Author Topic: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?  (Read 45373 times)

Offline AS_501

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 585
  • Pittsburgh, PA
  • Liked: 420
  • Likes Given: 348
Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« on: 05/23/2021 10:56 pm »
Any info yet on what will happen to pads 37B and SLC-6 after Delta IVH is retired?  Modify for Vulcan?  Mothballed?  Demolished?  Sold to any interested company (Space-X, Blue Origin)?
Thx
Launches attended:  Apollo 11, ASTP (@KSC, not Baikonur!), STS-41G, STS-125, EFT-1, Starlink G4-24, Artemis 1
Notable Spacecraft Observed:  Echo 1, Skylab/S-II, Salyuts 6&7, Mir Core/Complete, HST, ISS Zarya/Present, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, Dragon Demo-2, Starlink G4-14 (8 hrs. post-launch), Tiangong

Offline StarshipSLS

  • Member
  • Posts: 65
  • Image: NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
  • PA
  • Liked: 16
  • Likes Given: 8
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #1 on: 05/23/2021 11:08 pm »
I could see SpaceX buying them.
I love space very much. I like best NASA and SpaceX programs.

Offline russianhalo117

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8870
  • Liked: 4820
  • Likes Given: 768
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #2 on: 05/24/2021 03:26 am »
I could see SpaceX buying them.
Buying is not an option as they are owned by the government and Space Florida manages the marketing and leasing process for the government at CCSFS and PSC-C does the same for VSFB. USSF oversees the vetting process and other functions.

Offline tyrred

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 936
  • Seattle
  • Liked: 762
  • Likes Given: 21810
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #3 on: 05/24/2021 04:03 am »
 Why wouldn't ULA just retain them and modify for Vulcan?

Offline Alvian@IDN

Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #4 on: 05/24/2021 04:18 am »
I could see SpaceX buying them.
Buying is not an option as they are owned by the government and Space Florida manages the marketing and leasing process for the government at CCSFS and PSC-C does the same for VSFB. USSF oversees the vetting process and other functions.
Leasing/changing the lessee is the more suitable word
« Last Edit: 05/24/2021 06:44 am by Alvian@IDN »
My parents was just being born when the Apollo program is over. Why we are still stuck in this stagnation, let's go forward again

Offline Alvian@IDN

Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #5 on: 05/24/2021 04:19 am »
Why wouldn't ULA just retain them and modify for Vulcan?
I feel that would happen when/if Vulcan cadence is high enough for that to be needed
« Last Edit: 05/24/2021 06:41 am by Alvian@IDN »
My parents was just being born when the Apollo program is over. Why we are still stuck in this stagnation, let's go forward again

Offline jbenton

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 413
  • Liked: 153
  • Likes Given: 729
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #6 on: 05/24/2021 05:36 am »
Why wouldn't ULA just retain them and modify for Vulcan?

I thought ULA was trying to downsize to only 2 pads - one on the East, one on the West. I don't know off the top of my head which pads, but that is what I've been hearing over the past several years.
« Last Edit: 11/28/2022 11:57 pm by jbenton »

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 38015
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 22392
  • Likes Given: 432
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #7 on: 05/24/2021 11:46 am »
Any info yet on what will happen to pads 37B and SLC-6 after Delta IVH is retired?  Modify for Vulcan?  Mothballed?  Demolished?  Sold to any interested company (Space-X, Blue Origin)?
Thx

Turn them over to the range

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 38015
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 22392
  • Likes Given: 432
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #8 on: 05/24/2021 11:48 am »
Why wouldn't ULA just retain them and modify for Vulcan?

Not needed and doesn't work with Vulcan hardware.  No capability to lift the core at the pad.

Offline Lars-J

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6809
  • California
  • Liked: 8489
  • Likes Given: 5391
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #9 on: 05/24/2021 03:56 pm »
Why wouldn't ULA just retain them and modify for Vulcan?

I thought ULA was trying to downsize to only 2 pads - on on the East, one on the West. I don't know off the top of my head which pads, but that is what I've been hearing over the past several years.

ULA has made it clear that it is their Atlas pads that will be modified for Vulcan. The east coast pad will support both for the transition, while I believe the plan is to made a hard switch at the west coast pad when Vulcan has enough flights.

Offline soltasto

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 637
  • Italy, Earth
  • Liked: 1124
  • Likes Given: 40
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #10 on: 08/13/2021 07:36 pm »
Just noticing this thread.
SLC-37 might be ideal for Starship as it could support two pads (A and B) just like the Boca Chica complex has plans for. Kinda like it was originally envisioned. If the two mounts were to go where the two pads were originally, they could also start to build before the last Delta IV flies out.

SLC-6 on the other hand has a lot of massive facilities, probably more than SpaceX needs for Starship, and the would have to do a lot of demolitions before they can construct. On the other hand, I don't think Vandenberg has many flat areas available for use for new large launch systems, so if SpaceX decides to also launch starship from Vandenberg, that might be the only pad they can pick.

Offline Daniels30

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 141
  • Liked: 302
  • Likes Given: 177
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #11 on: 09/07/2021 08:16 pm »
I've had this crazy thought that Relativity would request a lease on SLC-6 for Terran R. It does seem to fit nicely into the DoD requirements for category A,B and C payloads from Vandenberg. I'm sure developing an expendable upper stage would be easier for them with Terran R, if the extra performance or larger fairing was required. This also makes vertical integration easier.
“There are a thousand things that can happen when you go to light a rocket engine, and only one of them is good.” -
Tom Mueller, SpaceX Co founder and Propulsion CTO.

Offline Vahe231991

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1687
  • 11 Canyon Terrace
  • Liked: 464
  • Likes Given: 199
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #12 on: 09/16/2021 02:26 am »
Why wouldn't ULA just retain them and modify for Vulcan?

I thought ULA was trying to downsize to only 2 pads - on on the East, one on the West. I don't know off the top of my head which pads, but that is what I've been hearing over the past several years.
The Space Shuttle and Titan IIIC were to have used Space Launch Complex 6, but were never launched from that site, so it wasn't until the 1990s that it was used for the Athena rocket, before transitioning to the Delta IV and Delta IV Heavy. Since ULA pledged in 2015 that it would downsize to one launch base at Vandenberg Space Force Base, when the final Delta IV Heavy from Vandenberg is carried out, then Vandenberg SFB could be modified to accommodate either the Falcon Heavy or Starship.

It's possible that Cape Canaveral SLC-37B could be used for either the Falcon or Starship, because SLC-40 was formerly operated by the US Air Force for launches of the Titan rocket until the Titan's retirement in 2005, and has been used since 2010 for launches of the Falcon rocket.

That said, SLC-37B and SLC-6 are going back to being used to launch SLVs not based on Cold War ballistic missiles when the Delta IV Heavy is retired, as they did in the 1960s and 1990s respectively.

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 38015
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 22392
  • Likes Given: 432
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #13 on: 09/16/2021 01:57 pm »
uttle and Titan IIIC were to have used Space Launch Complex 6, but were never launched from that site, so it wasn't until the 1990s that it was used for the Athena rocket, before transitioning to the Delta IV and Delta IV Heavy. Since ULA pledged in 2015 that it would downsize to one launch base at Vandenberg Space Force Base, when the final Delta IV Heavy from Vandenberg is carried out, then Vandenberg SFB could be modified to accommodate either the Falcon Heavy or Starship.

It's possible that Cape Canaveral SLC-37B could be used for either the Falcon or Starship, because SLC-40 was formerly operated by the US Air Force for launches of the Titan rocket until the Titan's retirement in 2005, and has been used since 2010 for launches of the Falcon rocket.


no and no

Offline LaunchedIn68

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 193
  • Deer Park, NY
  • Liked: 156
  • Likes Given: 475
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #14 on: 09/16/2021 05:55 pm »
uttle and Titan IIIC were to have used Space Launch Complex 6, but were never launched from that site, so it wasn't until the 1990s that it was used for the Athena rocket, before transitioning to the Delta IV and Delta IV Heavy. Since ULA pledged in 2015 that it would downsize to one launch base at Vandenberg Space Force Base, when the final Delta IV Heavy from Vandenberg is carried out, then Vandenberg SFB could be modified to accommodate either the Falcon Heavy or Starship.

It's possible that Cape Canaveral SLC-37B could be used for either the Falcon or Starship, because SLC-40 was formerly operated by the US Air Force for launches of the Titan rocket until the Titan's retirement in 2005, and has been used since 2010 for launches of the Falcon rocket.


no and no

So....what then?

Abandon in Place?
Demolish so just the pavement remains?
Put up the FOR LEASE sign?
"I want to build a spaceship, go to the moon, salvage all the junk that's up there, bring it back, sell it." - Harry Broderick

Offline electricdawn

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 281
  • Liked: 614
  • Likes Given: 1478
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #15 on: 09/16/2021 06:02 pm »
no and no

Yeah, that's what I meant. No? You meant something else entirely? Oh, yeah I get it now. Wait, maybe not...



Well. As stated before, I (and I'm probably not the only one) would like you to... well... expand a bit based on your vast knowledge (no sarcasm, no irony). It would help us not in the know immensely.

I appreciate your effort.

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 38015
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 22392
  • Likes Given: 432
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #16 on: 09/16/2021 06:03 pm »
uttle and Titan IIIC were to have used Space Launch Complex 6, but were never launched from that site, so it wasn't until the 1990s that it was used for the Athena rocket, before transitioning to the Delta IV and Delta IV Heavy. Since ULA pledged in 2015 that it would downsize to one launch base at Vandenberg Space Force Base, when the final Delta IV Heavy from Vandenberg is carried out, then Vandenberg SFB could be modified to accommodate either the Falcon Heavy or Starship.

It's possible that Cape Canaveral SLC-37B could be used for either the Falcon or Starship, because SLC-40 was formerly operated by the US Air Force for launches of the Titan rocket until the Titan's retirement in 2005, and has been used since 2010 for launches of the Falcon rocket.


no and no

So....what then?

Abandon in Place?
Demolish so just the pavement remains?
Put up the FOR LEASE sign?

yes.  Reverts to the Space Force
possibly.  Up to the Space Force
yes. Up to the Space Force
« Last Edit: 09/16/2021 06:04 pm by Jim »

Offline electricdawn

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 281
  • Liked: 614
  • Likes Given: 1478
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #17 on: 09/16/2021 06:04 pm »
So it could go to SpaceX, which you said "no" to.  :-\

Edit: Ah, that's at least a bit more info. So it's up to Space Force. Thank you.
« Last Edit: 09/16/2021 06:05 pm by electricdawn »

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 38015
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 22392
  • Likes Given: 432
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #18 on: 09/16/2021 06:05 pm »
no and no

Yeah, that's what I meant. No? You meant something else entirely? Oh, yeah I get it now. Wait, maybe not...



Well. As stated before, I (and I'm probably not the only one) would like you to... well... expand a bit based on your vast knowledge (no sarcasm, no irony). It would help us not in the know immensely.

I appreciate your effort.

No to Falcon or Starship

Offline electricdawn

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 281
  • Liked: 614
  • Likes Given: 1478
Re: Delta IVH: Future of 37B and SLC-6?
« Reply #19 on: 09/16/2021 06:06 pm »
Why not? It's up to Space Force you said. Thanks for elaborating.
« Last Edit: 09/16/2021 06:08 pm by electricdawn »

 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0