Author Topic: Sea Launch Future (Read 155151 times)

D_Dom · « **Reply #60 on:** 04/13/2015 02:31 pm »

It is a fully functional spaceport.

D_Dom · « **Reply #61 on:** 04/13/2015 02:37 pm »

When we first built the facility it was the only launch operation dedicated to commercial spaceflight.

Ludus · « **Reply #62 on:** 04/13/2015 02:58 pm »

Quote from: sdsds on 04/13/2015 03:56 am

That's a nice thought but to exactly what spacious piece of land are you referring? The area between the two lanes of Nimitz Road?

Yep. Spacious in the sense of might just barely be enough. 200m x more than a km.

JasonAW3 · « **Reply #63 on:** 04/13/2015 04:54 pm »

Out of curiosity,

Assuming for a moment that SpaceX were interested in purchasing Sea Launch, How much modification would be required for the system to be able to handle and service Falcon 9 launch vehicles, up to and including Manned launches?

kq6ea · « **Reply #64 on:** 04/13/2015 06:01 pm »

Probably a lot more than Mr. Musk is willing to pay......

JasonAW3 · « **Reply #65 on:** 04/13/2015 07:32 pm »

Quote from: kq6ea on 04/13/2015 06:01 pm

Probably a lot more than Mr. Musk is willing to pay......

True, but it would give him a LOT more flexibility on orbital vectors!

Jim · « **Reply #66 on:** 04/13/2015 11:45 pm »

Quote from: JasonAW3 on 04/13/2015 04:54 pm

Out of curiosity,

Assuming for a moment that SpaceX were interested in purchasing Sea Launch, How much modification would be required for the system to be able to handle and service Falcon 9 launch vehicles, up to and including Manned launches?

manned launches are out of the question

Helodriver · « **Reply #67 on:** 05/23/2015 03:44 pm »

Down in Long Beach for Space Tech Expo and the CRS-6 ship docking so I paid a visit to the Sea Launch wharf. Not a lot of activity other than a couple contract security walking the grounds around the administrative and payload processing buildings. The ships were buttoned up and powered down.

Lighting was perfect to shoot a 181.5 megapixel composite image that shows features in great detail.

Impaler · « **Reply #68 on:** 05/24/2015 07:23 pm »

This platform might be useful for landing the first stage of BFR downrange. I don't know if the current barges would be adequate for that, or if a retired oil-platform might just be easier for SpaceX to acquire. In any case it certainly looks like Sea Launch is on it's last 'sea legs'.

Damon Hill · « **Reply #69 on:** 05/24/2015 07:48 pm »

Given that new Zenit launchers apparently can't be built because Russia won't supply the propulsion components, either first, second or injection stages...

Yeah, Zenit is dead. A nice, modern, highly automated launch system that could have mostly replaced the venerable R-7 a couple of decades ago. Instead, Russia sort of reinvented the wheel with Angara; maybe it's a more flexible system, certainly it's all-Russian.

--Damon

kq6ea · « **Reply #70 on:** 05/24/2015 08:44 pm »

I hadn't heard that about the Zenit, but then I haven't been following this too closely.

Sea Launch was one of those "Right Place, Right Time" ventures, but times change. Those of us who worked there will fondly remember the good times we had, and the spirit that made it what it was.

edkyle99 · « **Reply #71 on:** 05/24/2015 09:06 pm »

A bunch of lost (and claimed) Boeing money floating there, getting ready to sail over the horizon. I wonder if this will become an international political football, like the French-built Russian carrier never delivered.

- Ed Kyle

kq6ea · « **Reply #72 on:** 05/24/2015 09:16 pm »

Yeah, Boeing lost a bundle on the program, and is still "owed" something like $400 million in loan guarantees that were never honored.

I see the ships several times a week when I drive over the Desmond bridge on my way to "work" on the battleship Iowa, and it still reminds me of the first time I ever saw them, and how mind boggling the whole project seemed back in 1999.

JazzFan · « **Reply #73 on:** 05/24/2015 09:32 pm »

Quote from: Impaler on 05/24/2015 07:23 pm

This platform might be useful for landing the first stage of BFR downrange. I don't know if the current barges would be adequate for that, or if a retired oil-platform might just be easier for SpaceX to acquire. In any case it certainly looks like Sea Launch is on it's last 'sea legs'.

That looks like a hefty operational cost to operate those assets and that may not fit into someone else's budget. Maybe leasing them to SpaceX as a mobile floating clean pad similar to launch pad 39b would be a better solution? Sea Launch could be reduced to just providing services instead of being a launch provider. The trick would be finding enough projects to serve as revenue instead of just waiting for BFR to materialize.

D_Dom · « **Reply #74 on:** 05/26/2015 08:19 pm »

Quote from: Helodriver on 05/23/2015 03:44 pm

Down in Long Beach for Space Tech Expo and the CRS-6 ship docking so I paid a visit to the Sea Launch wharf. Not a lot of activity other than a couple contract security walking the grounds around the administrative and payload processing buildings. The ships were buttoned up and powered down.

Lighting was perfect to shoot a 181.5 megapixel composite image that shows features in great detail.

SpaceTech was a good show! Wish I would have known you were out and about, would like to buy you a beverage of your choice and would have attempted to arrange a better view of the facility. Thanks for all the great pictures.

Helodriver · « **Reply #75 on:** 06/12/2015 05:27 pm »

Departing the Long Beach Airport recently, the aircraft I was aboard made a high climbing turn centered on the Sea Launch docks. The vantage point of about 7,000 feet up provided an interesting view of the vessels.

kq6ea · « **Reply #76 on:** 06/12/2015 07:09 pm »

Thanks for the pix!

It's very sad to see the parking lot so empty. I remember days where the lot was almost full!

baldusi · « **Reply #77 on:** 06/13/2015 03:46 pm »

Thanks Helo! California should give you a plaque for their space industry promotion (or something).

docmordrid · « **Reply #78 on:** 07/17/2015 05:20 pm »

China is in negotiations

http://spacenews.com/china-eyes-purchase-of-sea-launch-assets/

kq6ea · « **Reply #79 on:** 07/17/2015 08:14 pm »

"Sea Launch has begun selling off nonessential assets"

Now that's real interesting.

I know there is/was literally TONS of used/discarded/obsolete stuff stacked up in the parking lot of the PPF, and a lot of other "stuff" in the warehouse and storage buildings that had a lot of potential value, $100k or more.

We grunts tried many times to get them to sell all that surplus property, but we were ignored or given some throw away answer about why they couldn't do it.

Makes me wonder about all the Boeing proprietary equipment still on the ships......