While SpaceX hopes to rely on it for most West Coast landings, it also proposed to operate a second Pacific Ocean landing barge 31 miles off the Santa Barbara County coastline to recover boosters diverted from the ground by sensitive base operations.
Yeah, kabloona's interpretation matches mine as well. The original article itself is very ambiguous about what it means by "second barge"; there's no clear statement they mean anything other than "first is Atlantic, second is Pacific".
Federal regulators, still poring over the company’s Vandenberg landing-license application, declined to release any time line for the process....
do some mitigating preparations to protect ocean life from sonic booms
Now the "diverted from the ground by sensitive base operations" is really interesting. Where, I wonder, did he get that?
The contingency action is necessary to provide for an alternative landing location if the Western Range deems that the first stage overflight of south VAFB is unacceptable due to potential impacts to critical assets or weather conditions or mission parameters do not permit for a successful landing attempt. In this case, the First Stage would be landed on an autonomous drone ship, no less than 31 mi. (50 km) offshore of VAFB.
but it doesn't seem possible toQuote do some mitigating preparations to protect ocean life from sonic boomsother than to put helmets with ear covers on the seals.
Quote from: FutureSpaceTourist on 10/09/2017 03:14 pmNice photo from Shorealone Films flickr shots prior to the Iridium 3 launchLooks like they are prepping to test post landing servicing of S1 at west coast landing facility
Nice photo from Shorealone Films flickr shots prior to the Iridium 3 launch
Quote from: Wolfram66 on 10/09/2017 04:55 pmQuote from: FutureSpaceTourist on 10/09/2017 03:14 pmNice photo from Shorealone Films flickr shots prior to the Iridium 3 launchLooks like they are prepping to test post landing servicing of S1 at west coast landing facilityThat first stage is F9R Dev 2 and it has nothing to do with SLC-4W except that the area it’s sitting on was unused space. It’s been at VAFB for a long time, and outdoors in that exact same location for almost a year now; it got kicked out of the HIF as Iridium-1 approached in late 2016.
At this point, is the hardware F9R Dev2 sits on (the wheel truck or whatever) worth more than F9R Dev2 itself?
no, they are likely wooden cradles like seen on the east coast
Quote from: Jim on 10/10/2017 01:02 pmno, they are likely wooden cradles like seen on the east coastThey're not. If you look closely you can see wheels on the rear section and the front has the older booster cap attached.
They could be out dated and only useful for V1
Definitely looks like VIP guests were given a tour of LZ-2! https://www.instagram.com/p/BaDepS4Fwsy/
The final NOAA judgement on F9 boostback and landing at SLC-4W and on the ASDS and its affects on marine mammals.https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/10/25/2017-23134/takes-of-marine-mammals-incidental-to-specified-activities-taking-marine-mammals-incidental-to
Dates and DurationThe planned project would occur from December 1, 2017 through November 30, 2018. Up to twelve Falcon 9 First Stage recovery activities would occur per year. Precise dates of Falcon 9 First Stage recovery activities are not known. Falcon 9 First Stage recovery activities may take place at any time of year and at any time of day. The IHA, if issued, would be valid from December 1, 2017 through November 30, 2018.
MitigationUnless constrained by other factors including human safety or national security concerns, launches would be scheduled to avoid boost-backs and landings during the harbor seal pupping season of March through June, when practicable.
FWIW the document indicates no significant harrassment of marine mammals from ASDS landings. So even if landings are limited during harbor pup season, it would only be RTLS that would be affected. The core wouldn't be expended.