The one point I would mention re the above speculation is that Elon did say ASoG would be based at the Cape, where it's clearly needed to help with the ramped-up F9 flight rate, as well as for FH booster landings, so it will have to conform to Port Canaveral limitations on dock space, etc.Don't know what those limiting numbers are, but they may prevent a BFR-size ASDS from operating at the Port.
ASoG is being custom built.
Quote from: docmordrid on 04/14/2018 08:36 pmASoG is being custom built.Is that a guess or a sourced claim?
Quote from: Lar on 03/13/2018 03:58 pmQuote from: Mader Levap on 02/12/2018 06:45 pmExcept they are making third one right now... Do we have any more information on that (public?)No, and it's puzzling. I've even been told by one person involved with the current ASDS ships (not a SpaceX employee) that his group doesn't know of a third drone ship under construction and doesn't know why Elon said a third one was/is under construction.The most likely explanation I can come up with is that the third ASDS is being built far from where the first two were built, and by a different company, possibly on the West Coast. If so, we're not likely to get any more info until Elon tweets an aerial pic of it like he did before.
Quote from: Mader Levap on 02/12/2018 06:45 pmExcept they are making third one right now... Do we have any more information on that (public?)
Except they are making third one right now...
ASoG is being custom built. What if it's sized for BFR/S but will first be used for F9?
Quote from: docmordrid on 04/14/2018 08:36 pmASoG is being custom built. What if it's sized for BFR/S but will first be used for F9?Didn't I say that?
If the below is correct then it's not likely a Marmac built by built by McDonough in Louisiana. With BFS test flights coming up, possibly ship to ship, something with LCH4/LOX storage seems in order.
BFS doesn’t have much wider leg stance than F9, if any wider at all. Could land it on existing ASDSes.
Quote from: Robotbeat on 04/16/2018 01:45 amBFS doesn’t have much wider leg stance than F9, if any wider at all. Could land it on existing ASDSes.Well, yeah -- but the dry weight, notwithstanding any residual fuel in the tanks, of the BFS is gonna be several times the dry weight of a Falcon 9 first stage.I'm not one to run the numbers, but I'd have to think there is an upper limit to the amount of mass you can slam down onto the deck of a converted barge and expect the whole thing to remain stable. Also an upper limit to the stability of the landing on a barge with height of the center of mass of the BFS as opposed to the F9.Just seems like the whole system would be liable to go unstable a lot more easily than the F9 first stage landed configuration, thus requiring a landing platform with a higher fraction of the total mass of the barge/spaceship system than a current ASDS can supply.
Anybody have any updates on OCISLY coming back in?
Lots of movement at the port, Dragon has relocated alongside fairing. Booster is definitely coming in soon. #SpaceXFleet #SpaceX @SpaceX @julia_bergeron @NASASpaceflight
#Falcon9 first stage booster from Wednesday's mission of @NASA_TESS spotted aboard #OCISLY along the horizon. Photo from Jetty Park @SpaceX @elonmusk #SpaceX
~5-10 minutes out #falcon9 #ocisly #spacex @SpaceX