XPost: sci.space.policy   
   From: fjmccall@gmail.com   
      
   Jeff Findley  wrote on Mon, 24 Dec 2018   
   17:31:40 -0500:   
      
   >In article <9d822e5gdsd1uvsejpo6g1p5qs9r8th7j9@4ax.com>,   
   >fjmccall@gmail.com says...   
   >>   
   >> JF Mezei  wrote on Mon, 24 Dec 2018   
   >> 12:38:00 -0500:   
   >> > >   
   >> >The other argument made was that a shiny reflective surface might   
   >> >reflect much of the heat generated by the plasma around the skin instead   
   >> >of absorbing it. (but this would assume the ship's exterior is stainless   
   >> >steel and I doubt stainless steel has a high enough melting point, or   
   >> >does it?)   
   >> >   
   >>   
   >> Depends on which stainless alloy you're talking about and how high a   
   >> melting point is 'high enough'.  There are stainless steels that are   
   >> good to temperatures of 1400 C (AISI 330).   
   >   
   >   
   >Elon Musk on Twitter 2:38 p.m. on Dec 22, 2018:   
   >   
   >   Yup. Actually, the only significant design element in common   
   >   with early Atlas is stainless steel & we?re using a different   
   >   alloy mix. I super ?? 300 Series Stainless!   
   >   
      
   The 300 series stainless is typically good to at least 1150 C with 330   
   being the best.   
      
      
   --   
   "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable   
    man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore,   
    all progress depends on the unreasonable man."   
                                         --George Bernard Shaw   
      
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