Quote from: sdsds on 06/01/2012 07:54 pmI hope that, compared to Vandenberg, Boca Chica has relatively few pinnipeds. Uh oh. Texas has sea turtles. Wikipedia says some critically endangered Kemp's Ridleys nest on Padre Island between April and August. Maybe SpaceX could launch all their rockets during the other half of the year?
I hope that, compared to Vandenberg, Boca Chica has relatively few pinnipeds.
Uh oh. Texas has sea turtles. Wikipedia says some critically endangered Kemp's Ridleys nest on Padre Island between April and August. Maybe SpaceX could launch all their rockets during the other half of the year?
No environmentalist I know will let simple facts get into its fanaticism.
Just have to make sure that no endanger critters are in the blast zone
People freaking out about this are making a mountain out of a mole hill and (it seems to me) just trying to grind personal axes.
Musk is meeting with Texas Governor and legislators today to discuss proposed launch site.http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2012/06/musk-says-texas-is-leading-candidate-for-spaceport/Quote from Musk:“So, right now, Texas, the south coast of Texas is the lead candidate for that third launch site, and I’m actually flying to meet with the Governor later today and a number of people on the Texas legislature side to talk about that as well as any potential questions in the future about flying astronauts if we’re successful in winning future NASA business in that regard.”
Jokes aside, can you reach the ISS from there? The speculations of a lofted trajectory are interesting, then.
Quote from: baldusi on 06/13/2012 11:57 pmJokes aside, can you reach the ISS from there? The speculations of a lofted trajectory are interesting, then. Yes.
Possibly right, but having lived in Texas all my life I can tell you they have a way around here of creating real havoc when it comes to the forward progress of a great idea. They've done it in the past and will do it again most likely. I am just hoping this is not the next one they cause our state to lose due to their shortsightedness.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/state/article/Texas-rockets-ahead-in-quest-for-launch-site-3632704.phpTexas rockets ahead in quest for launch siteBy Eric BergerUpdated 12:12 a.m., Thursday, June 14, 2012SpaceX now appears to like the Lone Star State.During a visit to his company's rocket testing facility in MacGregor on Wednesday, SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Brownsville is his preferred site for the construction of a new spaceport."Right now, Texas, the south coast of Texas, is the lead candidate," Musk said.Texas is competing with Florida and Puerto Rico for a launch facility from which there would be as many as 12 rocket launches a year, according to the company.Musk met with Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday to discuss the site."The governor talked with the company about what the state could do to encourage them to pick Texas as a place for its spaceport," said Perry spokeswoman Catherine Frazier. "The governor's office is going to continue working with SpaceX to try and bring them here."Musk's comments represent a turnaround since April, when he said the state had made minimal efforts in recruiting his company.Since then, the Houston Chronicle reported that the state is developing a multimillion-dollar package that could include money from the Texas Enterprise Fund, infrastructure support from the Texas Department of Transportation and assistance from the Texas Workforce Commission, among others, to attract SpaceX.SpaceX has conducted its third successful rocket launch and concluded a widely celebrated cargo mission to the International Space Station, becoming the first private company to fly a spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory.An official with the Texas Space Alliance, which promotes commercial space development in the state, welcomed Musk's comments."This is outstanding," said Bob Lancaster, the alliance's president. "It's time for us as Texans to take a deep breath, understand what's at stake and the enormous potential if we succeed, and redouble our efforts to help make this happen."Lancaster sees a spaceport as a critical opening for Texas to remain a major player in human spaceflight during coming decades.(snip)
We as a society have decided that extinction is bad
Extinction? Really? Are you really going there? Please, NASA has a long history of rocket launches next to wetlands. They have an excellent track record. I'm sure SpaceX with correct oversight could do much the same. This is too much environmental hype and I'm a big conservationist myself.
Anyone know where the Puerto Rican site is? My guess would be in the Yabucoa area, as they could go due-east and skirt between the Virgin Islands, or go south to ISS inclinations.
Quote from: mr. mark on 06/14/2012 04:01 pmExtinction? Really? Are you really going there? Please, NASA has a long history of rocket launches next to wetlands. They have an excellent track record. I'm sure SpaceX with correct oversight could do much the same. This is too much environmental hype and I'm a big conservationist myself. One side goes with kills all jobs the other sides goes with mass extinctions, both are at fault.