Author Topic: SpaceX's Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship Discussion Thread 2 (Read 2910454 times)

cscott · « **Reply #5640 on:** 12/19/2015 04:36 pm »

I like Mark's year-long lease theory.

If Marek is right about Canaveral being short on space, this might just an interim berth for a couple of months or a year until JAX finishes its reconfiguration. Somewhere buried in this thread's backlog was an article from the local press describing the longer-term plans for the JAX cruise ship terminal.

MarekCyzio · « **Reply #5641 on:** 12/19/2015 06:27 pm »

And here she is in sunlight! $4 photo (I had to pay for Exploration Tower entry

)

DatUser14 · « **Reply #5642 on:** 12/19/2015 06:29 pm »

thats a beautiful photo!

Ohsin · « **Reply #5643 on:** 12/19/2015 06:50 pm »

..So that thing on side was waterline

Kabloona · « **Reply #5644 on:** 12/19/2015 06:51 pm »

All dressed up and no place to go.

Chris_Pi · « **Reply #5645 on:** 12/19/2015 06:55 pm »

And there's what sure looks like the spare tow line run over the top of those covers over the thrusters on the far side.

CaptLego · « **Reply #5646 on:** 12/19/2015 07:51 pm »

Approximate map location (US Coast Guard ball-field in the background):
https://www.google.com/maps/place/401+Cargo+Rd,+Port+Canaveral,+FL+32920/@28.4132476,-80.6193842,17z

MarekCyzio · « **Reply #5647 on:** 12/19/2015 08:13 pm »

I do not think ASDS can park there permanently. This is Port Canaveral's container ship pier - currently there are no container ships scheduled, but the port works very hard to get them here. They purchased two cranes, they are working on getting a rail line to the port. So I guess the barge can park here for a few months but then it will have to be moved elsewhere

Ohsin · « **Reply #5648 on:** 12/19/2015 08:24 pm »

They are packing!

woods170 · « **Reply #5649 on:** 12/19/2015 08:34 pm »

Quote from: Ohsin on 12/19/2015 08:24 pm

They are packing!

Yes sir. SpaceX is definitely moving out of there. Looks like the cruise-cam days of ASDS are over.

jmcgauley · « **Reply #5650 on:** 12/19/2015 08:43 pm »

A friend of mine departing the Port Canaveral on a cruise sent me this. It's about a half-hour old.

Ohsin · « **Reply #5651 on:** 12/19/2015 08:58 pm »

Kabloona!

A whole year!

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=36326.msg1305385#msg1305385

_{This footage is of very first day from CruiseCam when mounts were being installed}

Kabloona · « **Reply #5652 on:** 12/19/2015 09:23 pm »

Thanks for all your good work on the video compilations, Ohsin! Can't believe it's been a whole year already...

meekGee · « **Reply #5653 on:** 12/19/2015 09:29 pm »

Myself and probably half the forum will paypal $4 your way... It's an awesome picture... Thanks

Quote from: MarekCyzio on 12/19/2015 06:27 pm

And here she is in sunlight! $4 photo (I had to pay for Exploration Tower entry )

Comga · « **Reply #5654 on:** 12/19/2015 09:40 pm »

Quote from: MarekCyzio on 12/19/2015 08:13 pm

I do not think ASDS can park there permanently. This is Port Canaveral's container ship pier - currently there are no container ships scheduled, but the port works very hard to get them here. They purchased two cranes, they are working on getting a rail line to the port. So I guess the barge can park here for a few months but then it will have to be moved elsewhere.

There appears to be plenty of room on the eastern end of the quay beyond what looks like the end of the crane tracks. The ASDS could have been parked there without sticking out into the channel. It looks like they chose to park OCISLY within the reach of the cranes.

A big clue to their intentions will be if, when, and where we see the mounts that were disassembled in Jacksonville set up at Port Canaveral.

And I agree with meekGee: That is a terrific photo, MarekCyzio, and I would gladly contribute to many return visits.

edit: added link

Kabloona · « **Reply #5655 on:** 12/19/2015 09:41 pm »

Elsbeth III now pulling into JAX. So she is definitely gone for Sunday's launch attempt.

Kabloona · « **Reply #5656 on:** 12/19/2015 09:51 pm »

Quote from: Demidrol on 12/19/2015 09:50 pm

Why instead of Elsbeth III can not be Go Quest standing next to ?

Go Quest is not a tugboat and cannot tow the ASDS. She is a communications/support ship.

Wonger · « **Reply #5657 on:** 12/19/2015 09:53 pm »

Quote from: OxCartMark on 12/19/2015 03:09 pm

Looking back through this thread it seems that we first saw the ASDS in Jacksonville on December 16th 2014 in this post -

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=36326.msg1303622#msg1303622

Its worth going back to look at not only that post (on page 2 of this thread) but also the posts preceding it to see how far we've come.

And when did we see the ASDS depart Jacksonville? December 16th, 2015.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=36326.msg1458379#msg1458379

Seems as if one year would be a likely length for a lease.

I don't think a lease expiration would be the primary factor in deciding to up and move. It's not that hard to negotiate a lease extension, and one does not have to commit to reupping for another entire year. If in fact they did have a one year lease expiring, that would be a contributing factor, but not the main consideration. I think the under the bridge clearance issue probably weighed as much on the decision as anything else.

Semmel · « **Reply #5658 on:** 12/19/2015 10:01 pm »

Thats also a nice breaking point for the thread. Its just a few days older than a year now. New port, new thread, hopefully successful catch of a falcon soonish..

Bob Shaw · « **Reply #5659 on:** 12/19/2015 10:11 pm »

Quote from: Semmel on 12/19/2015 10:01 pm

Thats also a nice breaking point for the thread. Its just a few days older than a year now. New port, new thread, hopefully successful catch of a falcon soonish..

Presumably you don't 'catch' a falcon - it stoops, perches and roosts (or are there other, more arcane words in falconry?). Just like the noble aerial hunter, the SpaceX Falcon must *choose* to return home, and hopefully one will soon do so. Hmm... ...cue photo-op for Elon Musk, dressed like William Tell and with a fearsome beast perched on his gauntlet...