(Mar 19, 2019 04:50 PM)Syne Wrote: [ -> ]It always looks like its covered in tinfoil.
Down below is BocaChicaGal's photo of the Hopper from this morning, showing that it's popped a tinfoil panel.
https://twitter.com/bocachicagal?lang=en
Reportedly the thin stainless skin is just tack welded to the structure underneath. The Hopper went through multiple fueling, de-fueling cycles last week, and one panel seems to have come loose.
Note the single Raptor engine and the hold-down ties on the Hopper's legs. (Do they look strong enough to restrain it if it really wants to go?)
Weather conditions make the hopper invisible from the Live-Cam six miles away in South Padre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocVSQBJOpDo
But BocaChicaGal says that as far as she knows, testing is on for today.
Edit: 2:40 CDT -- BocaChicaGal reports that the road is closed but there are still workers at the base of the Hopper. Fog is starting to clear in the live-feed.
In other SpaceX news, another Falcon Heavy is set to be static-fired at Cape Canaveral tomorrow. It will be livestreamed, somewhere on the internet. (I think that Kerbal Space is going to do it, I'll try to find and post a link because I want to watch.)
Edit 2: I think that there might be a live feed here tomorrow:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSUu1li...kKtDOJdsBA
(Mar 28, 2019 09:50 PM)C C Wrote: [ -> ]Location continually sounds not remote enough, still too busy and populated.
Apparently SpaceX wants to purchase all of the surrounding privately owned properties, including all of Boca Chica village. Wikipedia says that in 2017, Boca Chica Village only had 4 permanent residents in two homes along with maybe 20 seasonal residents.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boca_Chica_Village,_Texas
They are too close though, for safety. Especially if Elon eventually is launching giant BFRs from there. I hope that Elon pays them handsomely for their properties. Including the extraordinary Boca Chica Gal and her husband who appear to be half the permanent residents. The space geeks are currently trying to arrange LabPadre setting up his live stream camera at their retirement dream-house (that Elon wants to take from them) a short distance away from SpaceX's burgeoning spaceship shipyard.
Come on Elon! You can afford it. Give Boca Chica Gal and her husband enough to pay for an even better property elsewhere along the Gulf Coast with a nice profit to reward them through their retirement years for the hassle of moving. She's even into space travel! Surely you can relate to that.