hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

wgc · 2004-09-07 06:51:55

All the talk over the last few days of a direct hit by a hurricane haveing the potential to shutdown the US space program makes me think that someone should reconsider the idea of a backup westcoast launch facility.

The airforce built the shuttle launch complex at vandenburg AF (sl6) than abandoned it after the challenger disaster.

comstar03 · 2004-09-07 07:01:08

Actually there should be more than one, backup facility, what about using other global partners and using their launch facilities or upgrading them to use the same launch vehicles.

wgc · 2004-09-07 07:18:00

Actually there should be more than one, backup facility, what about using other global partners and using their launch facilities or upgrading them to use the same launch vehicles.

I think our global partners have already shown what kind of partners they are.
I can see it now, we pour billions of dollars into building a launch facility for them, a hurricane disrupts our Florida launch facility for an indefinate amount of time and our "global Partners" lock us out unless we pay them some exorbinate price. re: Russia and ISS.

I'd rather put the money into a US facility.

comstar03 · 2004-09-07 07:23:50

I see we are going far into space with that attitude , I hope that is not a general space community feeling, or gonz the gorilla will get to mars before the human race will.

SpaceNut · 2004-09-07 07:33:42

There is more on this topic under the free chat
NASA & Hurricane Frances
http://www.newmars.com/cgi-bin....3;t=588

With all the damage how will Nasa pay for the repair costs and still do the vision of to the Moon, Mars and beyound?
These storms have been devistating and more are still to come as we have entered hurricane season for Florida. Maybe it is time to thing of alternative launch sites for ISS missions further north where it is less likely to be effected by such storms.

wgc · 2004-09-07 07:52:10

I see we are going far into space with that attitude , I hope that is not a general space community feeling, or gonz the gorilla will get to mars before the human race will.

Especially if we pause for 2 years every time we lose a vehicle.
Hopefully the gorilla leaders will have more brains.....

I don't mean to be so negative, but the US has beared most of the costs for the ISS, I don't think its unreasonable for the other partners to contribute more to the effort than they have.
That may seem like a very nationalistic opinion , but I don't like the position this country put ourselves into

SpaceNut · 2004-09-07 08:14:13

But if we had done a pay as you go approach by are self, this would mean that we would not be doing anything at all with the ISS due to the shuttle disasters. Also we would be looking not to keep build and expanding the station but on module replacements when they become old.

SpaceNut · 2004-09-07 08:55:02

Effects of hurricane could delay space shuttle launch

Vehicles secure; launch facilities are less certain
http://www.floridatoday.com/!NE....LES.htm

Hurricane spares shuttles, but ...
Facility damage could expose them to real danger if a new storm hits
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/space/2781561

wgc · 2004-09-07 09:46:05

Effects of hurricane could delay space shuttle launch
Vehicles secure; launch facilities are less certain
http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/h … ...LES.htm
Hurricane spares shuttles, but ...
Facility damage could expose them to real danger if a new storm hits
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mp … ce/2781561

VL6 didn't have a massive VAB building so I presume that the building isn't required for shuttle stacking, as long as the equipment contained within isn't damaged.

I believe the story said that they might be able to avoid delays if they use the palmdale tile facility.

Still this is what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket, what happens when something happens to the basket. This applies equally well to the spacecoast or planet earth for that matter.

Some of these assets ideally need to be moved off-planet.

Commodore · 2004-09-07 10:04:23

We need more than one launch center so we can launch more stuff at the same time, and so no single event disrupts our access to space.

And it would help if they more than 6 or so feet above sea level as well.

SpaceNut · 2004-09-07 10:08:49

While maybe a little off subject but to the point on structural shape, how about buildings that are domed shape. The article also gets into construction techniques.

Eye on the Storms
Home Built to Withstand Hurricanes — and to Enjoy a Beachfront View
http://abcnews.go.com/section....-1.html

SpaceNut · 2004-09-08 08:28:58

Senate full committee review of Nasa live web cast covering shuttle upgrades and storm clean up.

http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/wit … fm?id=1299

Web cast link
http://commerce.senate.gov/live.ram

SpaceNut · 2004-09-08 09:20:14

Questions and testimony focused on budget passed by the house, funding that trully is needed, effects of underfunding, asked to lump sum storm damage into getting addition funding by others as well, off loading of shuttle payloads to the ISS to commercial vendors if possible, Heavy lift options for exploration, what heavy exist today only SDV, Delays of technology delivering of new designs to the CEV constellation project with projects of an additional possible delay of 6 years beyound the 2014 timeline worst case.

2008 is unmanned spiral 1 level of constellation cev project.

SpaceNut · 2004-09-08 10:01:54

The last portion of testimonies questions sort of hinted at down sizing the number of projects programs in order to concentrate the current funding towards those programs and projects that are a must.

Dook · 2004-09-08 10:18:34

Ideally spacecraft should be launched from the equator so they take advantage of the earth's rotation but I wouldn't build a launch facility in another country. I don't think there is really a need for another launch complex but building one in Southern Texas might be an option.

SpaceNut · 2004-09-08 11:01:25

Well if Nasa did not already have it bad enough with the funding issues and with the storms.

NASA may 'move' west

Shuttle shop needs home after Frances
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413 … 54,00.html

NASA is considering using Boeing's Palmdale facility to manufacture protective thermal tiles for the space shuttle fleet after Hurricane Frances heavily damaged the tile shop in Florida.

Now news of Russian budget for space comes along.
Russia to Spend Less Than $1Bln on Space Programs in 2005
http://www.mosnews.com/money/2004/09/08 … dget.shtml

SpaceNut · 2004-10-25 20:28:57

If Nasa did not have it bad enough already with all the huricanes that it has endured now it is in a Heightened security at KSC reflects fears of election-related attack, NASA official says.

http://www.floridatoday.com/topstories/ … curity.htm

Commodore · 2004-10-25 20:41:30

Ideally spacecraft should be launched from the equator so they take advantage of the earth's rotation but I wouldn't build a launch facility in another country. I don't think there is really a need for another launch complex but building one in Southern Texas might be an option.

Porto Rico maybe, or one of our pacific possesions.

Although if they "can't stand" a few small rockets impacting an uninhabited area, then I doubt they'll stand some big ones taking off.

Granted, this does nothing to avoid the hurricanes, but the damage can be avoided by building it right.

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#1 2004-09-07 06:51:55

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#2 2004-09-07 07:01:08

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#3 2004-09-07 07:18:00

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#4 2004-09-07 07:23:50

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#5 2004-09-07 07:33:42

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#6 2004-09-07 07:52:10

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#7 2004-09-07 08:14:13

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#8 2004-09-07 08:55:02

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#9 2004-09-07 09:46:05

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#10 2004-09-07 10:04:23

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#11 2004-09-07 10:08:49

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#12 2004-09-08 08:28:58

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#13 2004-09-08 09:20:14

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#14 2004-09-08 10:01:54

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#15 2004-09-08 10:18:34

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#16 2004-09-08 11:01:25

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#17 2004-10-25 20:28:57

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

#18 2004-10-25 20:41:30

Re: hurricanes, should we have kept sl6

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