• untorquer@lemmy.world
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    5 hours ago

    Is the entire frame just cast aluminum!? It legitimately looks like he had his rocket engineers build this one.

    You can’t get more disparate inspection/maintenance schedules than aerospace vs. Automotive.

    • pi3r8@lemmy.world
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      59 minutes ago

      I read the biography of him and yes, it’s molded in one piece (or was at the time of the book from memory) it was inspired by the bottom of a toy car. The issue of water ingress was apparently brought up but he didn’t think it would be an issue.

      • untorquer@lemmy.world
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        30 minutes ago

        I doubt there was significant concern for fretting/fatigue here. These frames look like they’re almost intended to last only 5yr.

      • Randelung@lemmy.world
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        1 hour ago

        We’ve mastered reusable rocketry, can’t we apply those findings to the automotive industry? There must be a better way.

      • untorquer@lemmy.world
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        3 hours ago

        I mean if they do make it more than 5mi off the lot, they wouldn’t survive more than a winter or two where they salt the roads.