Author Topic: SpaceX's Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship Updates and Discussion Thread 3  (Read 1424227 times)

Offline cscott

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They've had the telehandler on board before. It usually lives behind one of the blast shields and was used for hold-down rigging before octagrabber.

Offline vanoord

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No sign of an OctaGrabber garage on JRTI yet - the container at that end needs to be raised up on stands to make space underneath.

Given that JRTI has had a lot of downtime and that no mods have been made, is that an indication that there will not be a second OctaGrabber - I'd guess that if the intention is to make most of the VAFB launches RTLS, then is it worth building one just to use it twice a year?

Offline cscott

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SpaceX seems to have a consistent R&D approach where a single test article will be developed until the technology is ready for routine use, and only then constructing multiples. There was one JRtI, one Mr. Steven, one fairing fitted for recovery (except now recently they seem to have forked development and be working on two parallel approaches on the two fairing halves), and generally one launch pad being actively developed at a time.  (And one colocated dev team.)  It doesn't seem unusual that there is only one octagrabber; I'd say that just means that R&D on the octagrabber is not yet complete. IIRC lifting the container and building the garage did not take much time, once they decide R&D on the East Coast is complete and it's time to move out of R&D and into operations.
« Last Edit: 07/25/2018 01:42 pm by cscott »

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Offline MarekCyzio

From a slightly different angle

Offline vaporcobra

Is it just me or are SpaceX guys not very impressed with the drone flying right into their faces? Especially second video 0:45ish seconds.

Oh, it's extraordinarily unwelcome and a major disruption for activities. I know for a fact that SpaceX is training security with drone takedown devices and they will be fully in the right if they choose to use them in cases like this.

Offline CameronD

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Is it just me or are SpaceX guys not very impressed with the drone flying right into their faces? Especially second video 0:45ish seconds.

Oh, it's extraordinarily unwelcome and a major disruption for activities. I know for a fact that SpaceX is training security with drone takedown devices and they will be fully in the right if they choose to use them in cases like this.

Using the gadgets I've seen, there's not much training required to take down a drone these days - just point and shoot.  You don't even need to be all that accurate... killing a fly with a can of bug spray is harder.  The tricky bit is getting enough of the right video of the drone's actions prior to splash-down to satisfy the relevant authorities (and the drone's irate owner) that you were fully in the right.
 
With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine - however, this is not necessarily a good idea. It is hard to be sure where they are
going to land, and it could be dangerous sitting under them as they fly overhead.

Offline speedevil

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Is it just me or are SpaceX guys not very impressed with the drone flying right into their faces? Especially second video 0:45ish seconds.

Oh, it's extraordinarily unwelcome and a major disruption for activities. I know for a fact that SpaceX is training security with drone takedown devices and they will be fully in the right if they choose to use them in cases like this.

Using the gadgets I've seen, there's not much training required to take down a drone these days - just point and shoot.  You don't even need to be all that accurate... killing a fly with a can of bug spray is harder.  The tricky bit is getting enough of the right video of the drone's actions prior to splash-down to satisfy the relevant authorities (and the drone's irate owner) that you were fully in the right.
 

Assuming the drone operator was not putting the SpaceX vessel or any personel at risk, and was not operating on SpaceX property, what would the justification be?

There are different expectations of privacy for corporate operations and people sunbathing.
I note that at times interesting photographs have been gotten from very nearby cruise ships.

Offline CameronD

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Assuming the drone operator was not putting the SpaceX vessel or any personel at risk, and was not operating on SpaceX property, what would the justification be?

That's a couple of mighty big assumptions right there!:  A maritime "Restricted Area" typically exists 50m from any commercial vessel anywhere in the world and being within this zone without permission is illegal.  That's usually taken to be horizontal distance, but presumably there's some vertical component also.. and proving that you're outside the zone at all times is kinda difficult.

Distracting one of the workers enough that he trips over or injures him/herself in some way is another scenario I can think of.   There will be many others.
 
« Last Edit: 10/11/2018 11:12 pm by CameronD »
With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine - however, this is not necessarily a good idea. It is hard to be sure where they are
going to land, and it could be dangerous sitting under them as they fly overhead.

Offline speedevil

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Assuming the drone operator was not putting the SpaceX vessel or any personel at risk, and was not operating on SpaceX property, what would the justification be?

That's a couple of mighty big assumptions right there!:  A maritime "Restricted Area" typically exists 50m from any commercial vessel anywhere in the world and being within this zone without permission is illegal.  That's usually taken to be horizontal distance, but presumably there's some vertical component also.. and proving that you're outside the zone at all times is kinda difficult.
I had not viewed the videos in the thread - if in fact the drone operator was not operating with the authorisation of SpaceX, the above video (operating with the drone clearly above the vessel) is utterly irresponsable.


Offline oiorionsbelt

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Not to get too far into UAV laws but in order for the FAA to have jurisdiction over UAVs the FAA had to classify them as aircraft with the responsibilities, rights and protection afforded other aircraft.
 It is illegal to interfere with a UAV in flight as well as the remote pilot in command. One could find themselves in big trouble for doing so. If the actions of the UAV/ remote pilot in command are breaking laws, interfering the UAV and/or its pilot is not the answer.

Offline vaporcobra

Assuming the drone operator was not putting the SpaceX vessel or any personel at risk, and was not operating on SpaceX property, what would the justification be?

That's a couple of mighty big assumptions right there!:  A maritime "Restricted Area" typically exists 50m from any commercial vessel anywhere in the world and being within this zone without permission is illegal.  That's usually taken to be horizontal distance, but presumably there's some vertical component also.. and proving that you're outside the zone at all times is kinda difficult.
I had not viewed the videos in the thread - if in fact the drone operator was not operating with the authorisation of SpaceX, the above video (operating with the drone clearly above the vessel) is utterly irresponsable.

Yep. I'm assuming they are being done without permission from SpaceX given just how visibly annoyed/uncomfortable the crew appear to be, but it's sort of ambiguous - Hans Koenigsmann actually included a screenshot in his IAC 2018 keynote, but from a different video by the same pilot.

Offline Reflectiv

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Is it just me or are SpaceX guys not very impressed with the drone flying right into their faces? Especially second video 0:45ish seconds.

Oh, it's extraordinarily unwelcome and a major disruption for activities. I know for a fact that SpaceX is training security with drone takedown devices and they will be fully in the right if they choose to use them in cases like this.
Then perhaps, it would be a good idea not to support such activity and post/link those videos here.

Offline vaporcobra

Is it just me or are SpaceX guys not very impressed with the drone flying right into their faces? Especially second video 0:45ish seconds.

Oh, it's extraordinarily unwelcome and a major disruption for activities. I know for a fact that SpaceX is training security with drone takedown devices and they will be fully in the right if they choose to use them in cases like this.
Then perhaps, it would be a good idea not to support such activity and post/link those videos here.

Depending on how you perceive it, it's actually good to post here (and to write articles focused on them). SpaceX will never know they exist otherwise, unless those annoyed employees are annoyed enough to report this stuff to higher-ups.

Offline CameronD

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Depending on how you perceive it, it's actually good to post here (and to write articles focused on them). SpaceX will never know they exist otherwise, unless those annoyed employees are annoyed enough to report this stuff to higher-ups.

If it's true the footage was used by sales & marketing, then it's quite possible the drone footage was authorised (and perhaps even paid for) by the higher-ups but that nobody bothered to tell the crew on board.  In my experience, that's a regular (and frustrating) occurrence.
 
EDIT:  It is odd though, because professional (ie. authorised and paid for) footage is usually watermarked with the owner's copyright.  This footage isn't.
« Last Edit: 10/14/2018 10:33 pm by CameronD »
With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine - however, this is not necessarily a good idea. It is hard to be sure where they are
going to land, and it could be dangerous sitting under them as they fly overhead.

Offline oiorionsbelt

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Aircraft proliferating the 0 ft to 400 ft AGL air space on Earth and Mars is more likely than not.

 


 






Offline CameronD

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Aircraft proliferating the 0 ft to 400 ft AGL air space on Earth and Mars is more likely than not.

In that case, perhaps in the very near future your typical self-respecting gun-toting American will be carryin' one of these babies:  https://www.droneshield.com/dronegun-tactical/

"It's for self-defence, Officer!"  ;D
« Last Edit: 10/15/2018 03:56 am by CameronD »
With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine - however, this is not necessarily a good idea. It is hard to be sure where they are
going to land, and it could be dangerous sitting under them as they fly overhead.

Offline cppetrie

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Cross-posting as the article mentions that A Shortfall of Gravitas is slated to arrive at Port Canaveral early next year.

Mr. Steven switching coasts in December:
Florida Today story


Offline matthewkantar

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Cross-posting as the article mentions that A Shortfall of Gravitas is slated to arrive at Port Canaveral early next year.

Mr. Steven switching coasts in December:
Florida Today story

Is it my imagination, or does the article suggest the new ASDS will not be towed?

Offline Semmel

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I had the same impression but they don't explicitly say so. I would put it in the shelf next to 'bad wording' in either case.

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