Author Topic: Spaceport America set for SpaceX reusability testing  (Read 60314 times)

Offline dorkmo

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Re: Spaceport America set for SpaceX reusability testing
« Reply #100 on: 12/07/2015 02:08 am »
hmmm....

so how tall are those mounts?

It's interesting to compare shadow lengths, between them and that pipe coming in from the top - if only we knew how far off the ground it was.  The truck in the corner isn't helping much.

just eyeballing but id guess the ones at jax are 15 to 20 ft?

Offline NovaSilisko

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Re: Spaceport America set for SpaceX reusability testing
« Reply #101 on: 12/07/2015 02:56 am »
Can get a better sense in the first second or so of the shot...

Online matthewkantar

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Re: Spaceport America set for SpaceX reusability testing
« Reply #102 on: 12/07/2015 02:01 pm »
Looks like a different material used in the area that would get the worst blast form the engine.

Matthew

Offline sghill

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Re: Spaceport America set for SpaceX reusability testing
« Reply #103 on: 12/07/2015 07:03 pm »
If anyone wants the 1,000 foot view.  TerraServer now has low-rez publicly accessible August 2015 imagery up on the free side their site.  Google Earth is still December 2013.

Even on the freebie Terraserver images, you can see the landing pad at the top right, the launch mounts at the launch pad on the top left, and lots of small tents and equipment where we previously speculated a HIF might be located that weren't there two years ago in 2013.  I can't make out a tall crane fomr the image (no telltale shadows).

Speculating, I think they'll do their operations out in the air and move shelters over the portion of the booster they are servicing to keep the sun and rain off.  They'll use a crane to lay the booster in a cradle that will sit in between the two rows of tents and equipment if/when it's horizontal.

It'd be terrific to get any updates from them to do an article on what they've built out there and what they're planning (hint hint Chris :) ).

[edit: At Comga's suggestion, the public TerraServer images can be found here: http://www.terraserver.com/view.asp?cx=-106.9113888888889&cy=32.94555555555555&proj=4326&mpp=0.75&sdrt=jax  The location of the site is here: 32°56'44.99" N 106°54'41.92" W ]

« Last Edit: 12/07/2015 08:42 pm by sghill »
Bring the thunder!

Offline joek

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Re: Spaceport America set for SpaceX reusability testing
« Reply #104 on: 12/07/2015 08:48 pm »
From the Las Cruces Sun-News, 29-Jul-2015:
Quote
Officials with Spaceport America on Wednesday confirmed tenant SpaceX is moving some of its equipment back to a testing facility in McGregor, Texas. But the company will maintain its lease with the spaceport for future launches after additional testing.
You can see some difference in the TerraServer images from 16-Jun-2015 and  30-Aug-2015.  Some tanks and maybe equipment trailers appear to have been removed in the later image.

Online gongora

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Re: Spaceport America set for SpaceX reusability testing
« Reply #105 on: 08/26/2017 02:46 pm »
[Las Cruces Sun-News] How much secrecy does Spaceport America need?

This article talks about leases at Spaceport America.  They obtained some partially redacted leases from the Spaceport, including the one for SpaceX.  It was actually renewed for a year in 2016 with an end date in October 2017 (there are still options to do more yearly renewals if they wish to do so.)

Offline cscott

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Re: Spaceport America set for SpaceX reusability testing
« Reply #106 on: 12/30/2017 01:09 pm »
[Las Cruces Sun-News] How much secrecy does Spaceport America need?

This article talks about leases at Spaceport America.  They obtained some partially redacted leases from the Spaceport, including the one for SpaceX.  It was actually renewed for a year in 2016 with an end date in October 2017 (there are still options to do more yearly renewals if they wish to do so.)
Does anyone know if the lease was renewed?

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