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cheap_as_chips t1_jbqiazv wrote

I still can't take the name "Space Force" seriously. Sounds like something from a bad comedy

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mrmow49120 t1_jbqw28r wrote

Space force is just such a cartoon character name

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Uhgfda t1_jbr3rxw wrote

So the pads used for space x landings have been allocated to another company? Interesting.

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TheEarthquakeGuy t1_jbr8oz8 wrote

Replying to reddit455 (#2,205,654)

Not only do they land on the pads, the launch companies in question currently are developing rockets that launch from mobile launchers - Daytona for Phantom and Dauntless for Vaya Space.

So in theory, these launchers should be able to use the concrete pads without interruption and SpaceX move any impending RTLS flights to ships.

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rider1deep t1_jbrjdup wrote

Should’ve been called the United States Space Command and be a department of the Air Force. USSC would’ve been an awesome acronym.

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CrimsonEnigma t1_jbrt9gk wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#2,205,441)

The PNAC first advocated for the Space Force in "Rebuilding America’s Defenses", a September 2000 document. But talk of spinning off the Air Force Space Command into its own branch, including the name "Space Force", dates back to the 1990s.

Also, although this is kind of beside the point, PNAC didn't become the Tea Party. PNAC went defunct in 2006. Its remnants would go on to form the Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI) in 2009. The Tea Party rose to prominence in 2009, but not out of PNAC or FPI; if anything, it came out of Ron Paul's ill-fated 2008 Presidential Run. The Tea Party movement and FPI were at odds with each other early-on, with Tea Party leaders accusing FPI of trying to "co-opt their movement" (the dispute largely arose over whether or not military spending should be lowered or raised).

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mfb- t1_jbru7pl wrote

Replying to TheEarthquakeGuy (#2,205,813)

SpaceX lands on the ground once every 1-2 months and there are two landing zones (only some FH flights need both) so sharing the pads might work. If not, building another concrete pad isn't a big deal.

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danteheehaw t1_jbrw3tl wrote

Replying to Uhgfda (#2,205,663)

But some ancient astronaut theorist believe that they are in fact, extraterrestrial landing pads. How could a primitive civilization, such as Florida, have access to this kind of technology?

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mfb- t1_jbs50o1 wrote

Replying to NerfSchlerfen (#2,207,016)

The Falcon family won't retire before 2030 the earliest because it's flying Dragon missions to the ISS, but Falcon boosters returning to Florida might become rare once Starship can fly routinely.

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NerfSchlerfen t1_jbs5omx wrote

Replying to mfb- (#2,207,116)

If all they're being used for in 8 years time is crewed missions they might just fly the last 10 missions expendable. IIRC though there are also some Artemis missions booked for Falcon Heavy?

My personal guess is those contracts won't live more than a few years once it becomes clear what a gamechanger Starship is but that's just speculation :P

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Xeglor-The-Destroyer t1_jbschh0 wrote

Replying to mfb- (#2,207,116)

> The Falcon family won't retire before 2030 the earliest because it's flying Dragon missions to the ISS

Probably, yeah, although Dragon missions don't RTLS so SpaceX can give up the landing pads while still fulfilling their ISS contracts.

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Fizzy_Astronaut t1_jbsqgxk wrote

Enjoyable isn’t the word I would have chosen either. I had high hopes cause Steve Carell, but Jesus was that bad. I’m amazed they got a second season.

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Dragonshaggy t1_jbstnu0 wrote

Replying to rider1deep (#2,206,292)

There already is a U.S. Space Command - USSPACECOM. It’s the combatant command responsible applying war fighting assets from all service components (army, navy, marines, Air Force, and space force) in defense of the space domain. Similar to the combatant command USEUCOM is responsible for European defense by applying war fighting assets from all of the services. Space Command is the combatant arm, space force is the component responsible for organizing, training, and equipping space forces.

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danielravennest t1_jbtisbu wrote

Replying to Uhgfda (#2,205,571)

No, they will be shared use. A "Launch complex" is pretty large because of the safety buffer zone needed around it. These were originally set up for larger rockets. A near empty Falcon 9 and these smaller rockets going up are smaller hazards, so they can be spaced enough to not damage each other, but still share one launch complex.

Also, SpaceX doesn't use the landing pads very often any more, and when they do the rocket is gone in a few hours. As long as the new rockets aren't trying to launch at the same time (i.e. loaded with fuel), they don't really conflict.

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danielravennest t1_jbtjdwx wrote

Replying to NerfSchlerfen (#2,207,135)

Falcon Heavy is planned to be the launcher for parts of the Lunar Gateway station in lunar orbit. Starship, which has its own launch pads, is going to be the excessively oversized lunar lander, plus tanker flights to refill it in low Earth orbit.

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Decronym t1_jbtkzxi wrote

Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I've seen in this thread:

|Fewer Letters|More Letters| |-------|---------|---| |ASDS|Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship (landing platform)| |DoD|US Department of Defense| |RTLS|Return to Launch Site| |USAF|United States Air Force|

^(4 acronyms in this thread; )^(the most compressed thread commented on today)^( has 18 acronyms.)
^([Thread #8677 for this sub, first seen 11th Mar 2023, 16:41]) ^[FAQ] ^([Full list]) ^[Contact] ^([Source code])

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cjameshuff t1_jbtuy8w wrote

Replying to TheEarthquakeGuy (#2,205,813)

> and SpaceX move any impending RTLS flights to ships.

RTLS missions only exist in the first place because it's cheaper and faster, and avoids contention for the ASDS ships, which are unavailable for significant periods of time as they transport cores back and move out to support the next landing. Moving an RTLS landing to an ASDS has a substantial cost and schedule impact, and isn't something SpaceX is going to want to do regularly.

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