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Re:SpaceX Has Pinpointed the Problem That Caused the Falcon9... by fogleman on Thursday January 15, 2015 @08:50PM (#8896814)
An open hydraulic system is more lightweight.
Re:SpaceX Has Pinpointed the Problem That Caused the Falcon9... by modeless on Thursday January 15, 2015 @09:22PM (#8896925)
Where do the weight savings come from? Hydraulic fluid is heavy; it seems like you could save quite a bit of weight by carrying less of it if it wasn't expendable. Not that I don't believe it, just curious.
Re:SpaceX Has Pinpointed the Problem That Caused the Falcon9... by rikf on Thursday January 15, 2015 @10:12PM (#8897061)
Seems like they actually use RP-1 (rocket fuel) as the hydraulic fluid so that it is burned as fuel after it has been used. This means that the hydraulic fluid isnt "dead mass"
Re:SpaceX Has Pinpointed the Problem That Caused the Falcon9... by TeMPOraL on Thursday January 15, 2015 @09:35PM (#8896962)
Pumps and pipes. With an open system, you don't need to recompress the fluid and move it back, and from what I read, that hardware weights a lot.
Re:SpaceX Has Pinpointed the Problem That Caused the Falcon9... by toomuchtodo on Thursday January 15, 2015 @10:56PM (#8897189)
Correct! Instead of using compressor(s) and recirculation plumbing, you're using an accumulator [1]. Weight and complexity savings.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_accumulator

Re:SpaceX Has Pinpointed the Problem That Caused the Falcon9... by bdonlan on Thursday January 15, 2015 @09:50PM (#8897013)
Not to mention the power supply - what's going to run the pumps when the engines are shut off?
Re:SpaceX Has Pinpointed the Problem That Caused the Falcon9... by pshc on Thursday January 15, 2015 @09:29PM (#8896947)
I'm guessing you'd need more pistons, pumps, piping, etc. in a closed system. Probably need to repressurize the fluid.