The Brobdingnagian and The Grasshopper

Last Sunday I rode north from Austin up to McGregor, via the west side of Fort Hood. I was going to look for The Grasshopper.

Passing through Gatesville I encountered a Brobdingnagian thing driving down the main drag:

Pretty impressive.

I proceeded on to the old Naval Ordinance Plant near McGregor, where I visited the SpaceX rocket test facility.


I was looking for 'The Grasshopper'. For a while now Elon Musk (super genius CEO of SpaceX) has been saying he wants his boosters, after they separate from their payloads, to be able to come back to earth and land under their own power, DC-X style.

About a year ago the FAA gave SpaceX permission to fly hoovering rockets over the McGregor test area. Then last week's Aviation Week magazine had a little not saying that SpaceX was fix'n to test this hoovering rocket at McGregor.

The thing that really caught my attention was that they said this 'Grasshopper' vehicle was over 100 feet tall. That's much larger than the small hoovering rockets being developed by Masten and Armadillo Aerospace.

Looking around I saw what I thought at first might be a water tower. But I've never seen a water tower with what looks like a space capsule sitting on top of it.

Looking through a telephoto lens, it was clear that I was looking at Grasshopper:

When I got back I discovered that Elon had just tweeted a 15 second video of the Grasshopper's first flight, which reached the nosebleed altitude of SIX FEET!


Here is a simulation of the real thing.

In other SpaceX, tune in the NASA channel on October 7, that's the launch date for the first operational SpaceX mission, delivering and returning cargo to and from the Space Station.

That looks like a really heavy load, especially for its size. Maybe it has to do with lead and nuclear material. Back in the 60's my Dad worked for Garrett Freightlines in Idaho and on occasion he would haul nuclear material (waste I imagine) from the Atomic Energy Commission site in Idaho.

You would see a full semi flatbed with one container on it about the size of a short phone booth. The drivers also had escorts when they hauled this stuff. One in front and one in back of the truck. And we didn't even have terrorists back then.

coupe930 said:

That looks like a really heavy load, especially for its size...

Click to expand...

One of the commenters on Youtube identified that load as being a Chinese made wind generator.

You made me hungry now. All I can think about now is the Brobdingnagian Prime Rib at Gulliver's Restaurant.

_

UPDATE!!!!! - I have been accepted by NASA as 'Social Media Press' for the October 7 launch of the ISS resupply mission launch of the SpaceX Dragon/Falcon rocket!!!!

About two weeks ago @NASA tweeted that they were accepting applications for social media press, and they gave a link to a web form to fill out. I filled it out, never thinking they might pick me. I only filled it out for the same reason I sometimes buy a lottery ticket. It's fun to think about winning, and you can't win without a ticket.

I will be given a press badge, a small desk in the press room, allowed to attend the various briefings and press conferences, and allowed to watch the launch from the press viewing area!!!!

THEY PICKED ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I AM GOBSMACKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Since there is an implied promise from me to NASA to report the launch on as many internet venues as possible, expect a full report here during and after the launch!!!!!!!!

PS: I hope Candy Crowley shows up for CNN, I've always wanted to hit on her!

Well obviously its a CCWE, or maybe the updated version of the CCWE,...the CCWF. Sorry, couldn't help it.

It appears to be a 5.0MW semi-direct drive type permanent-magnet wind turbine generator system. The physical scale looks right from their schematic and the magnets would ensure it required special handling.

Looks like the big brother of this one with a different paint job: