Photo credit: Kendall Dirks
Elon Musk’s SpaceX may conduct Starship launches from an ocean spacesport as early as next year, as the company is currently hiring offshore operations engineers to help design its next-gen transportation system designed transport astronauts to the Moon, Mars and even places on Earth. Currently, three locations are being considered: Florida’s Space Coast, the South Texas facility, and dedicated offshore platforms, including one off the Mississippi coast. Read more for a video and additional information.
The rumors of an offshore launch started circulating when a SpaceX-affiliated company purchase two oil rigs back during July of 2020 from Valaris. These offshore oil rigs are classified as “ultra-deepwater semi-submersible,” and were acquired for $3.5 million each. These can be easily moved to different locations, while most of the structure floats above the water’s surface, anchgoring itself using pontoon-type columns submerged under water.
- Bring to life the rocket launch that took humans to the moon with the meter-high (approximately 1: 110 scale) model rocket of the NASA Apollo Saturn V
- The Saturn V rocket kit includes 3 removable rocket stages (first, s-ii second, and s-ivb third) below the launch escape system, command and service...
- After building the Saturn V rocket, you can display the spacecraft horizontally with 3 stands; The Lunar Lander docks with the command and service...
SpaceX is building floating, superheavy-class spaceports for Mars, moon & hypersonic travel around Earth,” said Elon Musk on Twitter.