An ordinary person’s view of the Starship/Superheavy countdown
One of my readers, who wishes to go by is nickname Doubting Thomas on Behind the Black, went to Boca Chica earlier this week with the hope of seeing the live first orbital launch of Superheavy with Starship stacked on top. Unfortunately, the launch on April 17, 2023 was scrubbed, and he could not remain in Boca Chica for the now rescheduled launch early tomorrow morning on April 20th.
He sent me some pictures of that experience, however, which I post here with his permission. The best of course is the one to the right, of Starship stacked on Superheavy on the launchpad. This was taken before the roads were closed, and shows how incredibly close the general public can get to that launchpad simply by driving past on a public road.
The next few pictures give us a glimpse at the options people have for viewing future Boca Chica launches.
The first picture to the right shows the entrance sign at the public beach at Boca Chica. Apparently once can drive your car onto the beach and camp there prior to the road closure. You of course then have to stay there, either until after the launch (preferred) or until the roads reopen. I am not sure of the distance from this beach to the launch tower, but it is almost certainly more than five miles. Nonetheless, the view would be grand. See the correction below in the comments.
The second picture shows the entrance to the Rocket Ranch, where Doubting Thomas stayed, who explained,
The Ranch is an old campground purchased by a set of friends who had gone to the Cape to watch the first Falcon Heavy launch and saw a niche business in Brownsville and Boca Chica.
The third picture is actual viewing stands at the Rocket Ranch, dubbed the Outpost. Note the “Don’t Panic!” sign. According to Doubting Thomas, the stands are about 3.85 miles from the orbital launch tower, making this almost as good as the viewing stands for V.I.P.s at Cape Canaveral.
From the Rocket Ranch website:
Rocket Ranch Starbase is a unique camping destination located on the Rio Grande River. We are nestled in the southernmost tip of Texas. Due to the curves in the river, we are literally south of the border. The Space X Starship factory and launch pad are only 8 miles away.
This rugged terrain is where the last battle of the Civil War was fought and is now a wildlife preserve, home to hundreds of species of birds. Only a short drive to one of Texas’ most secluded beaches. We have a lot to offer, so come and stay with us and enjoy this hidden oasis.
You can stay at the ranch either by camping, bringing your own camper, or renting the ranch house. There appears to be a waiting list to make a reservation, but then, why should that surprise us?
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
One of my readers, who wishes to go by is nickname Doubting Thomas on Behind the Black, went to Boca Chica earlier this week with the hope of seeing the live first orbital launch of Superheavy with Starship stacked on top. Unfortunately, the launch on April 17, 2023 was scrubbed, and he could not remain in Boca Chica for the now rescheduled launch early tomorrow morning on April 20th.
He sent me some pictures of that experience, however, which I post here with his permission. The best of course is the one to the right, of Starship stacked on Superheavy on the launchpad. This was taken before the roads were closed, and shows how incredibly close the general public can get to that launchpad simply by driving past on a public road.
The next few pictures give us a glimpse at the options people have for viewing future Boca Chica launches.
The first picture to the right shows the entrance sign at the public beach at Boca Chica. Apparently once can drive your car onto the beach and camp there prior to the road closure. You of course then have to stay there, either until after the launch (preferred) or until the roads reopen. I am not sure of the distance from this beach to the launch tower, but it is almost certainly more than five miles. Nonetheless, the view would be grand. See the correction below in the comments.
The second picture shows the entrance to the Rocket Ranch, where Doubting Thomas stayed, who explained,
The Ranch is an old campground purchased by a set of friends who had gone to the Cape to watch the first Falcon Heavy launch and saw a niche business in Brownsville and Boca Chica.
The third picture is actual viewing stands at the Rocket Ranch, dubbed the Outpost. Note the “Don’t Panic!” sign. According to Doubting Thomas, the stands are about 3.85 miles from the orbital launch tower, making this almost as good as the viewing stands for V.I.P.s at Cape Canaveral.
From the Rocket Ranch website:
Rocket Ranch Starbase is a unique camping destination located on the Rio Grande River. We are nestled in the southernmost tip of Texas. Due to the curves in the river, we are literally south of the border. The Space X Starship factory and launch pad are only 8 miles away.
This rugged terrain is where the last battle of the Civil War was fought and is now a wildlife preserve, home to hundreds of species of birds. Only a short drive to one of Texas’ most secluded beaches. We have a lot to offer, so come and stay with us and enjoy this hidden oasis.
You can stay at the ranch either by camping, bringing your own camper, or renting the ranch house. There appears to be a waiting list to make a reservation, but then, why should that surprise us?
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Robert – Gratified that my pictures help your readers see what an amazing thing is going on in my home state of Texas. One minor correction that I am sure my communications to you was unclear on.
The beach sign picture is right on the road that goes by the launch pad and empties out on the beach. If you stood the way the sign picture was taken and right faced plus a bit you would be looking up the dunes at the stacked Starship about 1,000 feet away. The Cameron County sheriffs clear the beach all the way to the Mexico border (about 3 miles miles south on the beach) and about 4 1/2 miles in the other direction (north). But when roadblocks are not established, you could (and I have had) beachside cookouts in sight of the Orbital Launch Mount. Many people there predict that the opportunity to walk down the road that close to a spaceship will eventually go away. I did not want to miss the rare historical opportunity.
The next closest beach is Isla Blanca Park on the southern tip of South Padre Island that is about 11 miles away almost due north. To enter, they charge $12 cash, exact change not necessary. It gets pretty crowded.
I’m not an investor in Rocket Ranch but their Outpost I think is the closest site to view from. It’ll cost you $100 to $200 per person. I bought the Mesosphere experience which is the aluminum tower on top of the conex box labeled “Don’t Panic”.
I’m bummed I can’t be there tomorrow. But I plan to come back when SpaceX starts catching boosters and ships with the chopstick arms.
Thanks for your great site and thanks to many of the people who comment here, I learn much from them too.
Doubting Thomas: Thank you for the clarification in connection to the beach sign.
Doubting Thomas:
Great Stuff!
Pivoting– Who is aware of the solar eclipse??
I’ll drop this in here:
Total Solar Eclipse
Perth Observatory / timeanddate.com
https://youtu.be/ifILl7GeZpE
Typo Alert:
2nd paragraph
“He send me some pictures of that experience,”
I can’t resist:
Dark Side of the Moon
Synced with the eclipse in Australia
https://youtu.be/FhD3mZPi_fE
wayne: Thank you. Typo fixed.
“…who wishes to go by (h)is nickname…”
okay THIS is worth waking up for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1wcilQ58hI
D’oh!
Well, at least they reached the point where they could attempt a stage-separation…
Mr. Ross:
Yeah, it sure looked like the booster never separated from the payload before it started its flip maneuver. That, or they lost control of the booster/payload combination.
Do we know yet if it blew up inadvertently, or if ground control sent the self-destruct signal?
As it is, at least it got off the ground in one piece. I’m sure the post-mortem will be interesting.
Refresh Behind the Black. I have a report on the flight.