The Guardian published this. theguardian.com spacex-texas-boca-chica-brownsville-border-wall
So a logistic building will be used for?
You have a LOT of friends here Dave...enough said.
Quote from: SPITexas on 05/02/2018 07:22 pmSo a logistic building will be used for? It's a pretty nice place with lots of room. Big yard and a great neighbor. It's probably why they never did anything with that junker they put on the lot by the control center. Logistics is a pretty vague term. They could use it for an overnight facility. It's the only permanent place they have at the moment other than the rest of the houses, which are all a lot smaller and need more work. It will be a lot better than trailers for meetings, spreading blueprints and having beers after work. I wouldn't be surprised if they tore down the tower. It's in pretty bad shape.
Beyond public modifications to the EIS for a lad-based pad, what would be some flags that SpaceX intend to launch BFR/BFS from Boca Chica? A permanent near-coastal platform linked to the shore (e.g. for prop lines) would be sitting right in the middle of the Brownsville shipping lanes and anchorage, so there would likely need to be some notification of intend to disrupt all of that (I'd expect the port making a big stink about that might scupper the whole idea anyway). An offshore floating platform would need to anchor far enough out to avoid interfering with shipping, but it would still need to be towed to shore for loading/unloading of the stack and propellants - or a support vessel would need to do the same to ferry between - which would either need to be trucked to the port from the Boca Chica site (seems silly not to just put the facilities at the port in that case, which also would be something to look out for) or adding a pier or other structure at the Boca Chica site itself (public EIS again).
In the map you provide, the black squares on the right edge are already offshore platforms, some connected to the coast by pipelines. Here you can also see them: https://www.planet.com/explorer/#/mosaic/global_monthly_2017_12_mosaic/center/-96.898,26.099/zoom/13Also seems like at least on some places also the waters are crowded. We will see what SpaceX does with BFR testing and launching etc. What is our current estimate for a "save" distance in case of an explosion on pad?
Beyond public modifications to the EIS for a lad-based pad, what would be some flags that SpaceX intend to launch BFR/BFS from Boca Chica?
Quote from: edzieba on 05/04/2018 08:41 amBeyond public modifications to the EIS for a lad-based pad, what would be some flags that SpaceX intend to launch BFR/BFS from Boca Chica? BFR/BFS would have to have a launch permit or launch license. In order to get one, SpaceX will have to submit an EA/EIS on the impacts of launching them from whichever planned site(s) and get a FONSI (Finding of No Significant Impact) or other mitigated approval by the FAA. This is separate from any modifications to the Boca Chica EIS which was about building and operating the launch site. I would expect to see the Boca Chica modifications before the permit/license EA on the vehicle, but you never know. If all that somehow flies under the radar, you can expect to see the permit or license listed on the appropriate FAA webpage. Also, I suppose at some point we should be on the lookout for the Launch Site Operator's license for Boca Chica, too.
Quote from: deruch on 05/04/2018 08:51 pmQuote from: edzieba on 05/04/2018 08:41 amBeyond public modifications to the EIS for a lad-based pad, what would be some flags that SpaceX intend to launch BFR/BFS from Boca Chica? BFR/BFS would have to have a launch permit or launch license. In order to get one, SpaceX will have to submit an EA/EIS on the impacts of launching them from whichever planned site(s) and get a FONSI (Finding of No Significant Impact) or other mitigated approval by the FAA. This is separate from any modifications to the Boca Chica EIS which was about building and operating the launch site. I would expect to see the Boca Chica modifications before the permit/license EA on the vehicle, but you never know. If all that somehow flies under the radar, you can expect to see the permit or license listed on the appropriate FAA webpage. Also, I suppose at some point we should be on the lookout for the Launch Site Operator's license for Boca Chica, too.They already had sub-orbital flights in original study -- don't know if they specifically stated Falcon 9 flights or more generic. If the latter, they may already be covered.
IIRC, sub-orbital flights have to be with vehicles smaller than F9.