess it's just a trend right now lol.
They could have took all the time of the world to paint that thing. It wont probably launch until early 2028 but most likely by the end of 2029 if we are lucky.
Would be interested to know what type of paint (static, atomic) weight, reason, since every pound costs so much to thrust up. Besides looking awesome, what’s the trade off for looks vs. weight. Thanks!
Must be a negligible amount seen as they painted it at all. Although for other vehicles such as the Space Shuttle it added more weight than they would've like so from STS-2 and on the External Tank was left that copperish-orange. That's why on STS-1 Columbia's External Fuel Tank was painted white.
Less then the ice formed before each launch and since we havent used WD40 on a rocket in decades to prevent ice build up (which is exactly what WD40 was invented for) id say its negligible.
It will be splashing down in the ocean. ULA intends to recover the expensive BE-4 engines for reuse one day, perhaps in a separable engine pod that will come down by parachute, but not for a few years. They need to get several test flights in, some revenue on the books, and lots of experience flying this new beast, before attempting that.
Helps establish the "brand" in people's minds. And simply looks cool. Hopefully the dark red won't cause any thermal issues with maintaining the cryogenic fuel and oxidizer temperatures. On the old Saturn V, the original test bed article had the lower black vertical stripes going higher and having a black horizontal band there. Turned out it caused the LOX to heat up in the hot Florida sun, so some of that was deleted for the rest of the program.
@@rosswarren436 I suppose the extra cost is very small fry, compared with the whole expenditure! I did like Destin Sadlin's interview with Tory Bruno a few years ago...two minds on equal wavelengths!
I was expecting something purposeful, not aesthetic. I hope there is more to the design than added weight. I’m now wondering how the paint may affect surface temperatures and other characteristics.
Its adds a little weight to the stage that receives the smallest penalty from it while being a first of their new flag ship, impressing and inspiring the public and their team. As for thermals, it wont do anything since it will be completely covered in ice by the time its ready to launch. Which ill bet 5 bucks weighs a lot more then an aero grade paintjob, same with the inches of spray on foam covering all three boosters of one of the rockets this is replacing.
The fact ULA fan boys want the FAA to sue SpaceX over Starship... What about the company dumping paint into the ocean?! FAA Lawsuit? When does the range not allow non reusable rockets anymore?
Since when did ULA fanboys exist. We’re team space. We don’t want starship to fail, but we find it funny that people are willing to watch workers put a sheet of metal on a launch stand. SpaceX fanboys do exist, and they put down the accomplishments of everyone else in the industry, which is stupid. Space a is a frontier for humanity, and we can’t let the “my team vs your team” mentality infect it.
@@tonk2629 You are literally being that ULA fan boy directly contradicting yourself in your own comment. 😂🤣 Team space doesn’t allow companies to kill turtles and dump paint into our ocean…
dude you’re the one calling someone saying someone you don’t want to hear a “musketeer” … you’re the minority and fan boy for ULA calling people that. I feel bad for people like you drinking the coolaid in a weird anti American hate cult.
No "ULA Fanboy" has ever done anything like that. You are clearly just a "Fan boy designating, dont have anything worth saying so needs to talk trash in a painting video comment section, Fan boy."
Actually rockets are critical for a lot of things so why not make it look cool + that amount is nothing compared to what the rest of the U.S is spending billions on
@@rosswarren436 technically, it is all taxpayers $. On a non-reusable booster, that's going to be discarded, its a waste of resources, do the minimum to make it flight worthy, but don't bother with the rest
@@Dr_b_ this first flight is a show piece. The expense is all on ULA, not taxpayers. The development of this vehicle was mandated by the U.S. Congress to get us away from using Russian engines. Painting the rocket is chump change compared to development costs. Not a big deal. Going forward this is ULA's baby, not taxpayers. NASA, the NRO, DoD, and USSF will be customers for it, just as they are for SpaceX's Falcon 9, which also is painted and has lots of decals on it, if you haven't noticed. Even the black carbon epoxy Electron has some livery painted on it. These costs are marginal. ULA will be recovering the engines eventually, but not the much less expensive tankage. Painting them establishes "brand name recognition" with the public and boosts company morale and pride in their work. I mean, I guess you might save 50 cents on your airline ticket if say American Airlines didn't get the plane painted, but really, is it that big of a deal?
A technology only becomes truly mature when after years of engineers have optimizing it to within an inch of perfection the artists are once again permitted to optimize its aesthetics.
Gay
@@CuckFinn "Man that's a beautiful quote, lets open the replies"
"gay"
This cracked me up
I have to admit that the paint job makes it one of the prettiest rockets I've ever seen
Wow. Didn't know it was actually painted. Thought it would be a huge vinyl wrap. This makes it even more amazing. Pretty!
such a beautiful livery! sure hope it stays for good
Likely just for the first flight, but we can dream.
Painter: "All the hard work was worth it. I'm gonna be so proud of seeing my work flying through the sky when it lifts off!"
Cryogenic Propellant Technician: "So, yeah, about that..."
Kind of a shame that the paint job gets covered up by ice completely once the booster is fully loaded with propellants 😅
Yeah I really don't see the point, given the rest of the rocket stage wasn't painted it doesn't seem like the paint is for anything other than looks and once it's fueled you can't see it. Maybe it'll just be for the first few?
Once the rocket starts flying the ice gets shaken off by the vibrations, so the spectacular paint job becomes visible again.
@@andycanfixit I don't know, I think they'll keep painting it. It's just a branding/recognition thing, it looks nice. New Glenn will probably have a huge feather paint job or something as well, covered in ice lol.
Some smaller rockets like from Firefly and Relativity also have paint jobs, I guess it's just a trend right now lol.
@@Shadow_The_Pad Some thick ice will come off, but it will still be white and frosty. Some hints of the red paint might shine through, but not a lot.
It’s ugly anyway
They could have took all the time of the world to paint that thing. It wont probably launch until early 2028 but most likely by the end of 2029 if we are lucky.
Would be interested to know what type of paint (static, atomic) weight, reason, since every pound costs so much to thrust up. Besides looking awesome, what’s the trade off for looks vs. weight. Thanks!
Inspiring young people to chose careers in stem that benefit ULA and the rest of the industry. A small price to pay!
Do y'all paint miatas
Do yall drive one??
Well i suppose it might make one finally look good lol.
Flames make it more faster! 🔥
Always 😂
...not more faster...it's most fasterer...👍
@@johndoepker7126 Oh i thought is was most fasterest..
Had a feeling id be seeing you around John,
Cheers nerd lol
@@Vatsyayana87 🤣 I'm everywhere....fouling up grammer....the proper way....!
@@johndoepker7126 Thats right
I bet you'll get years of service out of that booster with nice paint like that
They better not lol
I’m curious about how much mass the paint adds.
Must be a negligible amount seen as they painted it at all. Although for other vehicles such as the Space Shuttle it added more weight than they would've like so from STS-2 and on the External Tank was left that copperish-orange. That's why on STS-1 Columbia's External Fuel Tank was painted white.
Less then the ice formed before each launch and since we havent used WD40 on a rocket in decades to prevent ice build up (which is exactly what WD40 was invented for) id say its negligible.
@@Vatsyayana87 WD-40 prevents rust, not ice buildup
Wonder what the paint will look like after the Tank Lands after it's first misstion.
It will be splashing down in the ocean. ULA intends to recover the expensive BE-4 engines for reuse one day, perhaps in a separable engine pod that will come down by parachute, but not for a few years. They need to get several test flights in, some revenue on the books, and lots of experience flying this new beast, before attempting that.
Eh wrinkly, sort of here and there.
Some fish will probably use a piece to woo another fish.
I wonder if I could get my pickup truck painted there 😂
Why you have a Ford Raptor? 😉
@@vonpredator
LOL, nope.
But, their work looks great.
Why does it need painting?
Helps establish the "brand" in people's minds. And simply looks cool. Hopefully the dark red won't cause any thermal issues with maintaining the cryogenic fuel and oxidizer temperatures. On the old Saturn V, the original test bed article had the lower black vertical stripes going higher and having a black horizontal band there. Turned out it caused the LOX to heat up in the hot Florida sun, so some of that was deleted for the rest of the program.
@@rosswarren436 I suppose the extra cost is very small fry, compared with the whole expenditure! I did like Destin Sadlin's interview with Tory Bruno a few years ago...two minds on equal wavelengths!
Its the first of a new flagship rocket, replacing both of their other ones they have used for decades.
She deserves to look good.
I was expecting something purposeful, not aesthetic. I hope there is more to the design than added weight. I’m now wondering how the paint may affect surface temperatures and other characteristics.
Its adds a little weight to the stage that receives the smallest penalty from it while being a first of their new flag ship, impressing and inspiring the public and their team.
As for thermals, it wont do anything since it will be completely covered in ice by the time its ready to launch. Which ill bet 5 bucks weighs a lot more then an aero grade paintjob, same with the inches of spray on foam covering all three boosters of one of the rockets this is replacing.
All that work just to crash into the ocean....
The fact ULA fan boys want the FAA to sue SpaceX over Starship... What about the company dumping paint into the ocean?! FAA Lawsuit? When does the range not allow non reusable rockets anymore?
Since when did ULA fanboys exist. We’re team space. We don’t want starship to fail, but we find it funny that people are willing to watch workers put a sheet of metal on a launch stand.
SpaceX fanboys do exist, and they put down the accomplishments of everyone else in the industry, which is stupid. Space a is a frontier for humanity, and we can’t let the “my team vs your team” mentality infect it.
@@tonk2629 You are literally being that ULA fan boy directly contradicting yourself in your own comment. 😂🤣 Team space doesn’t allow companies to kill turtles and dump paint into our ocean…
@@M1_159 Spoken like a true Musketeer that can be found in ANY comment section. zzzzzzz
dude you’re the one calling someone saying someone you don’t want to hear a “musketeer” … you’re the minority and fan boy for ULA calling people that. I feel bad for people like you drinking the coolaid in a weird anti American hate cult.
No "ULA Fanboy" has ever done anything like that. You are clearly just a "Fan boy designating, dont have anything worth saying so needs to talk trash in a painting video comment section, Fan boy."
What a waste of money to make it look pretty. Then it all goes in the ocean too. SpaceX a better choose. Cheaper and on time too.
Waste of time and money.
Actually rockets are critical for a lot of things so why not make it look cool + that amount is nothing compared to what the rest of the U.S is spending billions on
Not your money, not your time.
@@rosswarren436 technically, it is all taxpayers $. On a non-reusable booster, that's going to be discarded, its a waste of resources, do the minimum to make it flight worthy, but don't bother with the rest
@@Dr_b_ How much of your taxes went to space travel?
Go look it up before you complain
@@Dr_b_ this first flight is a show piece. The expense is all on ULA, not taxpayers. The development of this vehicle was mandated by the U.S. Congress to get us away from using Russian engines.
Painting the rocket is chump change compared to development costs. Not a big deal.
Going forward this is ULA's baby, not taxpayers. NASA, the NRO, DoD, and USSF will be customers for it, just as they are for SpaceX's Falcon 9, which also is painted and has lots of decals on it, if you haven't noticed. Even the black carbon epoxy Electron has some livery painted on it.
These costs are marginal.
ULA will be recovering the engines eventually, but not the much less expensive tankage. Painting them establishes "brand name recognition" with the public and boosts company morale and pride in their work.
I mean, I guess you might save 50 cents on your airline ticket if say American Airlines didn't get the plane painted, but really, is it that big of a deal?
waste of paint
Only to the ignorant. They give out trop.. well ribbons if you want one.
Love when i can copy and paste :P