Alabama gets ready for a new Space race? (Huntsville, Centre: construction, contractor)

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by AU HSV

They claim it puts national security at risk..Breaking news, the country will be destroyed by our own. No outside force will, our overseas enemies just have to be patient and sit back and watch.

The way things are going, that's true.

I'm not sure how they conclude that moving Space Command to Huntsville would be a national security risk though. Perhaps because of all the other things on Redstone? If that's the case, it doesn't wash. There are a few federal headquarters close together in Washington and numerous other locations ....

[Rick In Madison]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

I suppose Alabama will have to stop requiring ID for voting and legalize marijuana - and elect Democrats - to stay in the running.

Let them keep it if that is what is required.

We all knew that it would be pulled. Logic and politics do not mix.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by Rick In Madison

Let them keep it if that is what is required.

We all knew that it would be pulled. Logic and politics do not mix.

That's probably the bottom line, and in the end it's not that big a deal and not surprising. In fact, it would be surprising that there was no opposition, especially under a new administration. But as a tax-paying citizen it's disagreeable to see, up close and personal, politics override sensibility. Obviously it happens all the time but it's along the lines of rubbing a cat's fur backward - irritating.

It's quite possible that Trump had some role in the decision since Alabama voted for Trump, but that in itself is political. The presidential vote wasn't overwhelmingly one-sided locally, but it was statewide and that's what counts in the long run. The current Sec Def is for the move to Huntsville, but he's an Alabama native and even so, I wouldn't expect him to try and buck the system (at the expense of his job) if the Harris administration insisted that the Hq stay in Colorado, which of course would be a totally political decision.

[Dangerous-Boy]

Will Alabama construct a space port?

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by Dangerous-Boy

Will Alabama construct a space port?

What do you mean by "space port"? If you mean somewhere to launch a vehicle into space, the answer is no, at least not in the forseeable future because of the safety of people and things on the ground. There's nowhere to launch them safely from Alabama. If you'll look at a map of the US, you'll note that KSC in Florida can launch due east without dropping vehicle stages on populated areas (plus some other azimuths up to and including the space station orbit, but you lose a lot of "oomph" there the farther north the azimuth is). That's why it was located where it is. Same with Vandenburg - a vehicle can be launched due south from there (for polar orbits) and only drop vehicle parts in the Pacific. They can't launch any other direction because they'd be overflying land. There's no place in Alabama to safely lauch space vehicles from. Even if you were to go due south, there's Mexico to consider.

Ideally, for orbits other than polar (which enables the satellite to overfly every point on the globe at one time or the other), it needs to be as far south as possible to get the greatest benefit from the Earth's rotation, which is about 1,000 mph at the equator.

[Dangerous-Boy]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

What do you mean by "space port"? If you mean somewhere to launch a vehicle into space, the answer is no, at least not in the forseeable future because of the safety of people and things on the ground. There's nowhere to launch them safely from Alabama. If you'll look at a map of the US, you'll note that KSC in Florida can launch due east without dropping vehicle stages on populated areas (plus some other azimuths up to and including the space station orbit, but you lose a lot of "oomph" there the farther north the azimuth is). That's why it was located where it is. Same with Vandenburg - a vehicle can be launched due south from there (for polar orbits) and only drop vehicle parts in the Pacific. They can't launch any other direction because they'd be overflying land. There's no place in Alabama to safely lauch space vehicles from. Even if you were to go due south, there's Mexico to consider.

Ideally, for orbits other than polar (which enables the satellite to overfly every point on the globe at one time or the other), it needs to be as far south as possible to get the greatest benefit from the Earth's rotation, which is about 1,000 mph at the equator.

Then why is space force command going to be based in AL? It should be based in Florida so they can deploy.


How are Colonial space marines supposed to launch if there's no spaceport?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn45pl8yXzk

[MisterEd51]

Originally Posted by Dangerous-Boy

Then why is space force command going to be based in AL? It should be based in Florida so they can deploy.

How are Colonial space marines supposed to launch if there's no spaceport?

The military launches rockets from many places. Florida is just one of them.

The military does not have any plans for manned space operations. At least for now. Most operations will be unmanned ones.

Space Command is a high level military command. It doesn't have to be anywhere near where actual operations are done.

Here is a question for you. Why is Norad located in a mountain near Colorado Springs, Colorado? There are no rockets or the ability to launch them there either.

Space Command's mission is: "To conduct operations in, from, and through space to deter conflict, and if necessary, defeat aggression, deliver space combat power for the Joint/Combined force, and defend U.S. vital interests with allies and partners.

United States Space Command
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United..._Space_Command

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by Dangerous-Boy

Then why is space force command going to be based in AL? It should be based in Florida so they can deploy.

How are Colonial space marines supposed to launch if there's no spaceport?

Let me answer it another way, a "command" does not need to be where the launch site is. A launch site is an "operational site".

A command is the management center. It has officers who makes decisions and staff to support the officers.

The Redstone has several "commands" within the Army but not many "soldiers" with guns on base. The soldiers are deployed to many forward operating bases throughout the world.

Same logic.

[FatTails]

The era of government ran launches is coming to an end. Too many private companies (SpaceX in particular) are doing it faster, better, and cheaper. I think Musk even bought two oil rigs in order to start launching his rockets from the middle of the ocean.

[MisterEd51]

Originally Posted by FatTails

The era of government ran launches is coming to an end. Too many private companies (SpaceX in particular) are doing it faster, better, and cheaper. I think Musk even bought two oil rigs in order to start launching his rockets from the middle of the ocean.

Don't forget that Musk is launching Starship test flights from Texas.

You can't confine launch site to where civilian rockets are launched. Both NASA and SpaceX have had collaborative launches with the military but the military and civilian have different needs and alliances. Since the Space Command and Space Force are military you have to look where their needs are focused. Here are some recent examples:

• A Northrop Grumman Minotaur 4 classified launch for the National Reconnaissance Office that lifted off in July from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia
• Virgin Orbit to deploy satellites for Space Force using rockets released from under the wing of a Boeing 747 airliner
• Virgin Orbit’s Space Force contracts is to launch the STP-27VP mission from the the island of Guam in the Western Pacific
• The Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center is developing two optical sensor payloads that are scheduled to launch from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center in 2023 and 2024.

Space Force’s small launch program looks to pick up pace after a year of delays
https://spacenews.com/space-forces-s...ear-of-delays/

Japanese military strengthens ties with U.S. Space Command
https://spacenews.com/japanese-milit...space-command/