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Where do one finds out when SpaceX performs test launches? I would love to take my kids to see them.
> The LLCC consists of a two-story building (referred to as Stargate) Indeed.
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Lots of places seem like they should have unlimited resources. I would have thought VW would be pretty high on that list - but they have their resources tied up. SpaceX / Tesla seem to be more free to use their resources in daring ways.
Tesla can seemingly issue new shares and the public market just buy them all up at a huge valuation; I think that's what is meant by "unlimited resources".
An interesting thing here is SpaceX are building TWO launchpads. Which will definitely help prevent delays if an when there is an AMOS-6 [1] or Orb-3 [2] type explosion that destroys the launchpad. It may also help for rapidly testing orbital refueling in 2022, though the plan is to do orbital refueling with 1 launch pad, 1 Super Heavy and 2 Starships (1 standard, 1 refueler) with 1 hour turnaround times between laun…
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It may be that they need too much for the local water company. During launches, they need to spray water- a lot of it. Using salt water would probably be problematic. Lots of residue left over.
Salt water is also corrosive.
Where do one finds out when SpaceX performs test launches? I would love to take my kids to see them.
Why the desalination plant? Is there not piped water? Is it just another eco friendly sounding thing to put in the plan? Is it to hedge against newspaper headlines saying how much water spacex is wasting? Desalination has to be more expensive than piped water (both financially and environmentally).
Boca Chica doesn't have piped water. "There are no shops or restaurants or amenities of any kind around, including municipal water pipes; Cameron County regularly trucks in gallons of water, which is stored in outdoor tanks." https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/02/space-x-... The whole piece is worth a read btw, great article.
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They have plans for building launch sites offshore. They're presumably exercising their muscles on as many of the end-game problems as they can. The bubble wall tech will probably be a big enough problem to sort out once they try to build them.
Can you expand on the bubble wall?
> The fully integrated Starship/Super Heavy launch vehicle will be approximately 400 feet tall and 30 feet in diameter. For reference, the Saturn V rocket from the Apollo program was 363 feet tall. It was 33 ft wide at the first stage, while Starship is 30 ft wide all the way to the top. It's just massive. And it's fully reusable. What a game changer.
The ability to lift that into orbit (minus most fuel and booster) with both halves still able to land is an insane feat.