Author Topic: SpaceX's Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship Updates and Discussion Thread 3  (Read 1424149 times)

Offline Johnnyhinbos

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Well, if one was to recover TWO fairings, both being some 46’ in length, one would perhaps want “bunk bed” them for transport home...
John Hanzl. Author, action / adventure www.johnhanzl.com

Offline dorkmo

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Well, if one was to recover TWO fairings, both being some 46’ in length, one would perhaps want “bunk bed” them for transport home...

bc of the supports below, i dont think they could put one underneath. perhaps theyll put both fairing on top of this? maybe turned 90 with the ends sticking off the sides?

Offline skel

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Well, if one was to recover TWO fairings, both being some 46’ in length, one would perhaps want “bunk bed” them for transport home...

bc of the supports below, i dont think they could put one underneath. perhaps theyll put both fairing on top of this? maybe turned 90 with the ends sticking off the sides?

It looks as though there's some more of that same steel sitting on the deck waiting to be erected. Perhaps the raised area will grow a bit further - possibly by enough to store two halves side by side?

(edited to indicate where the steel is)
« Last Edit: 11/13/2017 03:05 pm by skel »

Offline Johnnyhinbos

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Well, if one was to recover TWO fairings, both being some 46’ in length, one would perhaps want “bunk bed” them for transport home...

bc of the supports below, i dont think they could put one underneath. perhaps theyll put both fairing on top of this? maybe turned 90 with the ends sticking off the sides?
It's not 100% convincing that there are vertical supports other then at the sides. With any luck we'll see more shots soon as they complete building it.
John Hanzl. Author, action / adventure www.johnhanzl.com

Offline Wolfram66

Well, if one was to recover TWO fairings, both being some 46’ in length, one would perhaps want “bunk bed” them for transport home...

bc of the supports below, i dont think they could put one underneath. perhaps theyll put both fairing on top of this? maybe turned 90 with the ends sticking off the sides?
It's not 100% convincing that there are vertical supports other then at the sides. With any luck we'll see more shots soon as they complete building it.

I do not believe that the left "half" is completely built yet. Note the additional pieces still on the deck by the cribbing blocks.  when placed side by side in a mirror fashion \ / they will make a cradle for the "bouncy castle" .

Offline MarekCyzio

OCISLY on Sunday 11/13/2017. Looks like SpaceX has not immediate use for it.

Offline Tomness

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OCISLY on Sunday 11/13/2017. Looks like SpaceX has not immediate use for it.

next one this week is RTLS, so these guys deserve a break after working hard on repairing the one before last hot landing... :D

Offline Rogerstigers

OCISLY on Sunday 11/13/2017. Looks like SpaceX has not immediate use for it.

next one this week is RTLS, so these guys deserve a break after working hard on repairing the one before last hot landing... :D

Yup.. and the next east coast launch is also RTLS.  This one is on break until FH, it seems.

Offline vanoord

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OCISLY on Sunday 11/13/2017. Looks like SpaceX has not immediate use for it.

The tie-downs are still welded to the deck, so it doesn't look like there's any hurry to get it fixed - as noted above FH is likely the next landing attempt for OSCILY.

Doesn't look like the erstwhile Octagrabber has had anything done to it either.

Offline chrisking0997

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is it just me, or are there some sort of racks sitting in the roomba garage?
Tried to tell you, we did.  Listen, you did not.  Now, screwed we all are.

Offline dorkmo

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is it just me, or are there some sort of racks sitting in the roomba garage?

yeah. i think those might be the ones that hold a handful of compressed gas canisters. like when theyre torching and welding big jobs in the past those were out and about i think.

Offline CameronD

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OCISLY on Sunday 11/13/2017. Looks like SpaceX has not immediate use for it.

Poor old OCISLY is looking very un-loved: I see far too much rust.  :(

Perhaps, now landings have become "routine", SpaceX are too busy with the rocket side of operations to worry about marine maintenance?
 
With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine - however, this is not necessarily a good idea. It is hard to be sure where they are
going to land, and it could be dangerous sitting under them as they fly overhead.

Offline jimvela

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Here's a view from 7 December 2017:


Offline Johnnyhinbos

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John Hanzl. Author, action / adventure www.johnhanzl.com

Offline jimvela

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While I was taking the picture above, three different cars of people pulled into the parking lot and took cell phone pictures.

That still indicates celebrity status to me, even if it is only rocket geek celebrity.

All three were sets of young folks. Warms my heart

Offline cscott

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While I was taking the picture above, three different cars of people pulled into the parking lot and took cell phone pictures.

That still indicates celebrity status to me, even if it is only rocket geek celebrity.

All three were sets of young folks. Warms my heart
It's one of the few places where you can see real in-active-use space hardware, competely free and open to the public.  Most expendable rockets are expended, the shuttles are pricey add-ons to expensive museums, KSC and CC are closed to public access---but you can drive right up and park next to Go Quest, and then look across at OCISLY.  Those who work at KSC probably underestimate how cool that access is to the rest of us.

And once SpaceX gets its booster installed outside the control center, the port area is going to be an even bigger draw.  Touch a rocket that's been to space and back, then have a dinner at fishlips and watch OCISLY and the Go Sisters.

Offline deruch

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While I was taking the picture above, three different cars of people pulled into the parking lot and took cell phone pictures.

That still indicates celebrity status to me, even if it is only rocket geek celebrity.

All three were sets of young folks. Warms my heart

I wonder if Fishlips has seen any appreciable increase in business since SpaceX has started using that berth?
Shouldn't reality posts be in "Advanced concepts"?  --Nomadd

Offline Jim

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While I was taking the picture above, three different cars of people pulled into the parking lot and took cell phone pictures.

That still indicates celebrity status to me, even if it is only rocket geek celebrity.

All three were sets of young folks. Warms my heart

I wonder if Fishlips has seen any appreciable increase in business since SpaceX has started using that berth?

nah

Offline vanoord

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Quoted from the Fairing thread:

Wonder what a "short term opportunity area" means...

If I remember correctly, someone up-thread said this would be used for storing previously flown Falcon 9 boosters.
I think you're thinking of the 35000 s.f. of land and 77000 s.f. of water that are being added to SpaceX's permit near berths 51 and 52. In any case, we will see later this month what happens to the B1036 booster with the Iridium NEXT-4 flight.

Quote
Backqround: On January 7,2016, the Board approved RP 15-19 to SpaceX for the use
of 35,000 s.f. of land and 77,000 s.f. of water at Berths 51 and 52 along Miner Street in
San Pedro. RP 15-19 allowed for: berthing rights for the Marmac landing barge and
auxiliary vessels; construction of landside improvements including the installation of
rocket support pedestals on a concrete pad; and installation of temporary perimeter
fencing, an office trailer, a guard shack and portable restrooms. SpaceX's premises are
utilized to berth vessels that recover expended rockets and capsules from over 100
miles offshore and return the respective equipment for land based transportation to
various locations.
ln response to the Board's concern regarding insurance limits and coverage under selfinsurance,
the First Amendment to RP 15-19 increased insurance requirements to
provide superior insurance coverage, thereby reducing the Harbor Department's
financial risk exposure arising from SpaceX's operations.
The Second Amendment to RP 15-19 increased permit premises primarily at Berth 53
and adjusted compensation correspondingly. The additional areas provided SpaceX
with access to a wider area such that it can conduct its operations more safely and
efficiently, and also reduce the length of time that Miner Street is shut down, thereby
lessening the impact of SpaceX operations on neighboring tenants. A provision was
also added to allow the Harbor Department to be reimbursed for expenses incurred as a
result of the Tenant's operations such as Port Police fees (escort, street closures, etc.);
Construction & Maintenance costs (placement of k-rails, plumbing and electrical
services, etc.); Engineering fees (inspection fees, etc.); rental fees for use of additional
areas (staging for media, parking, etc.); and other related. costs.
SpaceX has conducted five rocket and capsule recoveries since 2016. On November
15, 2017, SpaceX submitted an application for additional premises in order to
accommodate the MA/ Mr. Steven, a 205-foot long vessel dedicated to recovering the
fairing portion of rockets which protect the spacecraft and reduce drag during flight.

No additional hazardous materials will be brought to the Port. The extended area will
allow a better layout for its operations and allow SpaceX to remove equipment on top of
their sea vans as much as possible, and better contain their equipment behind the
perimeter fencing, away from public view.
The proposed Third Amendment (Transmittal 1) to RP 15-19 modifies the permit
premises by adding a9,143 s.f. land parcel and a 25,500 s.f. submerged land parcel on
the south side of its current premises (Transmittal2), and modifying the compensation
accordingly, from $24,328.73 to $28,095.82 a month. ln anticipation of the vessel's
arrival in mid to late December 2018, SpaceX would like to take possession of the
additional premises by December 15, 2017.
Source: https://www.portoflosangeles.org/Board/2017/December%202017/121417_Regular_Agenda_Item_8.pdf

According to Marine Traffic, Mr.Steven is now at the berth in Port of Los Angeles (adjacent to NRC Quest, which has been used by SpaceX for F9 and Dragon recoveries), presumably preparing to go to sea to try and recover the Iridium fairings.

On the east coast, Elsbeth III is in the Gulf of Mexico; and Hawk is in Tampa - both a fair distance from Port Canaveral. That said, there's probably at a month until a tug is needed to drag OCISLY out to fetch an FH centre core.

The Go 'twins' are both at Port Canaveral.

Offline cscott

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Seems to me that elsbeth III has been released from SpaceX exclusivity and is now free to take other jobs.  Towing the ASDS is apparently enough of a "standard tow" that they can use whatever tug happens to be free.  Seems like a minor operational refinement to save a few bucks.

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