LIVE: ASDS OCISLY - with CRS-8 S1 - Return Coverage - April 12, 2016

[Avron]

That's the nice pic that Jim snapped for us...

yes I understand via twitter, that the stage hauler has arrived

[AnalogMan]

That's the nice pic that Jim snapped for us...

yes I understand via twitter, that the stage hauler has arrived

We even have a partial picture of it behind the Falcon stage at the port on Wednesday:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=40002.msg1517327#msg1517327

[Rocket Science]

That's the nice pic that Jim snapped for us...

yes I understand via twitter, that the stage hauler has arrived

I just checked the archived video but didn't see anything... Mostly ships!
http://portfever.com/

[Lee Jay]

Its not a thin concrete slab.  Its not flush with the asphalt.  Is anyone paying attention to what's going on other than the people from the ASDS thread?  Its a huge deep foundation at least ten feet deep and it sticks up a few inches beyond the surrounding asphalt.  Not all answers come from the PTZ cam.  Easily enough there to hold the stage upright in significant winds.  Probably in higher wind than they'd leave the crane up in.

It would be really silly to make that foundation that thick.  This wind turbine is as tall as the stage, has a big wind-catcher on top that's as large in diameter as the stage is long, is designed to stand up in 140mph winds plus safety factor (and has done so), and has an ordinary slab foundation (rather than the modern inverted T foundation) four feet thick.  I know since I helped put it in.

[Avron]

Its not a thin concrete slab.  Its not flush with the asphalt.  Is anyone paying attention to what's going on other than the people from the ASDS thread?  Its a huge deep foundation at least ten feet deep and it sticks up a few inches beyond the surrounding asphalt.  Not all answers come from the PTZ cam.  Easily enough there to hold the stage upright in significant winds.  Probably in higher wind than they'd leave the crane up in.

in term of mounting pad, there two pics clearly show the concrete pad - source TerraServer
3/10/2016 and 8/11/2015

[Kabloona]

Its not a thin concrete slab.  Its not flush with the asphalt.  Is anyone paying attention to what's going on other than the people from the ASDS thread?  Its a huge deep foundation at least ten feet deep and it sticks up a few inches beyond the surrounding asphalt.  Not all answers come from the PTZ cam.  Easily enough there to hold the stage upright in significant winds.  Probably in higher wind than they'd leave the crane up in.

It would be really silly to make that foundation that thick.  This wind turbine is as tall as the stage, has a big wind-catcher on top that's as large in diameter as the stage is long, is designed to stand up in 140mph winds plus safety factor (and has done so), and has an ordinary slab foundation (rather than the modern inverted T foundation) four feet thick.  I know since I helped put it in.

And for comparison, a 20' x 20' x 4' thick concrete foundation would weigh around 240,000 lbs, or more than 5x the weight of the stage. Seems like that would be quite sufficient.

[OxCartMark]

Yes, I made the 10' number up as an approximation out of frustration.  I agree its too much but its frustrating to listen to some of the silly things being posted.  Kabloona, thanks for looking up that pic.  Ohsin, what do you mean about not being familiar with the ASDS thread, I'm pretty sure I've seen you on there before, no?

[tleski]

Yes, I made the 10' number up as an approximation out of frustration.  I agree its too much but its frustrating to listen to some of the silly things being posted.  Kabloona, thanks for looking up that pic.  Ohsin, what do you mean about not being familiar with the ASDS thread, I'm pretty sure I've seen you on there before, no?

I am sorry OxCartMark but I don't think anyone here has any obligation to read all threads.
It looks like all this stillness around Falcon is getting on peoples nerves.

[Rocket Science]

Perhaps the concrete pad issue should have its own thread...

[Jim]

I am sorry OxCartMark but I don't think anyone here has any obligation to read all threads.

Yes, they do

[NaN]

Just a note - from watching the archive at portfever.com, the portcanaveralwebcam.com is currently on an auto-rotation and has been for hours, at least. It switches through several different views, and the rocket is on-screen for 4 minutes every 20 minutes - and it just came up for it's rotation.
So don't despair, hang out for a bit to see if it shows up.

[DatUser14]

Go Quest/Go Searcher in clear view of the webcam.

[Lar]

I am sorry OxCartMark but I don't think anyone here has any obligation to read all threads.

Yes, they do

No, they don't have an obligation to real all threads.... This isn't a job, it's a hobby, for some of us anyway.

That said, people should read before they ask, or opine, and shouldn't be upset when it's pointed out where something was answered already.

[MarekCyzio]

6828 × 14717 panorama from earlier today

[meekGee]

I am sorry OxCartMark but I don't think anyone here has any obligation to read all threads.

Yes, they do

No, they don't have an obligation to real all threads.... This isn't a job, it's a hobby, for some of us anyway.

That said, people should read before they ask, or opine, and shouldn't be upset when it's pointed out where something was answered already.

A polite reference to prev. discussion is good.

But the content volume on SpaceX threads is so large that other than hard core NSFer, it impossible to expect people to stay fully updated...  So people shouldn't get snarky.   Love thy fellow NSFer!

[tleski]

6828 × 14717 panorama from earlier today

Looks like all the leg pushers are retracted now (vs. just the one on the right previously).
BTW, we just started page 100 of the thread.

[darkenfast]

There's a serious chunk of paint and/or insulation missing down low on the side facing us, between the area that was covered by the "arms" of the leg.  It shows some thickness.

[Comga]

I am sorry OxCartMark but I don't think anyone here has any obligation to read all threads.

Yes, they do

No, they don't have an obligation to real all threads.... This isn't a job, it's a hobby, for some of us anyway.

That said, people should read before they ask, or opine, and shouldn't be upset when it's pointed out where something was answered already.

A polite reference to prev. discussion is good.

But the content volume on SpaceX threads is so large that other than hard core NSFer, it impossible to expect people to stay fully updated...  So people shouldn't get snarky.   Love thy fellow NSFer!

Could the esteemed and taciturn Jim's post be....... a joke?
Either way, somebody has to lighten up.

[AC in NC]

There's a serious chunk of paint and/or insulation missing down low on the side facing us, between the area that was covered by the "arms" of the leg.  It shows some thickness.

Two chunks.

One above the leg mount hinge and below the arc where the leg-covered clean white skin.  The area under this missing chunk is modestly sooted when compared to the more exposed areas to either side.

Second chunk below that at the very bottom where it seems beveled in toward the Merlins.

[NovaSilisko]

There's a serious chunk of paint and/or insulation missing down low on the side facing us, between the area that was covered by the "arms" of the leg.  It shows some thickness.

That's got to be at least a few inches deep. Looks like bare metal underneath.