DocM Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 New thread day! Thread 1... Thread 2... Thread 3... Thread 4... Major news.... SpaceX's McGregor facility is expanding from 922 to 4,280 acres (373 to 1,732 hectares) and more than doubling its staff from 261 to ~561 employees (+300). No doubt due to Falcon Heavy ramping up to launch, Dragon 2 and the rapidly accelerating Raptor Mars engine project for which they've posted an opening for a build engineer. Sounds like Raptor's design phase is nearly finished. Waco Tribune.... SpaceX expansion could add 300 jobs locally SpaceX expansion could add 300 jobs locally SpaceX is working to expand its McGregor site, a project that could add 300 jobs to the local SpaceX campus. The SpaceX rocket-making plant in McGregor is poised to spend $46 million on an expansion that would create 300 new full-time jobs. Waco City Council on Tuesday will vote on giving Space Exploration Technologies Corp. up to $1.5 million in economic development money. McLennan County commissioners will vote later this month on allocating $1.5 million to SpaceX for the project, giving the Hawthorne, California-based company a total of $3 million in funds from the Waco-McLennan County Economic Development Corp. war chest used to attract and keep industry. Most local officials Friday declined to discuss SpaceXs plans or the benefits of seeing local employment grow by 300 people. Im not at liberty to comment at this point. I have to say the project is pending, said Kris Collins, senior vice president of economic development at the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce. She said she is involved in talks with SpaceX and probably would have more to say after commissioners take their vote Dec. 22. SpaceX, owned by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, has become a major player in private rocketry. It has secured contracts with NASA to haul supplies to the International Space Station and landing deals with foreign governments and private companies to place communications satellites in orbit. It began in 2003 using land in McGregors industrial park for research and rocket testing, and recently expanded its lease from 922 acres to 4,280 acres. In a report prepared by the city of Wacos economic development staff, SpaceX is proposing to invest $46.3 million in the site during the next five years. That will consist of about $32.4 million in real property improvements and $13.9 million in personal property improvements. SpaceX will add 300 new jobs by Dec. 31, 2018, with employees receiving benefits and an average hourly wage of $28.85, or about $60,000 a year. To receive incentive money, the company must fill 240 positions with people living in McLennan County, and 120 must reside in Waco. Those hired will include engineers, technicians and industry professionals, according to the city staff report prepared for Waco City Council. SpaceX employs 261 full-time staffers in McGregor, and the company will retain them. SpaceX spokesman John Taylor said in an email: We have no comment at this time, but may comment after Tuesdays (council) meeting. McGregor City Manager Kevin Evans declined to comment on the proposed expansion, saying, I have not been authorized to speak. But I can tell you this, he said. Anytime SpaceX adds people, it helps the economy not only of McGregor but all Central Texas. They are one of the best corporate citizens I've ever been associated with. > Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulRocket Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 https://twitter.com/astro_g_dogg/status/543898177854652416 What could a once in a lifetime experience be? Probably something to do with dragon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 Click the hashtag. 12-13-14, the last sequential date of the century. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsItPluggedIn Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 More like it was the 13th of December 2014, so 13-12-2014. Smallest to largest. james.faction 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 US does months first. Just to be contrary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 SpaceX's Senior Engineer Astronaut Safety and Mission Assurance Garrett Reisman @astro_g_dogg Heads up - I'll have a huge surprise event to share with you next Thursday! It's gonna be real cool. Any guesses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malenfant Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Spacesuits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 Doesn't qualify as "huge" in my book, but we'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malenfant Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Pad abort / dragonfly test vehicle(s) maybe. But that would be Musk's remit, not Reisman's I think. So is it Huge or just huge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulRocket Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 You can also look at the guesses of other people. He then responded to one of them that nobody was yet on the right track, but it must have something to do with dragon v2, since he's responsible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 15, 2014 Author Share Posted December 15, 2014 IF it's Reisman making the announcement then it's something to do with manned spacecraft. As you say, that's his area of responsibility. OTOH, if he was hinting Elon will have an announcement then all bets are off. It could be the McGregor expansion plans, the internet satellite constellation, BFR/Raptor (definitely "HUGE") or FH related. Then there are those things we can't discuss outside of NSF L2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malenfant Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Yes it was my view that regardless of professional responsibilities it's Musk who is front and center for the big reveal. If it is big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SALSN Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I'm hoping for something MCT related, as far as I remember we were promised more details on that a looooong time ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 16, 2014 Author Share Posted December 16, 2014 MCT is going to follow BFR as core diameter will determine its dimensions. All indications are BFR will be a 15 meter +/- monster. Rocketeers (real ones) that frequent NASASpaceFlight's L2 forum are skulling out what it could look like based on announced specs for it and Raptor. Their results are a total fracking beast, and the imagery produced by the forums 3D artists stunning. Only a tiny version of one image has been published, and that blue plume should be correct. SALSN 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I have seen that image, but somehow I keep visualizing it as a giant instrument of pleasure for women (with unfolding legs for extra stimulation of course) :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 16, 2014 Author Share Posted December 16, 2014 Rockets that large are better off bullet shaped for several reasons, some aerodynamic and some structural vs. the high thrust loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulRocket Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 https://twitter.com/astro_g_dogg/status/544915152793923584 SALSN 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malenfant Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Jeez. Somebody kick that guy in the butt. On to CRS-5. SALSN 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 16, 2014 Author Share Posted December 16, 2014 Well, that was anticlimactic. SALSN 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 Jeff Foist @jeff_foust The Waco City Council approved y'day its share of economic incentives for an expansion of SpaceX's Tex. test site: http://t.co/ylJbtBLv0B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 20, 2014 Author Share Posted December 20, 2014 ASDS is back in port. How do we know? The Carnival cruise ship Fascination is berthed behind it and it's forward bridge webcam is online :D http://www.cruisin.me/cruisecams/ships/carnival_cruise_lines/carnival_fascination.php A tip of the hat to Kabloona at NSF who hunted the beast down. Uploading a still because Fascination will be leaving this afternoon, SALSN 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 Florida Today has posted a video story about the SpaceX conversion of pad 39A for Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Commercial Crew. http://www.floridatoday.com/videos/news/local/2014/12/17/20547263/ Takeaways, 1) the construction of its Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) has begun. Part of the framework can be seen laying on the ground in the foreground. 2) mods to the top of the Fixed Service Structure tower (FSS) have begun. It'll need a vertical integration crane for USAF and NRO launches, and a crew access arm & room for Commercial Crew. 3) foundation work on the integration hangar & high bay and the TEL rail beds has started 4) they will use the 4 Shuttle zip lines and shelter for crew evacuation 5) they've torn into the flame trench and are resurfacing it. The trench was damaged by STS-124 in 2008 and patches were applied, but SpaceX wants something more permanent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 25, 2014 Author Share Posted December 25, 2014 John Gardi (@john_gardi Just A. Tinker) and Jon Ross have put up an F9R info site with CGI imagery etc. John has Elon's Twitter-ear, being the first to decipher most of how Hyperloop would work (which is also progressing under the radar.) 'The Future of Space Launch Is Near' http://justatinker.com/Future/ SALSN 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 28, 2014 Author Share Posted December 28, 2014 Es'hailSat (Qatar) has chosen SpaceX to launch their Es'hail-2 comsat. http://www.gulf-times.com/qatar/178/details/421370/es%E2%80%99hailsat-selects-spacex-to-launch-second-satellite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 A double for the McGregor F9R Dev launch fixture at the Jacksonville ASDS dock. Most likely they'll crane the stage onto it for leg removal before shipping it. https://twitter.com/kscottz/status/547867380169207809 @kscottz Cruise ship sailing from Jackson and I see this SpaceX trailer. pic.twitter.com/NCCkBlsaKr 4:32pm - 24 Dec 14 SALSN 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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