Quote from: Jim on 10/03/2015 12:09 pmQuote from: Comga on 10/03/2015 04:53 amHas any work been done on LC-13 to facilitate the landing?They cant land on any of the surfaces that appear in public mapping programs like Google Maps or Bing Maps, can they?Will we have "eyes on the pad" if they do some ground preparation?Yes. They have been clearing land and leveling it. Haven't seen if they are using any type of concrete or asphalt. They have some trailers out there. There is a newer image on TerraServer dated July 10.A faint grid is evident on the nearly finished circle. (14 across the 85 m circle => 6 m squares)There is no logo visible, but the image is still from before the Landsat images of Sept 5.
Quote from: Comga on 10/03/2015 04:53 amHas any work been done on LC-13 to facilitate the landing?They cant land on any of the surfaces that appear in public mapping programs like Google Maps or Bing Maps, can they?Will we have "eyes on the pad" if they do some ground preparation?Yes. They have been clearing land and leveling it. Haven't seen if they are using any type of concrete or asphalt. They have some trailers out there.
Has any work been done on LC-13 to facilitate the landing?They cant land on any of the surfaces that appear in public mapping programs like Google Maps or Bing Maps, can they?Will we have "eyes on the pad" if they do some ground preparation?
I'm wondering about the grid. If the pad is concrete, could these be heat expansion joint similar to the ones they put on highways?
Quote from: Wonger on 10/13/2015 08:16 pmI'm wondering about the grid. If the pad is concrete, could these be heat expansion joint similar to the ones they put on highways?A 20' x 20' x 8" thick slab (6mx6mx20cm is just about 10 cubic yards of concrete, which is about the capacity of one ready-mix concrete delivery truck. Pour, screed, float, and on to the next square when the next truck shows up? That's what it looks like to me.Concrete calculator: http://www.concrete-equipment-supply.com/materials_calc.htmlConcrete control joint information: http://www.cement.org/for-concrete-books-learning/concrete-technology/concrete-construction/contraction-control-joints-in-concrete-flatworkThe joint spacing table does show that the proper control joint spacing for an 200mm slab thickness, with > 19mm aggregate maximum size, is 6m, so that fits nicely.
There is a newer image on TerraServer dated July 10.A faint grid is evident on the nearly finished circle. (14 across the 85 m circle => 6 m squares)There is no logo visible, but the image is still from before the images of Sept 5. edit: Those are not Landsat images from Sept 5.
Quote from: Comga on 10/13/2015 05:29 pmThere is a newer image on TerraServer dated July 10.A faint grid is evident on the nearly finished circle. (14 across the 85 m circle => 6 m squares)There is no logo visible, but the image is still from before the images of Sept 5. edit: Those are not Landsat images from Sept 5.Please note that, with the link to the Sept. 5th images, you seem to be linking to L2 board posts in the general forum, which I think is a no-no...
Quote from: the_other_Doug on 10/14/2015 11:15 pmQuote from: Comga on 10/13/2015 05:29 pmThere is a newer image on TerraServer dated July 10.A faint grid is evident on the nearly finished circle. (14 across the 85 m circle => 6 m squares)There is no logo visible, but the image is still from before the images of Sept 5. edit: Those are not Landsat images from Sept 5.Please note that, with the link to the Sept. 5th images, you seem to be linking to L2 board posts in the general forum, which I think is a no-no...It's ok. Non-L2 members can't view the link if they try to click through.BTW, I think they added the grid so NSF members can play landing Bingo more easily.
[...]Begs the question why the squares are there to begin with though! I think they may be removable reinforced concrete panels in case of damage to one or several of them when a booster craters. That way, they don't have to repave the whole thing and simple pot hole repairs would be inappropriate for this application (the patch might dislodge and fly up from the descent blast and damage the booster). I bet if you got up close to one, you'd see industrial strength flush fixing anchors at each corner going into a "subfloor" of concrete below the panel.
[...]Concrete control joint information: http://www.cement.org/for-concrete-books-learning/concrete-technology/concrete-construction/contraction-control-joints-in-concrete-flatworkThe joint spacing table does show that the proper control joint spacing for an 200mm slab thickness, with > 19mm aggregate maximum size, is 6m, so that fits nicely.
I think they may be removable reinforced concrete panels in case of damage to one or several of them when a booster craters. That way, they don't have to repave the whole thing and simple pot hole repairs would be inappropriate for this application (the patch might dislodge and fly up from the descent blast and damage the booster). I bet if you got up close to one, you'd see industrial strength flush fixing anchors at each corner going into a "subfloor" of concrete below the panel.
If you bolt anything to the concrete, it'll be plates comparable to the deck of an ASDS. Assuming $500/ton cost of steel, 2" plate to cover one of those 20m^2 sections is something like $90k.
There is a newer image on TerraServer dated July 10.A faint grid is evident on the nearly finished circle. (14 across the 85 m circle => 6 m squares)There is no logo visible, but the image is still from before the images of Sept 5.
Quote from: sghill on 10/16/2015 02:09 pmI think they may be removable reinforced concrete panels in case of damage to one or several of them when a booster craters. That way, they don't have to repave the whole thing and simple pot hole repairs would be inappropriate for this application (the patch might dislodge and fly up from the descent blast and damage the booster). I bet if you got up close to one, you'd see industrial strength flush fixing anchors at each corner going into a "subfloor" of concrete below the panel.I tend to think they won't bother with that until they get to a launch cadence that is significantly faster than "every 2 weeks at best".Around here you see highway crews do concrete repair in just a few days, which includes:* cut and remove damaged concrete* drill into the side of the good concrete and install rebar to join it to the new section* arrange rebar for the replacement section* pour and surface the new section.* wait a couple days to cure and then traffic resumes using the laneAlso I'm not sure that even a crashing F9 S1 would do much damage. It didn't do more than scorch the paint on JRTI's deck. If you bolt anything to the concrete, it'll be plates comparable to the deck of an ASDS. Assuming $500/ton cost of steel, 2" plate to cover one of those 20m^2 sections is something like $90k.
Do you think landing pads will get names from the culture series? My suggestion is "Flexible demeanor" from Consider Phleblas.
Quote from: DatUser14 on 12/07/2015 02:45 pmDo you think landing pads will get names from the culture series? My suggestion is "Flexible demeanor" from Consider Phleblas. I wouldn't think so.. The issue is that, unlike Star Wars, no-one outside the science fiction community has ever heard of the Culture series, so whilst they could get away with it for an ASDS or two as some kind of obscure insider joke, writing ""Flexible Demeanor" in large letters across a permanent landing pad would have the watching world thinking SpX has gone nuts.EDIT: At least writing something like "No Naked Flames" might be seen for the joke it is..