Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : Koreasat 5A : Oct. 30, 2017 : DISCUSSION THREAD  (Read 96615 times)

Offline Jim

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What's that?
They shipped their own propellants from Bremerhaven, Germany to Ft Lauderdale, and then drove or sent them by rail three hours north?
They couldn't buy adequate propellant at the launch site?
And I thought importing water from Fiji was odd....

And then they drove the "stuffed" shipping containers and "urgent material" four hours back to Miami to ship back to Europe.
Really?

That is how hazardous material is shipped.  It is closest port that can handle the propellants.  JWST propellants will go out the same port to Kourou.

It is not unusual to not use US sources for propellants.  Spacex buys its propellant from Germany. 

Offline cscott

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It is not unusual to not use US sources for propellants.  Spacex buys its propellant from Germany.

Or of curiosity: which propellants? Presumably not the LOX and RP-1.  The Draco NTO or MMH? The TEA/TEB?

If JWST is shipping American hydrazine to Kourou while SpaceX is importing German hydrazine for Dragon, I'd be interested in learning some of the factors that go into those decisions (presumably not simply availability).

Online Comga

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What's that?
They shipped their own propellants from Bremerhaven, Germany to Ft Lauderdale, and then drove or sent them by rail three hours north?
They couldn't buy adequate propellant at the launch site?
And I thought importing water from Fiji was odd....

And then they drove the "stuffed" shipping containers and "urgent material" four hours back to Miami to ship back to Europe.
Really?

That is how hazardous material is shipped.  It is closest port that can handle the propellants.  JWST propellants will go out the same port to Kourou.

It is not unusual to not use US sources for propellants.  Spacex buys its propellant from Germany. 

Thanks
When you say “propellant” are you referring to Hydrazine and NTO?
My guess would be that the RP-1 and LOX are indigenous.
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

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