DocM Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 The proposal is for a "NASA-style launch site" on the Gulf of Mexico in Willacy County, Texas. There are only 2 companies that meet the sketchy profile mentioned by the official in the article: SpaceX and Blue Origin - both participants in the program to replace the shuttle's crew transportation duties. Raymondville Monitor.... Talks heat up over private spaceport in Willacy CountyJuly 03, 2011 7:28 PM RAYMONDVILLE ? Ready for a facelift, Willacy County? It just might happen, officials say. Negotiations to bring an aerospace company to Willacy County for commercial satellite launchings are intensifying, according to County Judge John F. Gonzales Jr. If the high-tech company is successful in leasing two sites for a total of about 50 acres, ?it will change the face of Willacy County,? the judge said. The operation he hopes will locate in Willacy County ?will be a NASA-style launch site,? he said. He said he cannot yet release the name of the company. But he said, ?They?ll be investing up to $50 million and hiring 100 to 200 full-time people, from low-end labor up to electrical engineers. Wages will be at least 30 percent above the local norm.? Locating launch sites in Willacy County would be a boon to local businesses, such as motels, restaurants and stores, as engineers, scientists and other workers come in about a month prior to each launch, he said. The events also should bring tourists who want to observe the launches, he said. > The new rockets were tested in December, and the private company that did the testing recovered a reusable container similar to 1960s-type space capsules, the county judge said. He declined to name the company on Tuesday, however. ?I?m under a confidentiality agreement,? he said. He isn?t sure where the tests were conducted. But he said he thinks they were done at Cape Canaveral, Fla., or some other government installation. ?They?re the first private company to have successfully launched a low-altitude space flight and successfully recovered it,? he said of a reusable space capsule to deploy satellites. The capsule would sit atop the rocket and open up to deploy the communications satellites and then fall back to earth to be recovered for reuse, he said. Willacy County is an ideal spot for the launching operations, which are now being conducted on leased government property, such as Cape Canaveral, he said. > ?They have to be close to water, away from populated areas,? he said. ?They have to have at least a 3-mile clear zone around the launch site.? Although Cape Canaveral, Fla., is also at the right latitude, launching over water there still involves firing the rockets over populated areas in the Caribbean, he said. There is actually more clear zone over water for rockets that would be launched from Texas, he said. ?They have to hit a needle (of open space) between Florida and Cuba,? he said. Willacy County isn?t the only possible South Texas site, but the launch sites must be near water, he said. ?If it doesn?t work out here, there are a couple sites in Cameron County. But they would have to buy up some houses there,? he said. Besides Willacy County?s ideal location as a launch site, the recent installation of fiber optic communications cable throughout the county is also vital to the launch operation, Gonzales said. Willacy County officials should know if the deal has been closed within the next two weeks, Gonzales said. RED DOT marks the spot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 So Elon Musk does an NPR Marketwatch interview and adds fuel to the speculation about the proposed Texas spaceport being a SpaceX facility.... http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/07/08/pm-elon-musk-on-the-future-of-space-travel-and-exploration/ >RYSSDAL: And how does it go from here to Florida? MUSK: It goes from here to Texas to get test fired and then it goes to Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg, which is back to California, or we're considering establishing a third site as well which it might be in Texas or somewhere else. > Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majortom1981 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Its probably spacex. Since they have already been successfull in going to leo and have countracts in place to launch satellites and resupply the iss I would think they need to build new facilities. ITs probably cheaper to test something in texas thats launching at fl then to drag it all the way back to california. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 I was thinking that the Texas site is also a slightly lower latitudemthan KSC, giving it a better shot at a GTO slot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cvrt7.62Ghst Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 With the trouble that Musk regularly has with money being on the edge, I am a little surprised that Space X would be selected. However since Space X's goals seem to be the most attainable in this second generation space race, it does make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 What trouble? SpaceX has spent ~$800M on everything they've done from building launch facilities to spacecraft, and on the black side they have >$3B in contracts and growing. With Falcon Heavy going to Vandenberg in late 2012 for a test flight that'll put them in a great position to get military and NRO (spysat) launches - and it just so happens they've opened an office almost across the street from NRO headquarters in Virginia. FH severely undercuts the price of the Delta Heavy now used for those launches, something DoD needs because of budget restraints and the need to replace a lot of their spysats. They' also have outside cash investors and, assuming COTS-2/3 goes well, they plan an IPO for 2012-2013. This would likely be a restricted IPO that would leave Musk in full control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakem1 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Walker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven P. Administrators Posted July 10, 2011 Administrators Share Posted July 10, 2011 It's probably S.P.E.C.T.R.E :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 the future is indeed looking very bright for SpaceX, thanks for the updates as always Doc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebor Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 <snip> It's probably S.P.E.C.T.R.E :p No Its this guy, his plans are coming true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 i will not stand for mocking of space exploration :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleNeutrino Veteran Posted July 13, 2011 Veteran Share Posted July 13, 2011 It's probably S.P.E.C.T.R.E :p That has to be it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unix2 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 They are going to build something close to Mexico, where drug lords are in wars.... Bad choice of a site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 Only other general area at a similar latitude to KSC that wouldn't overfly the continental US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melfster Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 It makes sense to put the space port next to the border because it might help with the Illegal Aliens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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