Quote from: Texsun on 08/12/2020 01:49 amI wasn't saying "people" aren't interested. I was saying there is no good reason for SpaceX to build a resort for them. S. Padre is right there and they are accustomed to catering to the masses. Why would SpaceX want to hire resort expertise? This is the question. I don't think the first answer is tourism.Maezawa-san is more in the ballpark for the reasoning behind SpaceX wanting nice digs on hand for VIPs.South Padre has a rather roundabout route to Boca Chica as well.
I wasn't saying "people" aren't interested. I was saying there is no good reason for SpaceX to build a resort for them. S. Padre is right there and they are accustomed to catering to the masses. Why would SpaceX want to hire resort expertise? This is the question. I don't think the first answer is tourism.Maezawa-san is more in the ballpark for the reasoning behind SpaceX wanting nice digs on hand for VIPs.
Quote from: RotoSequence on 08/12/2020 01:51 amQuote from: Texsun on 08/12/2020 01:49 amI wasn't saying "people" aren't interested. I was saying there is no good reason for SpaceX to build a resort for them. S. Padre is right there and they are accustomed to catering to the masses. Why would SpaceX want to hire resort expertise? This is the question. I don't think the first answer is tourism.Maezawa-san is more in the ballpark for the reasoning behind SpaceX wanting nice digs on hand for VIPs.South Padre has a rather roundabout route to Boca Chica as well.The view of the skies above BC from S. Padre leave little need for most to travel to BC to watch the show. It is quite a haul between the two by road. Line of sight from the tip of S. Padre appears to be roughly four or five times the distance between the SS build site and the launch site. It is close enough that I heard tell that some folks already are watching the action from cameras on S. Padre. (should we all raise out hands?)The tourists don't have to go to BC to see the show, though it might be nice if there were a place to visit in BC to buy SpaceX trinkets, and to have a Starship Bacon Blastoff Burger, Raptor Fries and a LOX Shake while gazing upon the wonder of the place.
Line of sight from the tip of S. Padre appears to be roughly four or five times the distance between the SS build site and the launch site.
Quote from: jpo234 on 08/11/2020 08:09 pmHaven't you seen the crowds that came to watch the FH launch? Now imagine the interest the first manned flight to Mars would create. Or "just" Maezawa san flying around the Moon...They will all go to South Padre Island where launch viewing facilities have already been installed: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=46358.0
Haven't you seen the crowds that came to watch the FH launch? Now imagine the interest the first manned flight to Mars would create. Or "just" Maezawa san flying around the Moon...
And why? For the same reason NASA does: To inspire people to support their endeavors and of course for profit.
Quote from: jpo234 on 08/12/2020 02:30 pmAnd why? For the same reason NASA does: To inspire people to support their endeavors and of course for profit.Okay, you nailed the Why, now consider "Where?"Would such a museum/display better serve the goal of public inspiration at a location with frequent seasonal tourist traffic (i.e.: Spring Break?) and the highway/lodging/dining infrastructure to support it, or, would it be more effective in this role if located on an obscure, dead-end two-lane road with a Border Patrol checkpoint and frequent closures for testing rockets?
Quote from: taidman on 08/11/2020 03:51 pmQuote from: danneely on 08/11/2020 02:35 pmI find this a bit concerning. Trying to build anything resembling a conventional resort in BC after using "It's too dangerous to live here" as a cudgel to pressure the remaining home owners to sell, would generate a huge amount of fully deserved negative press.I really hope this is either just a fancy job title for Out of Town Employee Airstream Accommodations Manager, or despite saying Boca Chica in the title the actual plan is to build a resort somewhere between BC and Brownsville.Anyone good at GIS? Any large plots available between BC and Brownsville?Think you can get a medium to large cruise ship really cheap right now. As long as you don't pack it up beyond 16% of it's rated capacity and maintain strict health protocols it should be worked. It is a lot easier than finding enough land between Boca Chica and Brownsville to developed from scratch into some sort of resort. Could be a floating launch viewing stand for Starship test flights.
Quote from: danneely on 08/11/2020 02:35 pmI find this a bit concerning. Trying to build anything resembling a conventional resort in BC after using "It's too dangerous to live here" as a cudgel to pressure the remaining home owners to sell, would generate a huge amount of fully deserved negative press.I really hope this is either just a fancy job title for Out of Town Employee Airstream Accommodations Manager, or despite saying Boca Chica in the title the actual plan is to build a resort somewhere between BC and Brownsville.Anyone good at GIS? Any large plots available between BC and Brownsville?
I find this a bit concerning. Trying to build anything resembling a conventional resort in BC after using "It's too dangerous to live here" as a cudgel to pressure the remaining home owners to sell, would generate a huge amount of fully deserved negative press.I really hope this is either just a fancy job title for Out of Town Employee Airstream Accommodations Manager, or despite saying Boca Chica in the title the actual plan is to build a resort somewhere between BC and Brownsville.
I'm pretty sure my credentials as a SpaceX fan are fairly well established. Trouble is, I''m also so a bit of a tree hugger. I'm not too sure about abandoning even the pretense of being a wildlife refuge out here. The factory and the launches aren't the problem. The traffic is. My one hope is that the heavy construction traffic that does most of the killing will taper off eventually. I'd hate to see it replaced by a couple hundred tourists every day.
Embrace the power of 'and'. SPI is well organized for tourism (to say the least), has invested in launch viewing facilities already, and presumably has entrepreneurs who will put together related activities and attractions with little or no urging from SpaceX. OTOH, Boca Chica is the real deal for SpaceX fans and space flight aficionados, a classic destination, and folks will endure driving a few miles and some schedule inconvenience to experience it, particularly if they are welcomed.(Remember that you're dealing with a guy who promotes companies by selling flamethrowers, and just said 'super fun'. This could be really good...)
Quote from: Nomadd on 08/12/2020 04:49 pm I'm pretty sure my credentials as a SpaceX fan are fairly well established. Trouble is, I''m also so a bit of a tree hugger. I'm not too sure about abandoning even the pretense of being a wildlife refuge out here. The factory and the launches aren't the problem. The traffic is. My one hope is that the heavy construction traffic that does most of the killing will taper off eventually. I'd hate to see it replaced by a couple hundred tourists every day.There will never be a "couple of hundred" tourist VEHICLES allowed at the launch site, or even the build site. They will stay in a car park at the visitor centre, or for the VIP's in the village. A tour "bus" will take them on a tour to these facilities.Most of the reserve requires waders or a canoe! And managed visitors are less likely to go tramping around the marsh to the back of anywhere, unlike you amazing residents! But I share your worry. It is out of character for me to champion an industrial development in a remote wild nature reserve and beauty spot! However SX/EM is sufficient reason for me!
Quote from: DistantTemple on 08/12/2020 05:29 pmQuote from: Nomadd on 08/12/2020 04:49 pm I'm pretty sure my credentials as a SpaceX fan are fairly well established. Trouble is, I''m also so a bit of a tree hugger. I'm not too sure about abandoning even the pretense of being a wildlife refuge out here. The factory and the launches aren't the problem. The traffic is. My one hope is that the heavy construction traffic that does most of the killing will taper off eventually. I'd hate to see it replaced by a couple hundred tourists every day.There will never be a "couple of hundred" tourist VEHICLES allowed at the launch site, or even the build site. They will stay in a car park at the visitor centre, or for the VIP's in the village. A tour "bus" will take them on a tour to these facilities.Most of the reserve requires waders or a canoe! And managed visitors are less likely to go tramping around the marsh to the back of anywhere, unlike you amazing residents! But I share your worry. It is out of character for me to champion an industrial development in a remote wild nature reserve and beauty spot! However SX/EM is sufficient reason for me! It's a public highway. I don't know how you think anybody is going to "allow" anything. People don't come to buy stuffed spaceships . They come to see rockets, and looking at a hazy view from 5 miles off is a little different than standing in one's shadow. Most aren't going to make an appointment for a shuttle ride when they can just drive there. It's a public beach with parking for well over six vehicles, unless they want to drive on the sand. Something will have to give, and I'm sure lots of people won't like it, whatever it is. The company has a bad habit of making plans without consulting anybody whose cooperation they need, government or otherwise.
Quote from: Nomadd on 08/12/2020 06:30 pmQuote from: DistantTemple on 08/12/2020 05:29 pmQuote from: Nomadd on 08/12/2020 04:49 pm I'm pretty sure my credentials as a SpaceX fan are fairly well established. Trouble is, I''m also so a bit of a tree hugger. I'm not too sure about abandoning even the pretense of being a wildlife refuge out here. The factory and the launches aren't the problem. The traffic is. My one hope is that the heavy construction traffic that does most of the killing will taper off eventually. I'd hate to see it replaced by a couple hundred tourists every day.There will never be a "couple of hundred" tourist VEHICLES allowed at the launch site, or even the build site. They will stay in a car park at the visitor centre, or for the VIP's in the village. A tour "bus" will take them on a tour to these facilities.Most of the reserve requires waders or a canoe! And managed visitors are less likely to go tramping around the marsh to the back of anywhere, unlike you amazing residents! But I share your worry. It is out of character for me to champion an industrial development in a remote wild nature reserve and beauty spot! However SX/EM is sufficient reason for me! It's a public highway. I don't know how you think anybody is going to "allow" anything. People don't come to buy stuffed spaceships . They come to see rockets, and looking at a hazy view from 5 miles off is a little different than standing in one's shadow. Most aren't going to make an appointment for a shuttle ride when they can just drive there. It's a public beach with parking for well over six vehicles, unless they want to drive on the sand. Something will have to give, and I'm sure lots of people won't like it, whatever it is. The company has a bad habit of making plans without consulting anybody whose cooperation they need, government or otherwise.You should try to talk them into contracting with some tunneling company, if one can be found, and giving pad tours that way. Doubles as a quick and safe exit for pad crew in the case of something unfavorable happening with several million pounds of fuel and oxidizer.