SpaceX Vertical Integration/DOD Market

[StuffOfInterest]

I must be getting forgetful in my middle age as I didn't recall there being a permanent crane at LC-39 in the past.



So, how much was this thing able to lift?  Could it handle a military sat with encapsulating service structure?

Edit: Found when it was removed:

... feature at the top of the FSS in early shuttle launch photos, was removed from Pad A in December 1994 ...

[AnalogMan]

I must be getting forgetful in my middle age as I didn't recall there being a permanent crane at LC-39 in the past.

So, how much was this thing able to lift?  Could it handle a military sat with encapsulating service structure?

Edit: Found when it was removed:

... feature at the top of the FSS in early shuttle launch photos, was removed from Pad A in December 1994 ...

"The hammerhead crane at the top of the FSS measures approximately 95 ft in length, 10.5 ft in width, and 20 ft in height. It can be rotated through a full 360 degrees, and the hook can be positioned up to a maximum 85-ft radius.  It has a 25-ton capacity through the 50-ft mark, and only a 10-ton capacity from the 50-ft mark to the 85-ft mark."

See:  http://environmental.ksc.nasa.gov/projects/documents/SSPsurvey.pdf

[Jim]

Spacex still can't play with Big Boys' Fraternity.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=40885.msg1567073;topicseen#msg1567073

[deruch]

Spacex still hasn't made it into the Big Boys' Fraternity.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=40885.msg1567073;topicseen#msg1567073

Apparently, neither has ULA.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=40721.msg1563634#msg1563634 

_{unless you're distinguishing between "club" and "fraternity"}

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Haven’t noticed this posted on any other thread:

US Air Force awards SpaceX $20m contract to support its biggest spy satellites

Slipping beneath the watchful eye of many skilled defense journalists, the government contracting database FPDS.gov indicates that the US Air Force awarded SpaceX more than $20 million in November 2017 to conduct a design study of vertical integration capabilities (VIC).

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-20m-us-air-force-contract-spy-satellites/amp/

[Semmel]

Haven’t noticed this posted on any other thread:

US Air Force awards SpaceX $20m contract to support its biggest spy satellites

Slipping beneath the watchful eye of many skilled defense journalists, the government contracting database FPDS.gov indicates that the US Air Force awarded SpaceX more than $20 million in November 2017 to conduct a design study of vertical integration capabilities (VIC).

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-20m-us-air-force-contract-spy-satellites/amp/

Nice find. And from our own vaporcobra as well!

[FutureSpaceTourist]

It’s been a long time coming

https://twitter.com/spaceflightnow/status/1213283679302238209

SpaceX has drawn up plans for a vertical rocket enclosure some 30 stories tall at launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The gantry will allow US spy satellites to be vertically mounted atop Falcon 9 & Falcon Heavy rockets. FULL STORY: spaceflightnow.com/2020/01/03/spa…

More details in article about mobile tower that can  fully encapsulate rocket at the pad for payload integration. Also some quotes from Gwynne Shotwell.