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SpaceX can't test fire its Falcon Heavy rocket due to the government shutdown
- Animats 9y agoSpace-X was supposed to be building their own launch facility in Brownsville, TX, and it was supposed to be open now, but it's still just a vacant lot. They brought in some tracking antennas and some dirt fill; that's it.[1] [1] http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/spacex-progress-ongoing-at-boca-chica-site-second-antenna-added/article_c8f0717c-bde3-11e7-a016-9792b5eb6dd4.html http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/spacex-progress-...
- ygra 9y agohttps://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/951536175587758081 https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/951536175587758081 It's ongoing.
- robryan 9y agoAt their current rate of launches it probably just doesn't make any sense to put a lot of resources into it. There has been upgrades in automation for the ranges last year which allow a higher frequency of launches. Plus they started launching again from their second Cape Canaveral pad. I read that even with their own facility they would still be affected by a shutdown.
- schiffern 9y ago>They brought in... some dirt fill; that's it. They're doing soil surcharging, so that's intentional. Don't want the castle sinking into the swamp (it's on 300+ feet of silt[1]). The steps for soil surcharging are: 1. Pile extra dirt on top of your fill. 2. Wait a sufficient amount of time (usually months/years; it's important to wait long enough[2]) as the dirt compresses and squeezes out water. 3. Remove the extra dirt (also important[2]), and build your heavy structure on top. Now the pre-loaded ground underneath won't settle, because it already did that. [1] https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/countdown-to-liftoff/ https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/countdown-to-liftoff/ [2] http://www.straits-engineers.com/publications_pdf/publication_20.pdf http://www.straits-engineers.com/publications_pdf/publicatio... edit: pictures of the site https://imgur.com/a/0OXkB https://imgur.com/a/0OXkB
- teh_klev 9y agoI didn't know this was a thing. Thanks for enlightening me :)
- yardie 9y agoThank you. I wasn't aware of that. This has been going on in South Florida for sometime. A dirt lot is filled with soil sometimes 20-30ft high. And then just as mysteriously, a few years later, it disappears. I just assumed this was temporary storage of backfill for a construction project elsewhere.
- stcredzero 9y agoDon't want the castle sinking into the swamp (it's on 300+ feet of silt[1]). "When I first came here, this was all swamp. Everyone said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built in all the same, just to show them. It sank into the swamp. So I built a second one. And that one sank into the swamp. So I built a third. That burned down, fell over, and then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one stayed up. And that’s what you’re going to get, Son, the strongest castle in all of England."
- mikeash 9y agoApparently the soil there kind of sucks for heavy construction, so they have to put a bunch of material on top and wait for it to compact before they can start properly building out the facilities.
- breatheoften 9y agoWatched the video on the page demoing the falcon heavy concept. The real pictures don’t have the water tower at the launch site like the concept video. Is there some reason the water tower was in the demo design but not the real thing ... — maybe the water tower is mobile and only in place during an actual launch? Or is this closer to a case where somebody thought the water tower would look cool so they put it in the demo video ...?
- ygra 9y agoThat's a CGI mockup created when SpaceX' modifications to 39A weren't even complete. The FSS also looks markedly different. However, the water tower is there, as you can see here: https://twitter.com/wsm1/status/953099809803485184 https://twitter.com/wsm1/status/953099809803485184.
- russdill 9y agoYou can more clearly see the location of the water towers here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LC39A_and_LC39B.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LC39A_and_LC39B.jpg
- pilsetnieks 9y agoThe water tower is just further away, that's why you don't see it in the images. It was still there during their most recent launch from LC-39A: https://youtu.be/CNRTNxZSPhE?t=2m20s https://youtu.be/CNRTNxZSPhE?t=2m20s
- TheAceOfHearts 9y agoI find this article very frustrating. What do they even mean by "key members of the civilian workforce"? I wish they'd include examples of what kind of people aren't working. Since I have absolutely no connection to this industry, I have no way of understanding the impact of a government shutdown on the space industry. Why is it considered reasonable or unreasonable that they halt certain space-related activities due to a government shutdown?
- dragonwriter 9y agoThere's lots of shutdown primers in major media sites right now; here's one decent one: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2018/jan/19/everything-you-need-know-about-government-shutdown/ http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2018/jan/19/...
- dayaz36 9y agoSeriously...the entire article had as much substance as the title. Didn't even mention when the launch was supposed to be.
- greglindahl 9y agoThat's actually not known. It's expected to be 2 weeks after a successful static fire, and no one knows how many more tries a static fire will need.
- chrisseaton 9y ago> Why is it considered reasonable or unreasonable that they halt certain space-related activities due to a government shutdown? I don't think anyone's opinion on whether it's reasonable or not really matters for this article. The fact is that they have no budget from which to pay people who operate all the things at the space centre, so they aren't working. I don't think it's any more complicated than that is it? What more could they say?
- walshemj 9y agoI would imagine the launch requires the participation of civil servants from NASA who I assume all the range safety people work for and I assume they use the coast guard to keep boats away from the danger zone two.
- mholt 9y agoWarning: Video with sound autoplays when opening the page (in Chrome on macOS)
- imron 9y agoSolution: Video with sound doesn't autoplay when opening the page in Firefox in macOS.
- TrickyRick 9y agoDifferent solution: Just use the browser that came with the OS. Works perfectly in Safari.
- greglindahl 9y agoI can't use Safari until I reboot to install a critical security update. Yeah, no, I have a lot of ssh sessions open. And how is it possible that a browser on Unix requires a reboot to update?
- mkl 9y agoThat's what tmux and screen are for. Windows 10's infuriating restart requirements don't affect my ssh sessions.
- ygra 9y agoIsn't it generally a bad idea to rely on everything (power, network, OS) to remain stable to keep an SSH session open, just so processes on the other end don't get terminated?
- mkl 9y agoYes, that's what tmux and screen are for. You run one of them on the server and work within it, and then it doesn't matter what happens to the client or connection, your server processes are fine.
- imron 9y agoWhen eventually launched, both boosters and the first stage are designed to return to earth, landing upright for reuse. That this seems entirely feasible is a testament to how far SpaceX has moved the industry forward (and signifies that they are going to have a huge lead over any competitors).
- ghostcluster 9y agoIt's not exactly a new idea. The boosters on the Russian Shuttle equivalent were designed to glide back for reusability in the 70s and 80s, but it's amazing the lack of momentum pushing these ideas forward languished in the space tech arena until SpaceX showed up.
- imron 9y agoCorrect, it's not a new idea. It is however relatively new that someone is doing it repeatedly, successfully and is now also reusing the rockets that have returned.
- bufferoverflow 9y agoNo, they weren't designed that way. That literally never happened. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buran_(spacecraft) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buran_(spacecraft) And if you're talking about just an idea, sci-fi writers were way ahead of USSR.
- dag11 9y agoI think this is what the parent comment is referring to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baikal_(rocket_booster) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baikal_(rocket_booster)
- bufferoverflow 9y agoNever took off. Never went to the prototype stage even. All they made was a mock-up. Plus he's talking about 70's and 80's, whereas that mock-up was made in 2001.
- rsbartram 9y agoIs SpaceX using recycled rockets? They have in the past. https://latechnews.org/spacex-launches-bulgariasat-1-recycled-rocket/ https://latechnews.org/spacex-launches-bulgariasat-1-recycle... Government is normally getting in the way or at least slowing down the process of innovation. Hopefully that doesn't happen here at to much a cost to SpaceX and the U.S. tax payers.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- Turing_Machine 9y agoNot for this one. This is the first launch of the Falcon Heavy vehicle.
- pmorici 9y agoThis is the first launch of their heavy rocket according to the article so nothing to recycle yet. The government is one of spacex’s biggest customers.
- greglindahl 9y agoEr, 2/3 of the first stages are reused, and the unusual thing about SpaceX is that they have a lot more non-government business than any US launch provider ever.
- bambax 9y agoAs a foreigner the whole government shutdown is a thing of wonder: how does it work exactly? For instance, is there no police anymore? How does Congress stay in session during a shutdown? Where does electricity in federal buildings come from if the Federal govt can't pay for it?
- toomanybeersies 9y agoThe vast majority of police in the USA are not federal police, only federal government workers, not state government workers, are affected by this. Essential workers, such as military, are still required to turn up to work, they just don't get paid. It's not the US Government would stop wars just because they can't pay their bills. Congress, funnily enough, is actually except from the shutdown and members of congress still get paid, which is a bit perverse in my eyes. As for things like electricity, I assume they just put it all on credit, it's not like the government isn't going to pay the power companies when they finally approve the budget. I usually have a month after my power bill comes in to pay it.
- jtokoph 9y agoIt's more of a shutdown on non critical departments, and lots of times there are still skeleton crews for some of them. For example, the postal service is still running. Here is a decent article explaining what is still up and running: https://www.npr.org/2018/01/19/578985305/open-or-closed-heres-what-happens-in-a-partial-government-shutdown https://www.npr.org/2018/01/19/578985305/open-or-closed-here...
- toomanybeersies 9y agoThe USPS isn't a government department though, it's an independent agency, that generates its own funds separate from the federal budget.
- ryanmarsh 9y agoI had no idea the USPS was a GSE (Government Sponsored Entity) like Fannie Mae (which many believe is a government agency)
- dayaz36 9y agoWhen was the launch supposed to take place?
- olex 9y agoStatic fire was planned for today. Date for an actual launch hasn't been set yet, because a successful static fire (or several) has to take place before that. SpaceX is taking their time to extensively ground test this one, because the Falcon Heavy has never flown before, and is a significantly more complex rocket than the proven Falcon 9 (27 engines need to ignite at launch vs. 9, plus the booster attachments have never been tested before).
- mikejb 9y agoThis is easily blamed on the shutdown, but it isn't that simple: Falcon Heavy static fire has been postponed numerous times. On Tuesday (Jan 16th), it was cancelled once again, but with no new target test date. That indicates that SpaceX is still working on the rocket/pad. I didn't find information on when they'd be ready again, but blaming a delay on Falcon Heavy's static fire test on the Government Shutdown is only half the truth.
- Rebelgecko 9y agoThey can blame the shutdown for cancelling this particular attempt, just not the last half a dozen tries
- greglindahl 9y agoSpaceX had activities planned for Sunday and Monday which have been canceled. New rockets and new launch pads (2/3 of the booster fueling equipment is new) are always like this; the first shuttle flight sat on the pad from December through April. It's very tedious for the range people because both fueling the rocket (wet dress rehearsal) and fueling and static firing it are dangerous events that require exclusion zones.
- ygra 9y agoThey did go through with a Wet Dress Rehearsal on Saturday, though, which already validates many things just prior to engine ignition. So if they were confident to continue with a static fire on Monday and there were no other issues known I'd say it's fair to blame it on the shutdown. Of course, more issues could arise during the test, but we won't know now.
- moonka 9y agoShutdown started at Midnight Friday though didn't it?
- freeflight 9y agoOfficially yes, but I can imagine there being some bureaucratic delay until it's in full effect/everybody got the news. Not a lot of time between midnight Friday and Saturday. In German radio news, the US correspondent explained that the weekend should still be fine, with full effects of the shutdown beginning around Monday with the new week.
- tw1010 9y agoGovernment shutdown fatigue
- freecodyx 9y agostupid website, autoplaying video
- billysielu 9y agoYep I'm more upset about this than the actual news.
- nomercy400 9y agoSo, is SpaceX now eligible for contract-breach money from the government for this delay? I assume SpaceX 'rents' the facility at KSP from the government. If that facility shuts down, then the government isn't upholding their part of the deal with SpaceX. Say, as a company I had a deal where I rent an office, and the owner of the office decides for 2+ days I have no access to my office, because one-sided reasons, I can claim lost revenue from the owner, right?
- dEnigma 9y agoFrom the context it is clear that you meant "KSC" instead of "KSP", but I think the typo is quite interesting. For those unaware: KSP = Kerbal Space Program, a video game about space exploration
- jadell 9y agoAdditionally, "KSC" is the abbreviation of the space center in the game video KSP.
- bostonpete 9y ago...and the Kenya Space Corporation in Artemis.
- giarc 9y agoMaybe, but do you want to piss off the owners of a limited piece of equipment that is vital to your business?
- ceejayoz 9y agoNot to mention your biggest client.
- Consultant32452 9y agoThese types of things are almost certainly written into the contracts. A government shutdown is not the only reason that SpaceX might temporarily not be able to use the facilities the way it wants.
- DaniFong 9y agoWe're just gonna have to use the drone ship.
- ygra 9y agoThey will anyway; the center core separates later and won't do a boostback to land. And there are only two landing zones at the Cape as well. But that's irrelevant to the launch; they cannot launch from the ASDS.
- rsbartram 9y agoIs SpaceX using a recycled rocket like they have in the past? https://latechnews.org/spacex-launches-bulgariasat-1-recycled-rocket/ https://latechnews.org/spacex-launches-bulgariasat-1-recycle...
- ziedaniel1 9y agoThe center core is new, but the side boosters are both recycled. See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Falcon_9_and_Falcon_Heavy_launches#Future_launches https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Falcon_9_and_Falcon_...
- isostatic 9y agoHowever Rocket Lab's launch of their new Electron rocket, from New Zealand, has made it to orbit successfully. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2018/01/21/space-startup-rocket-lab-successfully-made-it-to-orbit/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2018/01/21/space-star...
- spike021 9y agoNot sure how that launch is relevant, here.
- Taniwha 9y agoThey don't need a govt funded/owned/run launch space to launch, they built their own
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- muthdra 9y agoTheir government doesn't have a launch pad.
- vpribish 9y agoto try circling this back to relevancy: NZ is a fantastically business-friendly country where the shenanigans we (US) have to put up with just don't seem to occur (I had a business there for a while, so this isn't just their tourist propaganda talking). also - I swear I heard a sheep on the launch video for electron.
- pwaai 9y agoI'm thinking losing a billion dollar spy satellite might play a factor here. Also the timing of the US government shutdown couldn't have been more damaging.
- vpribish 9y agononsense. There is no evidence whatsoever that spacex's launch of Zuma was anything but a success. Also, in what way is this the most damaging possible timing?
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- pwaai 9y agothen what the hell is this? https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/01/the-zuma-satellite-launched-by-spacex-may-be-lost-sources-tell-ars/ https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/01/the-zuma-satellite-l... are you saying they conspired to announce a false failure to hide the spy satellite?
- greglindahl 9y agoYou're welcome to push whatever conspiracy theory you like, but Occam's Razor is currently voting for the satellite failing to separate from the second stage.
- vpribish 9y agoit can be a failure without having been in any way spacex's fault. you can lead a horse to orbit but you can't make it drink - they were just the boost. also, it can be a success while they allow people to believe it was a failure (there is a history of this, if you'd like to tune your tin-foil receiver to the proper channel)
- greglindahl 9y agoThe timing wasn't that damaging. SpaceX has been working on Falcon Heavy for a long time, and a delay of the length of the typical government shutdown is not that big of a deal. Turns out this delay was shorter than average anyway.