- Apr 26, 2019
- 2 min
SpaceX Toxic Red Cloud
In a followup story to last Saturday's explosion and destruction of the SpaceX Crew capsule at Cape Canaveral, Florida Today reports that the explosion released a very toxic red cloud. Hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide are instantaneously explosive when mixed and extremely toxic by themselves. The Spaceport Camden draft EIS specifically lists these as two propellants that will be used and stored at the Camden spaceport. These fuels are commonly used to propel satellites and
- Apr 21, 2019
- 2 min
SpaceX’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week
After two good years of operations and plenty of positive publicity, SpaceX just had a pretty terrible week. Last Tuesday, SpaceX launched their Falcon Heavy rocket for the second time, but one of the three 1st stages toppled from the landing barge into the ocean. This was a pure accident but points out that the best-laid plans often end poorly or differently than expected despite preparations for success. That is why Camden’s refusal to release the spaceport risk analysis da
- Apr 19, 2019
- 4 min
Spaceport Zero
Spaceport Camden promoters will have to do better than having the Coca-Cola Space Center Executive Director come down from Columbus (GA) State University to tell us how wonderful the spaceport will be. He’s excited about Spaceport Camden because Georgia STEM students will benefit when some “engage” with rockets at Camden rather than at launch sites closer to their schools. In fact, the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville and Woodville launch sites are closer to his stude
- Apr 8, 2019
- 3 min
Why Do Spaceport Promoters Get the Facts So Wrong?
The Camden Roundtable promotes itself by providing an email summary of each previous Roundtable meeting. After last week’s Roundtable meeting, their email writer penned, “My biggest take-a-way was what Dr. Cruzen called ‘The Camden Advantage’. The latitude of Camden County relative to other potential spaceports gives it a 894-mph advantage! That is why companies will choose Spaceport Camden over many others!” I didn’t attend Dr. Cruzen’s presentation, but I suspect this exper
- Apr 4, 2019
- 1 min
Georgia Tech Did Not Launch From Spaceport Camden
I wish I had attended Georgia Tech after graduating from Atlanta’s Grady High School in 1966. I might have gone on to be a rocket scientist and engineer like members of the team that just launched an experimental rocket in Camden County. Their roll control device looks promising. It's a great design and engineering achievement to have accomplished while in college. I'm sure they'll be successful where ever their careers take them. But make no mistake about it, the Georgia Tec
