SpaceX discover wonders of steel rocket skins

When SpaceX started fabricating the top portion of a space ship from steel, and building it exposed to the elements rather than in a hanger, contracting a company that normally builds water towers, people speculated that it was just a mock-up because their “Hopper” is a development platform, not intended to do into space. However as more details have been revealed it seems like this is a first step for SpaceX in using stainless steel for a reusable rocket. Here they use an Austenitic Stainless steel, a material suitable for use at cryogenic temperatures and with a greater temperature capability than aluminium. A particular advantage may be the lower thermal conductivity, since it is intended to have heat tiles attached to the outside,


Rock Hard Carbide

Hard Rock cafe in Chicago is in the Carbide and Carbon Building, maybe a more appropriate name would be the “Rock Hard Cafe”? Carbides are fairly hard materials, and carbon, in the form of diamond is the hardest.

Hard Rock Cafe, Carbide and Carbon Building, Chicago.

Hard Rock Cafe, Carbide and Carbon Building, Chicago.

More info on one carbide (Fe3C cementite):