Author Topic: SpaceX's Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship Updates and Discussion Thread 3  (Read 1424158 times)

Offline eriblo

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Friday's photo
Hmmm, SpaceX must have a thing for twins ;)

Online Johnnyhinbos

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Friday's photo
Hmmm, SpaceX must have a thing for twins ;)
Yeah, I was thinking perhaps Elon had started his clone army. Too funny.
John Hanzl. Author, action / adventure www.johnhanzl.com

Offline MarekCyzio

Elon cloned Elsbeth III.

Offline CyndyC

.....does anyone know what's inside it?

For meekGee and anyone else who missed my post last July with a long list of the containers' contents https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=39766.msg1564782#msg1564782

I think (might be wishful thinking) that they are working on the bottom of the container and thus raised it for now to ease the work.
.....I do question the seaworthiness of that setup. Just look back at previous damage and you'll see why I question it.

All I see is a single black cylinder showing in the photo under one end of the container, and some exposed pipes that don't look particularly new, and were probably already there to carry water away from the air handlers inside. The black cylinder looks like an hydraulic jack, presumably duplicated under the other end, and definitely not seaworthy.

They might just be working on the condensation plumbing. Since those pipes aren't flush with the bottom of the container, there must be openings for them in the deck below.

.....and want the equipment inside to still be running.

That would make sense because there are telemetry servers inside, and there is anecdotal evidence that they need to stay within a narrow temperature range.
« Last Edit: 12/18/2016 06:48 pm by CyndyC »
"Either lead, follow, or get out of the way." -- quote of debatable origin tweeted by Ted Turner and previously seen on his desk

Offline DAZ

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A very well done (except for the occasional twinning problem) high resolution composite photo of the barge.  I can make out the 2 lightning rods and what looks like UHF antennas just below them.  I can see various LED deck lights.  I can make out multiple radar reflectors.  The relatively high gain satellite antenna under its dome is quite apparent.  There is something that looks like a Wi-Fi antenna.  There are 2 objects that I can’t quite identify but could possibly be GPS antennas.  I’m leaning away from them being GPS antennas as they are poorly positioned for that.  I can even make out what looks like a Santa hat up the flagpole.  But I can only make out what looks like to be ONE GPS antenna.  I would normally think that you need a minimum of 2 GPS antennas for adequate positioning.  This doesn’t take into account any backup systems for redundancy.

Offline Req

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All I see is a single black cylinder showing in the photo under one end of the container, and some exposed pipes that don't look particularly new, and were probably already there to carry water away from the air handlers inside. The black cylinder looks like an hydraulic jack, presumably duplicated under the other end, and definitely not seaworthy.

They might just be working on the condensation plumbing. Since those pipes aren't flush with the bottom of the container, there must be openings for them in the deck below.

They aren't cylinders, don't appear to be hydraulic jacks, and if metal beams about the size of a person aren't seaworthy I don't know what is.  The conduit/etc that people are talking about are mounted to them, not what you see running along the bottom of the container.

There does not appear to be an opening in the deck below the conduit which is slung along the bottom of the container, so either it was previously sitting on feet to elevate it, or it has been installed since it was raised.

On the last page it was noted that the feet it was probably sitting on are laying near the middle of the deck.

Looks like the older shorter legs for one container are piled up in the center, for instance.
« Last Edit: 12/18/2016 07:19 pm by Req »

Offline meekGee

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The simple explanation is that this is a temporary raising, and they needed access to the deck underneath.

However, if it turns out to be permanent, then everything above...
ABCD - Always Be Counting Down

Offline CyndyC

They aren't cylinders, don't appear to be hydraulic jacks, and if metal beams about the size of a person aren't seaworthy I don't know what is.  The conduit/etc that people are talking about are mounted to them, not what you see running along the bottom of the container.

Ok thanks, I was looking at Friday's photo Marek reposted, which only made one of the beam legs visible. The beams do look strong, but the small tops the container is resting on do not.
"Either lead, follow, or get out of the way." -- quote of debatable origin tweeted by Ted Turner and previously seen on his desk

Offline Req

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Ok thanks, I was looking at Friday's photo Marek reposted, which only made one of the beam legs visible. The beams do look strong, but the small tops the container is resting on do not.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=39766.msg1620600#msg1620600

The containers stack that way.  If you look closely in the attachment, you can see that they only contact each other in the corners.

Offline CyndyC

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=39766.msg1620600#msg1620600

The containers stack that way.  If you look closely in the attachment, you can see that they only contact each other in the corners.

I'll believe the evidence that kind of stacking can be secure, but the container in question is top heavy, unlike the Falcon first stage. There are two air handlers hanging from the ceiling inside, estimated by a HVAC professional to each be capable of 4 tons of cooling. However I'm only guessing those would far outweigh the servers, monitors, and desk below.
"Either lead, follow, or get out of the way." -- quote of debatable origin tweeted by Ted Turner and previously seen on his desk

Offline dorkmo

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Offline CameronD

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The simple explanation is that this is a temporary raising, and they needed access to the deck underneath.

That seems like a better explanation to me.. especially if it's a permanent mod.  If it is indeed a comms container, another might be electrical isolation and better access to cabling exiting the floor of the container.  In my experience with elevated switch-rooms, this allows you to put a lot more gear inside.
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 MarekCyzio

From Fish Lips today. Looks like blast wall and thrusters are getting paint refresh.

Offline Kabloona

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And look, there's Captain Phillips' orange lifeboat in the background.

Offline CyndyC

"Either lead, follow, or get out of the way." -- quote of debatable origin tweeted by Ted Turner and previously seen on his desk

Offline Req

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https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=39766.msg1620600#msg1620600

The containers stack that way.  If you look closely in the attachment, you can see that they only contact each other in the corners.

I'll believe the evidence that kind of stacking can be secure, but the container in question is top heavy, unlike the Falcon first stage. There are two air handlers hanging from the ceiling inside, estimated by a HVAC professional to each be capable of 4 tons of cooling. However I'm only guessing those would far outweigh the servers, monitors, and desk below.

You can go down to Sears and buy a "2 ton(24,000 BTU)" air conditioner for about $500, you can drive it home box included in the back seat of your sedan, it fits in a window, and it weighs about 130-150 pounds.  "4 tons" of air conditioning would need about as much power as a standard residential electric stove/oven(230v/50A).  Far from epic proportions.

Cargo containers themselves are quite heavy even when empty, and they are rated to carry a lot more than SpaceX is putting in them.  Even an actual 4 tons loaded "high up" in a container would be nothing, as should be immediately evident when you see even two stacked on top of each other.

You can find pictures of accidents of anything if you want to be contrary.  This is how they are designed and used all around the world every day.
« Last Edit: 12/19/2016 09:13 pm by Req »

Offline John Alan

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You never hear of intermodel stack trains loosing containers off the top...  ;)



I'm sure it's happened... but google is drawing a blank...  ;D

on edit...
Double stack starts at 55 secs in... wait for it...  :o
Point is... I'm not concerned if they jack it up and leave it... It will hold just fine...

« Last Edit: 12/20/2016 12:21 am by John Alan »

Offline CameronD

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Barges don't have pilots...

It is not that simple.  First off, this isn't a barge.. it's an "Industrial Vessel" (a.k.a. a Barge With Purpose :) ) and secondly, the USCG Rules allow an appropriately-credentialed tug-master to "act as" a pilot in circumstances where a pilot is required.

Refer "Minding the Helm: Marine Navigation and Pilotinghttps://books.google.com.au/books?isbn=0309561922
 
« Last Edit: 12/20/2016 10:06 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 maximlevitsky

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Any more pictures?  :-\

Offline MarekCyzio

SpaceX turned OCILY around

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