I'm British and have always appreciated my many working trips to the USA. One of our drones is registered with the FAA. I've closely followed SpaceX, especially since the historic test launch of Falcon Heavy and that incredible simultaneous double landing of the first stage side boosters. And what can you say about the phenomenal rise of the Starship production and test facility at Boca Chica (now in the process of being renamed as Starbase)? Wow! Mars: here we come...
Many thousands of people - from all over the world - were watching the build up to the latest test launch yesterday: SN11. Then came the announcement that the FAA safety inspector - a recent requirement - couldn't get to Boca Chica in time for the launch. So it's being delayed until today - Elon announcing that it will be an early morning launch at 8am local. Spare a thought here for the hundreds of SpaceX employees who work in shifts round the clock because this is the space race. (China, anyone?)
The FAA had already been involved in giving permission for the latest launch, including posting Temporary Flight Restrictions etc. So why couldn't the inspector get to Boca Chica? Apparently he didn't check his email until it was too late.
I appreciate that the FAA's main duties are to keep air travel safe (like our own CAA here in the UK). And air travel is the safest form of travel. Regulating drones is an add-on. Rocket flight safety is another. But the FAA are not doing themselves any favours in terms of their reputation or that of America's in general. (And, yes, British media are reporting the unfortunate stumblings and forgetfulness of the latest Commander in Chief, which doesn't exude confidence.) They recently dragged their heels delaying an earlier Starship test flight - which didn't go down well internationally. And now this farce.
The FAA's wording for the recent requirement of having an inspector on site beggars belief. It states that the FAA Safety Inspector has to be "present at the Boca Chica Launch and Landing site for flight". Now the launch pad and landing pad are very close to one another, so a leisurely stroll to get from one to the other is easily possible within the 6+ minutes of flight time (even for a government employee). But everyone else has to be OUTSIDE the exclusion zone. I appreciate you need to see detail to do your job, but isn't this a wee bit too close? Three Raptor engines kick out quite a bit of thrust - not to mention the 27 Raptors that will be powering Super Heavy in the future. And what happens if there's another RUD (Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly) on landing? How will the FAA inspector report back to HQ? He or she will be toast. And that's without considering any heat stress that might happen at takeoff.
Anyway, moaning and joking apart, anyone interested should begin watching at 12.00 UTC. You get the usual five points if you spot the SpaceX drone in the air. (Viva the drone pilot!) But now there's a whopper 20 additional points on offer if you spot the FAA inspector (on fire or not).
Many thousands of people - from all over the world - were watching the build up to the latest test launch yesterday: SN11. Then came the announcement that the FAA safety inspector - a recent requirement - couldn't get to Boca Chica in time for the launch. So it's being delayed until today - Elon announcing that it will be an early morning launch at 8am local. Spare a thought here for the hundreds of SpaceX employees who work in shifts round the clock because this is the space race. (China, anyone?)
The FAA had already been involved in giving permission for the latest launch, including posting Temporary Flight Restrictions etc. So why couldn't the inspector get to Boca Chica? Apparently he didn't check his email until it was too late.
I appreciate that the FAA's main duties are to keep air travel safe (like our own CAA here in the UK). And air travel is the safest form of travel. Regulating drones is an add-on. Rocket flight safety is another. But the FAA are not doing themselves any favours in terms of their reputation or that of America's in general. (And, yes, British media are reporting the unfortunate stumblings and forgetfulness of the latest Commander in Chief, which doesn't exude confidence.) They recently dragged their heels delaying an earlier Starship test flight - which didn't go down well internationally. And now this farce.
The FAA's wording for the recent requirement of having an inspector on site beggars belief. It states that the FAA Safety Inspector has to be "present at the Boca Chica Launch and Landing site for flight". Now the launch pad and landing pad are very close to one another, so a leisurely stroll to get from one to the other is easily possible within the 6+ minutes of flight time (even for a government employee). But everyone else has to be OUTSIDE the exclusion zone. I appreciate you need to see detail to do your job, but isn't this a wee bit too close? Three Raptor engines kick out quite a bit of thrust - not to mention the 27 Raptors that will be powering Super Heavy in the future. And what happens if there's another RUD (Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly) on landing? How will the FAA inspector report back to HQ? He or she will be toast. And that's without considering any heat stress that might happen at takeoff.
Anyway, moaning and joking apart, anyone interested should begin watching at 12.00 UTC. You get the usual five points if you spot the SpaceX drone in the air. (Viva the drone pilot!) But now there's a whopper 20 additional points on offer if you spot the FAA inspector (on fire or not).