Author Topic: SpaceX Cape Canaveral Heat Shield Tile Factory (The Bakery)  (Read 18418 times)

Offline OnWithTheShow

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Spotted some SpaceX vehicles parked at 8550 astronaut blvd cape Canaveral. Any idea what they might be using the space for?
« Last Edit: 08/07/2021 11:48 pm by gongora »

Offline enbandi

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #1 on: 06/23/2019 09:07 pm »
It is a Starship tile manufacturing facility.


Based on Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) public records, I think we have three possible locations.
Here they are:
Space Exploration Technologies DBA Starship Tile Facility    8550 Astronaut Blvd Ste E    Cape Canaveral
......

Offline Zpoxy

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #2 on: 06/24/2019 12:15 am »
It's the old NASA NSLD Shuttle building. Could be anything, it contains machine shops, acoustic and vibration test facilities, and office space.

Offline enbandi

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #3 on: 06/24/2019 03:27 pm »
It's the old NASA NSLD Shuttle building. Could be anything, it contains machine shops, acoustic and vibration test facilities, and office space.

Ok, it could be anything, but SpaceX calls the building "Starship Tile Facility", so you can guess what are they doing there :)

Online gongora

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #4 on: 06/24/2019 03:30 pm »
It's the old NASA NSLD Shuttle building. Could be anything, it contains machine shops, acoustic and vibration test facilities, and office space.

Ok, it could be anything, but SpaceX calls the building "Starship Tile Facility", so you can guess what are they doing there :)

It's SpaceX, plans change  :)

Offline niwax

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #5 on: 06/24/2019 04:15 pm »
It's the old NASA NSLD Shuttle building. Could be anything, it contains machine shops, acoustic and vibration test facilities, and office space.

Ok, it could be anything, but SpaceX calls the building "Starship Tile Facility", so you can guess what are they doing there :)

It's SpaceX, plans change  :)


Musk called his flamethrower not-a-flamethrower and security guards in Cocoa still claim there isn't a rocket there. For all we know the tile facility actually packs sandwiches for the astronauts
Which booster has the most soot? SpaceX booster launch history! (discussion)

Offline enbandi

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #6 on: 06/24/2019 07:13 pm »

Musk called his flamethrower not-a-flamethrower and security guards in Cocoa still claim there isn't a rocket there. For all we know the tile facility actually packs sandwiches for the astronauts

The facility is registred as a Large Quantity Generator under the Hazardous Waste management program, so those sandwiches should be very exciting ones. :)

Offline enbandi

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #7 on: 06/25/2019 01:26 pm »
Back to seriousness, based on their permitting activities:
Since SpaceX has taken over the facility, the City Board has modified the zoning to enable the development of "up to 90,000 square feet of climate-controlled self-storage with in the existing 161,000 square foot building", there is a building permit about extensive A/C modifications (10 new units if I read correctly), while additional floor plan changes and expansions of communication closets mentioned.

The hazardous waste registration mentions corrosive and ignitable materials (more than 1 000 kg/month).

Offline su27k

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #8 on: 02/01/2020 03:39 am »
Some photos of this facility from this reddit thread: https://ibb.co/album/iDUZyv

Not much to see, but shows the facility is active.


Offline MarekCyzio

Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #9 on: 05/20/2020 06:21 pm »
Liquid Nitrogen tank installed

Offline enbandi

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #10 on: 12/05/2020 04:01 pm »
Cross post from the Starship Heat Shield thread.
You can find the source document here.

Speaking about the tile facility, this is from a recent inspection report:

Quote
The facility employs approximately 20 people and has been operating at this location since 2019. Operating
hours are 24 hours a day, seven days a week working three shifts. Brevard County provides potable water and
sanitary sewer services. The property is owned by Cape Canaveral Joint Venture, 516 Delannoy Ave., Cocoa, Florida 32922.

INSPECTION HISTORY
The facility has never been inspected by the Department for compliance with state and federal hazardous waste
regulations.

Process Description:
An opening conference was held to discuss the purpose of the inspection, and processes performed and wastes
generated at the facility.
The facility operates in a 40,000 square-foot unit of the building to manufacture heat-shield tiles for Space
Exploration Technologies Corp's Starship vehicle. Current facility operations are performing process
improvements of the tiles. Production of the final tiles is slated for end of year 2020.

Processes at the facility include:
 - Slurry Mix-casting billets, one billet will make two tiles;
 - Cast-sintering billets;
 - Machining-create tiles from billet and shape tiles into desired form;
 - Coatings-apply two coatings to tiles;
 - Kiln-dry tiles;
 - Water proofing-drive out water from tiles and apply a coating; and
 - Hardware-final assembly of tile.

INSPECTION NARRATIVE
The inspection began in Casting. Purified silicon is added to a tank where a slurry is made. When the slurry is
at the proper consistency it is distributed to the casting molds to create the billet. A vacuum is applied to the
case to remove excess water. The water is reused to make slurry.

A kiln is used to dry the billet. After drying, the billet is split in two pieces thereby creating the rudimentary tiles.
The tiles are shaped to the desired form using a router. A shop vacuum is used to clean up silicone from the
router. In this area were satellite accumulation areas: one for a 30-gallon drum of hazardous waste isopropyl
alcohol (IPA) solids, one for a 55-gallon drum of hazardous waste aerosol cans, and one for a 55-gallon drum of
hazardous waste two-part epoxy. The drums were properly labeled "Hazardous Waste" and were closed. None
of the containers were marked with the hazards of the contents [40 CFR 262.15(a)(5)(ii)]. Also in the area was a
55-gallon drum of non-hazardous waste petroleum contact solids.

Emergency equipment noted in the area included a spill kit and eye wash station.

A coating is manufactured and applied to the tiles. An automated machine applies the coating. The final coating
that will be applied to the tiles is still undergoing development. In this area were satellite accumulation areas:
one for a 55-gallon drum of hazardous waste paint liquids and another for a 55-gallon drum of hazardous waste
paint solids. The drums were properly labeled "Hazardous Waste", marked with the hazards of the contents,
and were closed. The wastes are generated from maintenance of the coating equipment. Also in the area was
a 55-gallon drum of non-hazardous waste petroleum contact solids and a 30-gallon drum of non-hazardous
waste frit and water. The petroleum contact solids are an oily debris waste generated from equipment
maintenance. The frit and water are generated from drying slurry.

In the water proofing process, a mixture of methyl-trimethoxy silane (MTMS) and acetic acid is applied to seal
the tiles.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Pre-Arranged Inspection for LQG (>1000 kg/month) Facility
Space Exploration Technologies DBA Starship Tile Facility
09/23/2020


Offline jpo234

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #11 on: 08/07/2021 11:34 pm »
Any idea where it is? Elon said it's right beside a Ron Jon distribution center.
« Last Edit: 08/07/2021 11:39 pm by jpo234 »
You want to be inspired by things. You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great. That's what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It's about believing in the future and believing the future will be better than the past. And I can't think of anything more exciting than being out there among the stars.

Offline Robotbeat

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #12 on: 08/08/2021 02:02 am »
Chris  Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

To the maximum extent practicable, the Federal Government shall plan missions to accommodate the space transportation services capabilities of United States commercial providers. US law http://goo.gl/YZYNt0

Offline JH

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Re: SpaceX Astronaut Blvd (The Bakery)
« Reply #13 on: 08/08/2021 09:50 pm »
Could be "Beachwave," which is like a distribution center for beach accessories.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/8550+Astronaut+Blvd,+Cape+Canaveral,+FL+32920/@28.3944568,-80.6116937,300a,35y,67.11h,44.89t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x88e0a7b53a6eae47:0x39a9e4db91941dd0!8m2!3d28.3953533!4d-80.6085806

If you go to street view on Astronaut Ave. by the LifeStorage and look at the parking lot, there is a Ron Jon truck parked by the building.

Offline AS_501

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Re: SpaceX Cape Canaveral Heat Shield Tile Factory (The Bakery)
« Reply #14 on: 08/08/2021 10:34 pm »
Perhaps some ex-shuttle tile techs in the area can be hired for the Bakery.
Launches attended:  Apollo 11, ASTP (@KSC, not Baikonur!), STS-41G, STS-125, EFT-1, Starlink G4-24, Artemis 1
Notable Spacecraft Observed:  Echo 1, Skylab/S-II, Salyuts 6&7, Mir Core/Complete, HST, ISS Zarya/Present, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, Dragon Demo-2, Starlink G4-14 (8 hrs. post-launch), Tiangong

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Cape Canaveral Heat Shield Tile Factory (The Bakery)
« Reply #15 on: 08/27/2021 01:02 pm »
https://twitter.com/john_winkopp/status/1431215746168889358

Quote
When #SpaceX's Elon Musk mentioned #TheBakery during his interview with @Erdayastronaut he was referring to this place in #CapeCanaveral. The building is shared with some other businesses including a Ron Jon warehouse.

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