Now that the Federal Aviation Administration has given SpaceX the all-systems-go green light to apply for licenses to launch commercial satellites into orbit from Boca Chica Beach, the lines between what Elon Musk proposes and what jobs-hungry Cameron County desires have become even more blurred.
In this Sunday's issue of the Brownsville Herald, a reporter interviews retired U.S. Navy Capt. Michael Lopez-Alegria for his take on Musk's Boca Chica commercial launch pad proposal.
Lopez-Alegria, a former astronaut and commander of the International Space Station, is now president of Spaceflight Federation, a company that promotes commercial human spaceflight.
That in itself is intriguing. Why would a former astronaut who served on the ISS be interviewed about a purely commercial, private enterprise that does not involve manned space travel (astronauts) or launches to the space station or the moon or other planets?
As with most past coverage of the Musk proposal, the true nature of the SpaceX venture in Boca Chica has been thoroughly enmeshed in the national space effort that was usually reserved for NASA. We have outlined our reservations in the past about this purely private and commercial venture.
NASA is not even remotely involved in the Boca Chica venture.
There will be no manned space missions launched from there.
The multi-million contracts that SpaceX has acquired from NASA to launch missions to the ISS and manned spacecraft to take them there or to Mars or to the moon will not be taking off from Boca Chica.
In fact, the Brownsville site was considered as a launch site to support NASA lunar landings way back in a 1961 study by the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA and rejected in favor of Cape Canaveral, in Florida.
Why?
In the report, since declassified as confidential, Brownsville was one of the eight proposed sites from which to launch spacecraft for a moon landing.
The other seven were Cape Canaveral (onshore), Cape Canaveral (offshore), Cumberland Island, White Sands Missile Range, Hawaii, Christmas Island, Mayaguana.
The sites were judged by the strength of their location and the types of trajectory for the missions. A launch trajectory (azimuth) of 60 to 90 degrees was considered for all flights.
In the section titled "Launch Vehicle Impact Hazards," the writers noted that "For the site 5 (Brownsville, Texas), the launch azimuth would be limited to approximately 80 to 90 degrees to minimize impact of the...stages."
Also, ..."Site 4 (Cumberland Island, Georgia) and Site 5 (Brownsville, Texas) would require intermittent closing of the Intercoastal Waterway. This could cause political problems."
And the killer: "For Site 5 (Brownsville, Texas), large portions of the U.S., and possibly Cuba, would be overflown through second-stage burnout. With the possibility of abort during the first or second stage burning, especially during the early phases of the program, some sizeable population centers, such as Tampa, St. Petersburg, Palm Beach, and Miami, Florida, would be endangered."
Also, aside from the trajectory and potential for overflight over populated areas, the maximum water requirements to launch manned space missions from Boca Chica was estimated to require "1,755,000 gallons per day," according to the study.
That posed a slight problem then and it continues to pose a problem now since there is no running water at the site proposed for the satellite launch pad at Boca Chica.
So what has changed from the consideration of Brownsville for NASA flights in 1961 to 2014? There is still no water there. The populated areas of Florida and Cuba are still there and growing. Will the government allow SpaceX to have overflights over populated areas that it denied NASA back in 1961?
Then, there's the possibility that SpaceX will try to use s "dogleg" launch strategy to "thread the needle" and avoid populated areas. This stuff is complicated to engineers, if not more to the average layman. Some space geeks theorize that in the dogleg launch strategy will be used to overcome the limited azimuth choices available to SpaceX from Boca Chica like this :
"They bought the (Boca Chica Village ) properties under the name "Dogleg Park LLC"! The paper actually mentioned the use of the word in launch terminology, which I thought was a nice touch."
This is the technical jargon for Star Trek fans:The first dog leg corresponds to SI burn of Falcon Heavy with cross feed.
Single leg:
1. 137.46 degrees heading - 0 m/s
Double leg:
1. 541 KM - 103.39 degrees heading - 0 m/s
2. 137.93 degrees heading - 4791 m/s
Triple leg:
1. 541 KM - 103.39 degrees heading - 0 m/s
2. 754 KM - 119.77 degrees heading - 4791 m/s
3. 139.37 degrees heading - 5705 m/s
The Single and Double leg would cross the Yucatan and probably not viable. The triple would probably be closer to a curve then a sudden heading change. 90 degree launch shown for reference.
But with sites in Florida already available with the necessary infrastructure and no need for the complicated maneuvers, why would SpaceX continue showing interest in Boca Chica? Is this an effort to get Florida to raise the ante on incentives for ti to go there?
8 comments:
We must remember that currently the US manned space program requires that we hitch rides (at a hefty cost) on Russian rockets and are recovered by the Russians. Now, Putin has announced that after 2015 the US will not be welcomed...perhaps without an even more hefty price...so it is expensive flying with the Russians. Manned space travel will continue, but will it be to the benefit of the Russians or Chinese....or will Musk and other rich innovators launch manned flights from the US? Don't think they will be launched from Boca Chica Beach....but they will be launched from some US site(s). Just don't see Musk coming here due to the border turmoil and threats from across the river, by cartels or from terrorists which Mexico allows to roam about. Also, unless our corrupt public officials and their friends can make big money..(mordida) Musk will prefer a more capitalist oriented area....not a center of socialism and colonialism that exists here.
Thank you for the real reporting not available in the local "press". Many people instinctively knew this was a joke from the beginning. Now we have the facts.
It would be great to have SpaceX locate in Brownsville. It would be a benefit to our young people and perhaps energize the inept public education system we have here. We need something to prove we are not, as Tony Zavaleta said this week, a colonia of Matamoros.
Excellent research. Too bad the authors of the Environmental Impact Statement couldn't have done as much.
Our city commission has proven to be interested in non-controversial issues or issues that protect ignorance in our community. We have a "no plastic bag" ordinance and so caring citizens carry their own bags, while those on welfare...who live off the public tit....seem to continue to fill their carts with plastic bags. So people who don't work and who depend on the public don't care enough to go without plastic bags...that's the way it seems to me. Recycling doesn't work in Brownsville for the same reason.....those on the public tit don't give a shit about recycling and as long as they get their shit free...they don't care.
Now the city commission wants to consider limiting cash checking operations....another operation fed by ignorance. In a socialistic community, with so many people on welfare, there is no hope to avoid ignorance and businesses that prey on ignorance. Tony Zavaleta was right, we have become a colonia of Matamoros.....and ignorance and corruption are part of the culture. Say good-bye to SpaceX and any business based on capitalism and doing things the right way.
Space X will be used to launch Da Mayor and city commission off to Alpha Centuri.
"Space X will be used to launch Da Mayor and city commission off to Alpha Centuri."
I suggest a shorter trip to the Sun.
Space X is just an excuse to acquire the land at Boca Chica Beach area. We will privide water and electricity and other utilities at no cost to Space X as an incentive. Then they will use the acquired land to make a mega resort which will be exclusively owned by Space X and forget about the rockets. Boca Chica Beach will become Boca Chica Resort. You wanna bet ???
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