Author Topic: SpaceX's Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship Updates and Discussion Thread 3  (Read 1420947 times)

Offline cscott

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3471
  • Liked: 2867
  • Likes Given: 726
So I'm sitting at fishlips, waiting for the orbitalATK Minotaur launch with my four year old.  On the way in, what do I notice but the Go sisters, Searcher and Quest, and a tug whose name I can't read but I'll wager is our friend EIII.  Is this their usual tie up, by fishlips behind the casino ship "victory ii"?

It's dark and I can't see OCISLY, though that's what I'm hoping to spot.  It should be across the way, but before the container cranes right?  Any reason it wouldn't be in port?
« Last Edit: 08/26/2017 01:19 am by cscott »

Online southshore26

Yes that’s their normal tie up location.

Offline IntoTheVoid

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 422
  • USA
  • Liked: 420
  • Likes Given: 134
Wow. No west coast love for JTRI apparently.
We had mission prep (presumably); departure; and then an ASDS caught a rocket yesterday, and presumably they are on there way back with said rocket.
And with all the discussion here you'd think this was the ULA ASDS thread.

Offline Lar

  • Fan boy at large
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13463
  • Saw Gemini live on TV
  • A large LEGO storage facility ... in Michigan
  • Liked: 11864
  • Likes Given: 11086
ULA have ASDSes? I missed a memo, I think.  :)

But yeah, has this gotten so routine that we forget to even say "JRTI left port" ??
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline pb2000

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 671
  • Calgary, AB
  • Liked: 759
  • Likes Given: 237
NRC Quest seems to be about 315km from port and I would assume the tug in front of her (BETTY R GAMBARELLA) has an ASDS in tow. At current speed 38 hours to port is what I calculate.

https://www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=9271195
« Last Edit: 08/26/2017 02:33 pm by pb2000 »
Launches attended: Worldview-4 (Atlas V 401), Iridium NEXT Flight 1 (Falcon 9 FT), PAZ+Starlink (Falcon 9 FT), Arabsat-6A (Falcon Heavy)
Pilgrimaged to: Boca Chica (09/19 & 01/22)

Offline RonM

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3340
  • Atlanta, Georgia USA
  • Liked: 2231
  • Likes Given: 1584
ULA have ASDSes? I missed a memo, I think.  :)

But yeah, has this gotten so routine that we forget to even say "JRTI left port" ??

We're still in the early stages of reusable rockets, but the eventual goal is for this to be so common that we don't comment on daily operations.

Offline CameronD

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2372
  • Melbourne, Australia
    • Norton Consultants
  • Liked: 866
  • Likes Given: 548
So I'm sitting at fishlips, waiting for the orbitalATK Minotaur launch with my four year old.  On the way in, what do I notice but the Go sisters, Searcher and Quest, and a tug whose name I can't read but I'll wager is our friend EIII.  Is this their usual tie up, by fishlips behind the casino ship "victory ii"?

It's dark and I can't see OCISLY, though that's what I'm hoping to spot.  It should be across the way, but before the container cranes right?  Any reason it wouldn't be in port?

I just checked and their survey & inspection certificates and paperwork are all good until July next year at least, so I see no particular reason she'd be out of service.. unless it's time for a hull clean and anti-foul.

It's summer over there, right?  Summer is when hull growth is worst, so if they've towed her away somewhere that's possibly it.  Unless there's other work they wish to do out of the water, I wouldn't think she'd be away more than a week.  :)
   
« Last Edit: 08/27/2017 11:38 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 cscott

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3471
  • Liked: 2867
  • Likes Given: 726
I think I did finally locate her (picture attached). Just real hard to see her without lights on the asds and lights blaring next door on a gravel (?) barge they were actively filling.
« Last Edit: 09/01/2017 12:34 am by cscott »

Offline CameronD

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2372
  • Melbourne, Australia
    • Norton Consultants
  • Liked: 866
  • Likes Given: 548
I think I did finally locate her (picture attached). Just real hard to see her without lights on the asds and lights blaring next door on a gravel (?) barge they were actively filling.

So.. it's been night-time for a week over that way?!?  ???  Man, that eclipse must have been quite something to not provide enough daylight to take photos.
 
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 Lar

  • Fan boy at large
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13463
  • Saw Gemini live on TV
  • A large LEGO storage facility ... in Michigan
  • Liked: 11864
  • Likes Given: 11086
Some people have jobs/kids/spouses/beer drinking habits and stuff that prevent them from camping out at the harbor.

Crazy, I know.
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline cscott

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3471
  • Liked: 2867
  • Likes Given: 726
Yeah, I just had one (long) day with my son at Port Canaveral before we had to return to the less-rocket-obsessed portion of our family and their vacation (which has since that day kept me mostly offline in the middle of the Caribbean Sea).  I figured I'd post my pictures/experiences just to help any other similarly crazy asds/go-sister stalkers know what to expect and what to look for.

Offline vanoord

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 693
  • Liked: 450
  • Likes Given: 106
OCISLY is alongside her usual berth in Port Canaveral, visible on the notorious webcam.

According to MarineTraffic, Go Quest and Go Searcher are tucked up in Green Cove Springs on the St.Johns River, a fair way upstream of Jacksonville. There's also a 'Go America' there, which looks like she's a third 'Go twin'.

Elsbeth III was last reported in Port Canaveral and looks to be tied up pretty much outside the Fishlips restaurant (to the left of the webcam).

Current forecast track for Irma suggests it will get a bit blustery (60 knots or so), but hopefully not problematic.
« Last Edit: 09/09/2017 01:06 pm by vanoord »

Offline vanoord

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 693
  • Liked: 450
  • Likes Given: 106
Elsbeth III has moved from the berth west of the Fishlips restaurant and now *appears* to be berthed in front of OCISLY.


<Wild speculation> IF there is a crew aboard/nearby and IF there is a significant storm surge.. and presumably as Irma heads north, the wind direction will move to push OCISLY towards the dock wall, so it may prove useful to have a tug on hand to move it (her?) if necessary and potentially avoid the worst-case situation where OCISLY ends up on the dock (although I'd have expected the ASDS to have been ballasted before the storm arrived). </Wild speculation>

Offline AncientU

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6257
  • Liked: 4164
  • Likes Given: 6078
Elsbeth III has moved from the berth west of the Fishlips restaurant and now *appears* to be berthed in front of OCISLY.


<Wild speculation> IF there is a crew aboard/nearby and IF there is a significant storm surge.. and presumably as Irma heads north, the wind direction will move to push OCISLY towards the dock wall, so it may prove useful to have a tug on hand to move it (her?) if necessary and potentially avoid the worst-case situation where OCISLY ends up on the dock (although I'd have expected the ASDS to have been ballasted before the storm arrived). </Wild speculation>

You'd have zero control on that barge in this storm, especially with storm surge thrown in.  If OCISLY breaks its moorings, then it is heading where ever the storm dictates; Elsbeth III will be along for the ride.
"If we shared everything [we are working on] people would think we are insane!"
-- SpaceX friend of mlindner

Offline CameronD

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2372
  • Melbourne, Australia
    • Norton Consultants
  • Liked: 866
  • Likes Given: 548
<Wild speculation> IF there is a crew aboard/nearby and IF there is a significant storm surge.. and presumably as Irma heads north, the wind direction will move to push OCISLY towards the dock wall, so it may prove useful to have a tug on hand to move it (her?) if necessary and potentially avoid the worst-case situation where OCISLY ends up on the dock (although I'd have expected the ASDS to have been ballasted before the storm arrived). </Wild speculation>

When dealing with a hurricane-force winds, towards the dock is good; away from the dock is a much bigger problem entirely.

(It's always nice to know your ship will be somewhere close to where you left it when the storm is over  ;) )
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 Lar

  • Fan boy at large
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13463
  • Saw Gemini live on TV
  • A large LEGO storage facility ... in Michigan
  • Liked: 11864
  • Likes Given: 11086
I expect that if there's a serious storm surge, one tug won't stop ASDS motion, and may well be imperiled itself.
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline Scylla

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 715
  • Clinton NC, USA
  • Liked: 1130
  • Likes Given: 150
I suspect Elsbeth III is docked in front of OCISLY  because that area is a safe-ish spot. According to AIS and a certain webcam, Victory I is docked behind OCISLY.
« Last Edit: 09/10/2017 11:43 pm by Scylla »
I reject your reality and substitute my own--Doctor Who

Offline CameronD

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2372
  • Melbourne, Australia
    • Norton Consultants
  • Liked: 866
  • Likes Given: 548
I expect that if there's a serious storm surge, one tug won't stop ASDS motion, and may well be imperiled itself.

I suspect Elsbeth III is docked in front of OCISLY  because that area is a safe-ish spot. According to AIS and a certain webcam, Victory I is docked behind OCISLY.

From personal experience, if there's a serious storm surge, nothing will stop anything afloat (and some stuff that isn't!) moving.  The tugs would be beached or blown out to sea just as quickly as the ASDS.

Anyways, let's just hope the mooring lines hold.  :)
 
« Last Edit: 09/11/2017 02:21 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 StuffOfInterest

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 927
  • Just interested in space
  • McLean, Virginia, USA
  • Liked: 918
  • Likes Given: 230
With the change in direction I'm sure the storm didn't cause too much of an issue for OCISLY.  Still, I wonder if they filled the ballast tanks as much as possible to put the barge low in the water?  Cutting the wind cross section can't hurt in a situation like this.

Offline vanoord

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 693
  • Liked: 450
  • Likes Given: 106
Power has been restored at Port Canaveral and the notorious webcam is back online.

OCISLY looks fine and is on her usual berth; and Elsbeth III is back berthed just to the west of the Fishlips restaurant.

According to the AIS data, Go Quest and Go Searcher are still on their holiday up-river from Jacksonville.

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0