totm nov 2023 SpaceX Discussion Thread

[Flying dutchman]

apparently a fire at nature reserve next to pad due to burning debris. 

that's amazing it's a swamp. starhopper is already destroying the vegetation so it will be easyer to build a proper spaceport there.

[mikegarrison]

Just now, Flying dutchman said:

apparently a fire at nature reserve next to pad due to burning debris. 

that's amazing it's a swamp. starhopper is already destroying the vegetation so it will be easyer to build a proper spaceport there.

Destroying wetland areas in a nature preserve is not really a good look for SpaceX.

[Flying dutchman]

2 minutes ago, mikegarrison said:

Destroying wetland areas in a nature preserve is not really a good look for SpaceX.

i know. so a little humour helps deal with the pain.

 

but it's pretty much out now.

Edited July 26, 2019 by Flying dutchman

[Ignath]

1 minute ago, mikegarrison said:

Destroying wetland areas in a nature preserve is not really a good look for SpaceX.

I would imagine that SpaceX will be required to restore the areas they damage or destroy back to their original state or better.  Usually wetlands are pretty heavily protected, especially in ecologically important areas like S. Padre (one of the largest sea turtle spawning locations in the world).

[Flying dutchman]

10 minutes ago, Ignath said:

I would imagine that SpaceX will be required to restore the areas they damage or destroy back to their original state or better.  Usually wetlands are pretty heavily protected, especially in ecologically important areas like S. Padre (one of the largest sea turtle spawning locations in the world).

I did not know that

[Ignath]

11 minutes ago, Flying dutchman said:

I did not know that

Yep, they have a big Sea Turtle rescue center down on S. Padre Island:

http://www.seaturtleinc.org/

I was lucky enough to get to visit about a year ago around Christmas time.

[CatastrophicFailure]

6 hours ago, NSEP said:

According to all known laws of spaceflight, there is no way that a water tower should be able to fly. Its manufacturing technique is too questionable to get its itself off the ground. The water tower, of course, flies anyways. Because water tanks don't care what humans think is impossible.

Well, Y’know, they say the same thing about bumblebees, bumblebees should not be capable of flight. Bumblebees continue to simply ignore this. 

[tater]

The beach/dunes close to the launch site looks like it is entirely crisscrossed with motorcycle tracks to my eye. Hardly pristine.

Actually 4WD as well, many are double tracks.

A brush fire is desirable compared to vehicle tracks, frankly, fires actually happen in pristine areas, all it takes is a lightning strike.

[Flying dutchman]

3 minutes ago, Ignath said:

Yep, they have a big Sea Turtle rescue center down on S. Padre Island:

http://www.seaturtleinc.org/

I was lucky enough to get to visit about a year ago around Christmas time.

Let's hope the fire has spared this and the turtles.

[CatastrophicFailure]

Having a spaceport right there, even a busy one, will probably be a boon to the local environment. Just look at the thriving, developer-free wetlands around KSC. Plus, it’s a good way to get turtle youngsters interested in spaceflight from an early age.  

[CatastrophicFailure]

Best vid yet. 

 

[tater]

44 minutes ago, Flying dutchman said:

Let's hope the fire has spared this and the turtles.

That is actually on South Padre island. I'd me more concerned as to what the impact of a zillion drunk spring breakers is on the turtles, frankly (I actually did spring break there once many, many years ago. A friend's parents had a condo there, and he invited a bunch of us, so we went... pretty crazy).

Just to be clear, I'm not saying brush fires are a great thing there, they need a water system that they can steer, clearly, and they need to prep the launch area better to avoid flying debris. My point on the car tracks, etc, is that the area near SpaceX is nothing like pristine wetlands, looks like any goon can tool around at will in ATVs, etc, and wreck the joint.

Edited July 26, 2019 by tater

[magnemoe]

38 minutes ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

Well, Y’know, they say the same thing about bumblebees, bumblebees should not be capable of flight. Bumblebees continue to simply ignore this. 

Mostly, its signs many of them has learned they can not fly and then is unable to  
 

38 minutes ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

Having a spaceport right there, even a busy one, will probably be a boon to the local environment. Just look at the thriving, developer-free wetlands around KSC. Plus, it’s a good way to get turtle youngsters interested in spaceflight from an early age.  

KSC uses alligators as unpaid security guards. Moral here is questionable on two levels, level of pay and the guards tend to be a bit violent. 
They also need special fences to keep the out of areas they should not go. 
We saw one in an pound used for the spacex pad water supply. 

Doing lots of stuff then the turtles hatch is probable an nice thing for them as it will not affect the turtles but might scare predators. 
 

[Jacke]

59 minutes ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

Well, Y’know, they say the same thing about bumblebees, bumblebees should not be capable of flight. Bumblebees continue to simply ignore this. 

The better formulation of this is "Bumblebees shouldn't be able to glide." ie. fly like our gliders and aircraft fly.  Which is quite true.  Take their wing area and make it rigid, either completely or even as a simple flapping surface, and they wouldn't be able to fly.  Because that's not how they fly.

 

[zolotiyeruki]

So where did the burning debris come from?  I'd like to think that "make sure nothing flammable is near your launch pad" would be something on the pre-launch checklist.

[StrandedonEarth]

30 minutes ago, zolotiyeruki said:

So where did the burning debris come from?  I'd like to think that "make sure nothing flammable is near your launch pad" would be something on the pre-launch checklist.

Longest burn yet at BC if I’m not mistaken, so, radiative or other heating on dry brush? One thing for sure, shouldn’t be anything flammable left in the area now...

[tater]

Could be a chunk of concrete, heated until it’s effectively an ember.

[CatastrophicFailure]

If you watch the vids closely, you can see burning stuff flying around. There’s even something that looks like a sheet of cardboard visible on the engine cam (probably not actual cardboard). With this being the first flight, and so close to the ground for so long, it likely shook loose all sorts of stuff. But like @StrandedonEarth said, prolly nothing left now. 

Y’know, like that first time you fire up the mower in spring and all the critters go scattering...

[kerbiloid]

Spoiler

Squirrel nests.

He said "near the launchpad". He didn't say "in the nozzles."

 

Edited July 26, 2019 by kerbiloid

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Ignath said:

I would imagine that SpaceX will be required to restore the areas they damage or destroy back to their original state or better.  Usually wetlands are pretty heavily protected, especially in ecologically important areas like S. Padre (one of the largest sea turtle spawning locations in the world).

At the same time though... if they really cared about the area would they have approved the building of a rocket launchpad in the middle of it...?

5 hours ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

Well, Y’know, they say the same thing about bumblebees, bumblebees should not be capable of flight. Bumblebees continue to simply ignore this. 

I hate to be a party pooper but...

They said that, as a result of an outdated understanding how they flew, there’s no aerodynamic mystery involved now. The lack of lift if I remember was found to be made up for by wingtip vortices creating a larger low pressure area than the surface of the wing accounts for but nevertheless contributing to lift.

(this info is pretty old btw)

 

Edited July 26, 2019 by Guest

[Guest]

2 hours ago, zolotiyeruki said:

So where did the burning debris come from?

Maybe worker left his jacket there or toolbox XD 

 

[CatastrophicFailure]

36 minutes ago, Dale Christopher said:

hate to be a party pooper but...

Spoiler

 

[Guest]

O.O

[magnemoe]

3 hours ago, CatastrophicFailure said:

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Saved for later use  

[kerbiloid]

Spoiler

Bumblbees can fly.

Spoiler

Just depends on kick force.