I guess NG will just have to stage a bit early...
Quote from: nacnud on 01/02/2018 09:01 pmI guess NG will just have to stage a bit early...Or do a much more pronounced dogleg. They have more spare performance than the rest.
Quote from: Chasm on 01/03/2018 02:26 amQuote from: nacnud on 01/02/2018 09:01 pmI guess NG will just have to stage a bit early...Or do a much more pronounced dogleg. They have more spare performance than the rest.Since they are using wings primarily to slow down couldn't the first stage turn east after separation? Land in the space between Cuba and the Bahamas?
Jeff Foust @jeff_foustScott Henderson, Blue Origin: led site selection process for orbital launch site. Florida won, but strong competition from Texas, Georgia, North Carolina.
Jeff Foust @jeff_foustHenderson: Blue Origin has invested more than $200M so far for just-completed manufacturing facility and launch complex under construction (LC-36).
Quote from: nacnud on 01/02/2018 08:18 pmNG first stage lands after about 800km, so it could come down before cuba.In theory, but not in practice. See my image. That will place the ship on the shores of Cuba, and that ignores overflying Bimini islands (part of Bahamas), not to mention many other issues such as a very busy shipping and aircraft filled water/air space as the launch trajectory basically follows the Florida coast. It ain't happening - at least not that way.
NG first stage lands after about 800km, so it could come down before cuba.
The Air Force, which operates the overall facility, limits work that can be done on “critical days” around launches, to avoid construction work that could cause mishaps—broken pipelines or severed cables—that would delay those launches. “Part of building is that you’ve actually got to be able to put a shovel into the ground,” Henderson said. “On a critical day at Cape Canaveral you cannot break the surface of the ground.”The number of critical days has been growing, in part because of increased launch activity. In 10 of the previous 12 months, he said, more than half of the work days were deemed critical days. “It’s nearly impossible to build a project under those kinds of constraints,” he said.He added he expected more infrastructure, from electrical systems to commodities, at the Cape than they’ve found. “I’m going to be brutally honest: when we chose Florida, we thought infrastructure was a no-brainer,” he said. “We are investing way too much money in putting what I would call core systems—new substations, pipelines, trying to figure out where commodities are going to come from. That’s less money invested in the really hard work of developing new and innovative launch systems, figuring out [concepts of operations], how to launch and re-launch.”Those launch site issues have not, so far, affected launch plans for New Glenn, with the company still planning a first launch of the vehicle by the end of 2020.
A changing shade of Blue (Jeff Foust on The Space Review)Quote The Air Force, which operates the overall facility, limits work that can be done on “critical days” around launches, to avoid construction work that could cause mishaps—broken pipelines or severed cables—that would delay those launches. “Part of building is that you’ve actually got to be able to put a shovel into the ground,” Henderson said. “On a critical day at Cape Canaveral you cannot break the surface of the ground.”The number of critical days has been growing, in part because of increased launch activity. In 10 of the previous 12 months, he said, more than half of the work days were deemed critical days. “It’s nearly impossible to build a project under those kinds of constraints,” he said.He added he expected more infrastructure, from electrical systems to commodities, at the Cape than they’ve found. “I’m going to be brutally honest: when we chose Florida, we thought infrastructure was a no-brainer,” he said. “We are investing way too much money in putting what I would call core systems—new substations, pipelines, trying to figure out where commodities are going to come from. That’s less money invested in the really hard work of developing new and innovative launch systems, figuring out [concepts of operations], how to launch and re-launch.”Those launch site issues have not, so far, affected launch plans for New Glenn, with the company still planning a first launch of the vehicle by the end of 2020.
The critical days work stoppage and the lack of infrastructure make SpaceX's choice of the port of LA for their factory look even better.
Quote from: rockets4life97 on 03/20/2018 11:53 amThe critical days work stoppage and the lack of infrastructure make SpaceX's choice of the port of LA for their factory look even better. No, not even related. The factory would not have been on the Cape. Just like Blue Origins factory is not on the Cape. This issue is with pad construction.
Quote from: Jim on 03/20/2018 12:43 pmQuote from: rockets4life97 on 03/20/2018 11:53 amThe critical days work stoppage and the lack of infrastructure make SpaceX's choice of the port of LA for their factory look even better. No, not even related. The factory would not have been on the Cape. Just like Blue Origins factory is not on the Cape. This issue is with pad construction.Right, the nearer corollary would be the Boca Chica facility. But the lack of infrastructure issue is probably even more limiting at BC than at CCAFS.
Quote from: envy887 on 03/20/2018 01:29 pmQuote from: Jim on 03/20/2018 12:43 pmQuote from: rockets4life97 on 03/20/2018 11:53 amThe critical days work stoppage and the lack of infrastructure make SpaceX's choice of the port of LA for their factory look even better. No, not even related. The factory would not have been on the Cape. Just like Blue Origins factory is not on the Cape. This issue is with pad construction.Right, the nearer corollary would be the Boca Chica facility. But the lack of infrastructure issue is probably even more limiting at BC than at CCAFS.I don't know why they would think it would have been turnkey. They are putting in more than just a pad at LC-36. Engine test stands, vehicle processing facilities, etc all which take more utilities than just a pad.
Why can't they isolate their systems and continue working on critical days? It can't be that difficult to bring in some generators, water tanks, etc. Construction is very frequently done without needing complete infrastructure tie-in for most of the work.
Quote from: envy887 on 03/20/2018 02:20 pmWhy can't they isolate their systems and continue working on critical days? It can't be that difficult to bring in some generators, water tanks, etc. Construction is very frequently done without needing complete infrastructure tie-in for most of the work.Because they need to dig into the ground and that carries the risk that they could hit a buried utility vital for another entity's a launch. Even someone hand digging with a shovel carries that risk so they are not allowed to do so on those days.
Do they not know where the utilities are located and have them marked?There shouldn't be anything critical to other facilities that close to a pad anyway.
Do they not know where the utilities are located and have them marked?There shouldn't be anything critical to other facilities that close to a pad anyway. What happens if a rocket blows up on the pad? IIRC that already happened with the AMOS-6 explosion affecting utilities to a nearby ULA facility.