The two tacking dishes are also expected to be operational next year.
Quote from: rockets4life97 on 12/15/2017 04:50 pmQuote from: Jim on 12/15/2017 04:44 pmI meant that the pad crew may never come down to build any type of Falcon padSPITexas said come down to Boca Chica. They didn't say come down to build a F9/FH pad.It might be a while for that or maybe never too
Quote from: Jim on 12/15/2017 04:44 pmI meant that the pad crew may never come down to build any type of Falcon padSPITexas said come down to Boca Chica. They didn't say come down to build a F9/FH pad.
I meant that the pad crew may never come down to build any type of Falcon pad
There are always the Starlink flights. Can the range handle the current flight rate plus Starlink? The 45th said a few months ago, that they will be able to support 48 launches per year at some point in the future. That would not be enough for SpaceX alone, not to mention the other tenants of the eastern range.
BFR build/test/launch is better situated in FL imo.
BC would be great as a land launchpad and lander for multiple KSC range clearance free BFS tests pre-BFR. The stickler is the CURRENT # of launches allowed per year @ BC (12) which kills this application unless substantially revised.
Could we see SpaceX saying to Texas, we're changing our plans and leaving BC as simply a tracking station, UNLESS we get weekday clearance for sub-orbital BFS test flights, which by the way will be a fun tourist attraction? Your choice.
Someone posted a picture of a sea turtle with rockets strapped to it, but it's no joke. Sea turtles are an endangered species, and Boca Chica is a major nesting site. This issue alone could easily prevent SpaceX from building a landing pad at Boca Chica.
Quote from: Jim on 12/15/2017 05:30 pmQuote from: rockets4life97 on 12/15/2017 04:50 pmQuote from: Jim on 12/15/2017 04:44 pmI meant that the pad crew may never come down to build any type of Falcon padSPITexas said come down to Boca Chica. They didn't say come down to build a F9/FH pad.It might be a while for that or maybe never tooBy the way, to summarize some of the issues discussed over the last couple of months:1) Will SpaceX scrap their plans for a Texas launch site? My opionion: No. I think SpaceX really wants a private launch site.2) Will SpaceX launch BFR from Boca Chica? My opinion: Yes. Gwynne said Boca Chica is perfect for BFR.3) Will SpaceX launch F9/FH from Boca Chica? My opinion: Unsure. Elon said they plan to replace F9/FH with BFR, but it all comes down to timing. We'll see what happens after the first Falcon Heavy test launch.4) Will SpaceX launch BFR from Boca Chica Beach? My opinion: Unsure. If they do use an offshore pad, I'm assuming there would still be a lot of onshore support facilities (control center, antenna dishes, water tower, propellant tanks, etc.). So the launch site as a whole would still be mostly at Boca Chica, but there would be a relatively small fixed platform a few miles offshore, with underwater cables and pipes connecting it with Boca Chica Beach. The hangar and payload processing facilities would probably be located along the Brownsville shipping channel. This would solve all the issues with beach closures, sound levels at Boca Chica Village, transporting BFR from the seaport to Boca Chica Beach, as well as any potential issues with launching a huge rocket from environmentally protected wetlands (e.g. a huge flame trench). The Gulf is only 72 feet deep 5 miles offshore from Boca Chica. Maybe that's what Gwynne meant when she said Boca Chica is "perfect for BFR". They could also build mutiple offshore pads that use the same onshore facilities. Remember that each spaceship that goes to Mars requires 6 BFR launches, one for the spaceship itself, and 5 more for tankers to fill the spaceship. Also remember that Mars launch windows only occur every 2 years, and only last a couple of weeks. Depending on how long it takes to prepare a returned BFR booster and tanker for another launch, multiple offshore pads could significantly increase their launch rate during Mars windows.
But I'm having a hard time with the notion that you can run propellant 5 miles through piping, regardless of how well insulated, and not have it increase in temperature significantly. My thinking is that any pad will have chillers AND a goodly sized holding facility to store chilled propellant...
A chunk of concrete...
I believe this foundation was raised to protect the electrical equipments from the storm surge level which contained salty water?
Quote from: Jdeshetler on 12/16/2017 09:37 amI believe this foundation was raised to protect the electrical equipments from the storm surge level which contained salty water? So it's hollow inside (gravel or whatever fill around external "walls" rather than solid concrete all the way down)?