Presumably SpaceX already pay dockage, so would it be correct to say this $15k is in addition to that?
Quote from: yokem55 on 06/21/2016 12:05 amFlorida Today is reporting that Port Canaveral is looking to charge SpaceX $15,000 per returned core. SpaceX isn't happy. As had been mentioned, rocket cores are not a new thing at Port Canaveral (Shuttle SRB's, ULA stages) so its hard to see this as anything other than a bit of money grab... So they want to charge $500/ton for a 30-ton rocket stage 12' in diameter secured on 4 stands certainly spreading the load over a 20' square? Meanwhile for comparison, a single 20' Standard Cargo Container can hold 25-tons and wharfage is $28/ton.18x does seem quite unrelated to the actual wear and tear on the port.
Florida Today is reporting that Port Canaveral is looking to charge SpaceX $15,000 per returned core. SpaceX isn't happy. As had been mentioned, rocket cores are not a new thing at Port Canaveral (Shuttle SRB's, ULA stages) so its hard to see this as anything other than a bit of money grab...
Not sure if this was pointed out, but wharfage for containers is $28 or $35 EACH, not per ton. Trucks over 10,000lbs gross are $22 each. The highest per ton rate specifically called out is $3.02, or 1/166th of the aerospace rate.http://www.portcanaveral.com/PortCanaveral/media/Business-With-Us-Tariffs/Canaveral-Port-Authority-Tariff14.pdf
Or maybe they're adding another category to the wharfage price table above, so instead of falling under the "Not Otherwise Specified" $3.02 per ton rate, they're adding a "Orbital Boosters, Used" category and charging $500 per ton for it?
Dockworkers unions also get a portion of the value of goods that pass through. This is a big part of the reason why 30 tons of coal and 30 tons of rocket have different rates. And if they're required to pay the federal HMF (I think they are) they also have to pay 0.125% of the value of the goods to the US gov't.
HMF is only collected on imports, domestic shipments, Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) admissions, and passengers. They are required to pay .125% of the value of the commercial cargo shipped through identified ports. HMF is not collected on cargo imported or transported via air.
The proposed fee, to be considered at a Canaveral Port Authority meeting this week, is intended to cover the costs to the port of handling the stage, which is returned to port on SpaceX’s autonomous spaceport drone ship after the stage lands at sea.
And this is potentially not just about SpaceX, so even though SpaceX can presumably afford it, can NASA down the road, or the newer and/or smaller rocket companies?
Quote from: CyndyC on 06/23/2016 01:19 amAnd this is potentially not just about SpaceX, so even though SpaceX can presumably afford it, can NASA down the road, or the newer and/or smaller rocket companies? NASA and most other rocket companies (especially smaller one) would have little use for the Port. ULA has been using the port since 2000 for Delta IV
According to the Spacenews article:QuoteThe proposed fee, to be considered at a Canaveral Port Authority meeting this week, is intended to cover the costs to the port of handling the stage, which is returned to port on SpaceX’s autonomous spaceport drone ship after the stage lands at sea.http://spacenews.com/spacex-balks-at-canaverals-proposed-15000-port-fees/I hope that helps clear this up.
From the JBJ articles it sounded like the idea was to solicit NASA & other rocket companies to rely more on the Port in place of other, more expensive forms of transportation.
Quote from: CyndyC on 06/23/2016 02:03 amFrom the JBJ articles it sounded like the idea was to solicit NASA & other rocket companies to rely more on the Port in place of other, more expensive forms of transportation.NASA has its own docks at LC-39. NASA barges just pass through the port. There are 3 areas on KSC and CCAFS barges and boats can berth at. LC-39 turnaround basin, Hangar AF Pier and the ITL landing (which hasn't been used in awhile).
Would it make sense for SpaceX to try to move their operations to one of these dock facilities?
Quote from: the_other_Doug on 06/23/2016 01:14 pmWould it make sense for SpaceX to try to move their operations to one of these dock facilities? I believe the ASDS is too wide to use the lock to get to these areas.
Well...this is probably why they called off that meeting. Seems there are bigger ideas on how to use the Port. If true, it also sheds some light on where they'll be keeping some of these stages as they return as opposed to piling them up at either McGregor or the 39A HIF.http://www.fox35orlando.com/news/local-news/164663415-story(If I had to guess, I'd say Bruce Deardoff from the board called Murray and asked him to table that fee amount for now as there is a larger opportunity at hand.)