Hopefully everything goes well!
Nate
Looking good T-2:00
Hopefully everything goes well!
Nate
Absolutely. However it is important to remember that Space-X has already succeeded in getting launch costs way down. Their success does not rely on successful reuse of the booster or any part of the rocket. If their recovery goals are met, great. It's gravy money, if not, their costs will go up with inflation, and that will still be a huge amount less than ULA, Boeing, Orbital or ESA.I would suggest that the detailed rebuttal in the comments below that article are even more of a must read....
It is confirmed that the next landing attempt is CRS-7. Then it may be a while IIRC as the next few cheduled launches after that are supposed to be from Vandenberg and/or the Falcon Heavy launch.
https://www.spacexstats.com/upcoming.php
According to the the July 15th launch should also be able to attempt a landing and the Vandenberg launch July 22 will attempt a land landing.
https://www.spacexstats.com/upcoming.php
According to the the July 15th launch should also be able to attempt a landing and the Vandenberg launch July 22 will attempt a land landing.
Also BTW - No info on whether there are landing pads completed for a landing. Might be a Chicken-or-the-egg kind of thing, no need for the landing pads without landing permission. But if SpaceX expects to get approval eventually, and have faith in the reuseable program (no reasons not to, the two crashes were not a fundamental flaw, more like bugs to learn what to fix), they might as well get ready so they do not miss an opportunity simply for lack of landing pads being ready (I say pads. Previous posts give info on a big center main pad and four outer "contingency" pads planned for LC-13 and likely the same arrangement at Vandenberg).
While there may be enough "space" for additional landing pads at Vandenberg, it would involve a massive earthmoving project because of the terrain and probably would not be worth it. I don't think it would be landing near any F9 Heavy-specific buildings, as all that would be up at the hangar anyway. It will be interesting to see how they deal with these geographical constraints.
While there may be enough "space" for additional landing pads at Vandenberg, it would involve a massive earthmoving project because of the terrain and probably would not be worth it. I don't think it would be landing near any F9 Heavy-specific buildings, as all that would be up at the hangar anyway. It will be interesting to see how they deal with these geographical constraints.
ThirstyBarbarian, semi related question as I have relatives out there and may partake in watching a launch. Is there even any public viewing on base any more? I know they shut down pad tours there back in the early 2010's, but it seems like they closed the base to the public outright from what I read.
Can I come on base to watch a launch?
Vandenberg Air Force Base is designated as a closed installation. Access to the base for launch viewing is limited to those with base access. Members of the media may contact the Public Affairs office at (805) 606-3595 for accreditation and launch coverage.
When is the next scheduled launch?
Information on upcoming Vandenberg launches is available by calling the Straight Talk Line at 805-606-VAND (8263). Launch day and time is released three to five days in advance and is available on the hotline during that timeframe. Beyond that, only the month and year of the next planned launch will be posted.
Where’s the best place to view a launch?
The public viewing site for Vandenberg launches is off of Corral Road near Vandenberg's main gate. To access the area, take Highway 1 to the Santa Maria Gate and proceed on Lompoc Casmalia Road. At the barriers, turn right onto Corral Road and bear left to the top. The launch countdown net and port-o-lets are set up near the bleachers.
Google is your friend:
https://www.vandenberg.af.mil/questions/topic.asp?id=745
If you could get appointed as a "reporter" for TRF, you could try to get accreditation as "media" to view a launch on base.
It's starting to come back to me now...
I think I've seen this info before. Does anyone know if this spot on the base is a GOOD viewing location? It looks like it is about 10 miles northwest of the pads, and the launches most likely go south. Is that close enough for a good view? Unfortunately, the terrain is very hilly, so the outskirts and farmland around the town of Lompoc are actually much closer and lie between the viewing spot and the pads. But the town and farmland are in a valley and the rocket would have to clear the hills to see it from there. The on-base public viewing location is further away, but it looks like it is also a higher location on the hills north of town. So is it better to be on a hill 10 miles away, or in a valley 5 miles away? Or would it be better to be off the base to the south somewhere?
Does anyone actually live near the base and have any experience watching the launches?
You might want to go to this thread on the NASAspaceflight forum and ask:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=35480.msg1384479#msg1384479
Also, BTW, I was not entirely kidding about getting press media accreditation to see it on the base. Well, the TRF angle would be a longshot. But, for the SpaceX Dragon Abort test a few weeks ago, there were rocketeers who got media credentials on behalf of LAUNCH Magazine (which is coming back as an online entity). Ask "Gus" how, he was there as a LAUNCH reporter. No guarantees, but may be worth a shot.
https://launchmagonline.com/
Come to think of it, there will be a high altitude Dragon abort test later this year, boosted by a Falcon-9 launched from Vandenberg. If they got landing permission in time, that booster might RTLS (though the possibility of an RTLS of that flight even if landings were OK, is more of an external speculation than anything official from SpaceX).
Hmmmm... I actually used to work part time as a newspaper reporter a very long time ago. Maybe I could offer to cover a launch for some news outlet sometime...
I checked the link for LAUNCH above, and there does not seem to be much going on there at this point.
Hmmmm... I actually used to work part time as a newspaper reporter a very long time ago. Maybe I could offer to cover a launch for some news outlet sometime...
I checked the link for LAUNCH above, and there does not seem to be much going on there at this point.
I got a PM from a member with some ideas for a few viewing locations, and what I feared is true. If you get s spot that is close, it will be at a low vantage point, and you won't see the rocket until it is in the air. If you want to see the rocket leave the pad, you need to be at a higher elevation, and the only spots for that are further away. Apparently, the official public site has a pretty good view for some of the launch complexes, even though it seems a bit far away to me.
UPDATE: I just got this email reply from the public relations folks at VAB. I did not ask specifically about launches from SLC-4 East or West, so this info might not apply directly to what I want to see. The Corral Rd site is the official public viewing area, and he says it's not idea for flights from the southern end of the base:
Thank you for your interest in viewing launches from Vandenberg AFB, Our nation's only west-coast spaceport that provides unique capabilities for assured access to and from space.
Currently, most of our space missions fly from south Vandenberg, and the Corral Road site is not ideal to view these launches. South base launches can be viewed from several locations in the Lompoc, Vandenberg Village area. Hwy 246 (Ocean Ave) west of Lompoc will afford and excellent view, as will Floradale Ave between Central and Ocean View. Floradale is about 4.5 miles from the launch site. There are also locations along CA-1 south of Vandenberg AFB that afford a great view, please exert care to stay out of traffic lanes. There are several open areas in Vandenberg Village west of CA-1 that offer excellent vantage points. All of these sites are less than seven miles from most south base complexes. Finally, Harris Grade Rd north of Mission Hills has a couple of pull-outs that offer a great elevated view. This area is about 10 miles from south base sites.
All of the above areas are open to the public. I hope this helps, please let me know if you have further questions.
V/R
LARRY HILL
Chief, Community Relations
30th Space Wing
Vandenberg AFB CA
805-606-6139
Hmmmm... I actually used to work part time as a newspaper reporter a very long time ago. Maybe I could offer to cover a launch for some news outlet sometime...
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