Author Topic: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)  (Read 266615 times)

Offline darkenfast

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #20 on: 05/14/2018 06:55 am »
Isn't that a tent which has been up for a while and is now being removed?  I thought it was near the HIF during the last hurricane.
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Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #21 on: 05/15/2018 12:44 am »
Enclosing the tower would be a big change in how the tower acts in high winds (e.g. hurricanes; this is Florida, remember).  There's more to consider than just if it would make maintenance cheaper/easier.
Not at all.  The FSS is built stronger than the VAB, and they don't worry about the VAB.  The FSS would fail because of rust first.  I don't think wind is their primary concern.  It's the salt air, ultraviolet light, etc.
And the siding would rip off first before the structure took much wind loads.

I used to manage a hangar built for two C-130's.  They didn't build it strong enough for tornado force winds, but it's held up to some pretty strong winds.  That cladding isn't going to be thin siding like you see in standard industrial buildings.  I think they have engineers to pick the right materials.
It would likely be similar materials used on other pads (E.G. SLC-6 and former CCAFS ITL FSS's and MST's formerly standing at SLC-40 and SLC-41.

Offline dorkmo

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #22 on: 05/16/2018 02:48 am »
is the far side of the tower covered in any of the renders? if its only for blast protection you'd think they'd skip the leeward side?

Online wannamoonbase

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #23 on: 05/16/2018 04:21 am »
is the far side of the tower covered in any of the renders? if its only for blast protection you'd think they'd skip the leeward side?

It’s much easier to render and the focus is the rocket, not the steel structure.  I don’t see this as an issue.

Enclosing the tower would create maintenance issues and hugely change the structural loads. 

It’s been there for 40 years, why change what’s not broken?
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Offline ngilmore

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #24 on: 05/16/2018 05:15 am »
is the far side of the tower covered in any of the renders? if its only for blast protection you'd think they'd skip the leeward side?

It’s much easier to render and the focus is the rocket, not the steel structure.  I don’t see this as an issue.


Please see woods170 post from April 5th in Pad 39A Thread 3. Since the artist(s) actually did model the steel structure of the tower, I think we can drop "simplification of the rendering" as a reason to ignore the renderings. As woods170 points out in his annotations, we can even see future planned structure in the rendering.

The fun thing is that the new "In between" level was revealed publically almost two years ago, yet almost nobody noticed it at the time.
It was when SpaceX released two pieces of artwork detailing the launch of Red Dragon. One of them is a close-up of Falcon Heavy, carrying a Red Dragon, lifting off from LC-39A.
The cladding that covers the FSS is, in that artwork, slightly transparent and reveals the structure of the FSS underneath the cladding.

edit: grammar
« Last Edit: 05/16/2018 05:16 am by ngilmore »

Offline BadgerLegs

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #25 on: 05/16/2018 11:38 am »
I don’t see this as an issue.

Enclosing the tower would create maintenance issues and hugely change the structural loads. 

It’s been there for 40 years, why change what’s not broken?

Having maintained a structure of similar size and complexity (though admittedly shorter), I can say you're going to have to qualify your opinion some.  Others have already echoed what I've said that maintenance is simplified by enclosing the structure.  The, "if it's not broke" mentality is not an engineering principle.  Especially since we're talking about SpaceX here.  I don't think they're just trowing money out there without good reason.

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #26 on: 05/21/2018 05:40 pm »
Reports of higher than normal crane activity at 39A per some people whom just went on a KSC tour.

Offline jjyach

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #27 on: 05/21/2018 05:50 pm »
Reports of higher than normal crane activity at 39A per some people whom just went on a KSC tour.

There are 3 cranes on site, 2 that are very tall.

Offline edzieba

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #28 on: 05/22/2018 11:35 am »
Rather than translucent, that rendered siding looks like louvred slats. That would dramatically reduce the wind-loading, but still provide blast protection (at the expense of allowing some exhaust gas seepage)

Offline Ronsmytheiii

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #29 on: 05/28/2018 01:49 pm »
Image from Instagram yesterday of LC-39A, it looks like the slidewire escape platform on the FSS is being held up by a crane

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjSEkkght1_/?taken-by=longlegstraveller
« Last Edit: 05/28/2018 01:49 pm by Ronsmytheiii »

Offline biosehnsucht

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #30 on: 05/29/2018 02:14 am »
Was it already installed (and they may be doing something to it) or does this mean they're just now installing it?

Offline smndk

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #31 on: 05/29/2018 07:25 am »
Was it already installed (and they may be doing something to it) or does this mean they're just now installing it?
I was installed for and part of the Space Shuttle program. SpaceX will use it for manned Falcon 9 launches but needs to move it to a higher level on the FSS.

Offline woods170

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #32 on: 05/29/2018 08:03 am »
Image from Instagram yesterday of LC-39A, it looks like the slidewire escape platform on the FSS is being held up by a crane

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjSEkkght1_/?taken-by=longlegstraveller

The crew escape platform is way too heavy to be held up by that single puny crane. What is very more likely is that the crane is used to take individual bits off the platform, in preparation for moving it.
« Last Edit: 05/30/2018 10:33 am by woods170 »

Offline soltasto

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #33 on: 05/30/2018 10:06 am »
Is it just me or it looks like the new level between the two exisisting levels near the top is being built?

Offline woods170

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #34 on: 05/30/2018 10:16 am »
Is it just me or it looks like the new level between the two exisisting levels near the top is being built?

Don't worry, your eyes are not fooling you. The new "in-between" level is indeed being constructed. Good catch.

Edit: with regards to the crew escape platform I'm now hearing the same thing that Chris G reported a while back. There will not be a new crew escape platform, as I was previously told by sources. The existing crew escape platform will be re-used instead, but it will be moved up to a higher level on the tower.
« Last Edit: 04/04/2019 06:35 am by woods170 »

Offline shuttlefan

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #35 on: 06/10/2018 03:56 pm »
Was it already installed (and they may be doing something to it) or does this mean they're just now installing it?
I was installed for and part of the Space Shuttle program. SpaceX will use it for manned Falcon 9 launches but needs to move it to a higher level on the FSS.

Has it been moved yet? Any recent pictures?

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #36 on: 06/10/2018 11:35 pm »
Was it already installed (and they may be doing something to it) or does this mean they're just now installing it?
I was installed for and part of the Space Shuttle program. SpaceX will use it for manned Falcon 9 launches but needs to move it to a higher level on the FSS.

Has it been moved yet? Any recent pictures?
Not yet. FSS re-enforcement work must be finished first to support its mass and other installations.
« Last Edit: 06/10/2018 11:36 pm by russianhalo117 »

Offline vandersons

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #37 on: 06/23/2018 01:21 am »
Pad 39a and CAA tent/hangar from today's KSC tour. There were workers in the CAA tent doing something on the structure inside.

No gators to be seen :(
Loads of turtles though :)

Offline Nomadd

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #38 on: 06/23/2018 01:26 am »
 So you don't have to turn your monitor sideways.
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.

Offline shuttlefan

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Re: Pad 39A - SpaceX Modifications and Operations (Thread 4)
« Reply #39 on: 06/23/2018 01:46 pm »
Pad 39a and CAA tent/hangar from today's KSC tour. There were workers in the CAA tent doing something on the structure inside.

No gators to be seen :(
Loads of turtles though :)

Nice pictures! What would the cranes beside the Fixed Service Structure be doing?

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