Google Maps updates aerial view of SpaceX Boca Chica facilities

[ecarfan]

The Google Maps aerial view of SpaceX facilities at Boca Chica has been out of date for years but recently got an update. It’s odd how it appears to show roads going through the launch sites, and also how it shows Joanna St going right through the Starbase production area even though that is obviously not a street in the public sense and it is not even continuous; even a SpaceX employee could not drive all the way through it. Also the labeled “SpaceX Launch Control Center” structure is actually used for vehicle construction. Based on the state of the new vehicle production building area I would guess the photos are less than 5 months old.

I’m guessing this image shows B4 and S20?

 

[ecarfan]

Looking at Google Street view on Weems St, it shows the images were taken 10 months ago. The new satellite view images are obviously much more recent because where street view shows empty lots, sat view shows new and apparently completed houses at 52309 and 52319 addresses. That is remarkably fast construction. Or the street view images are actually older than 10 months.

There are about 5 Teslas visible on Weems St.

I am sure that most readers of this forum know that Elon has a residence in the village (it has been widely reported on) and I can see where it is but as a courtesy to him I am not going to post the address. I hope everyone gives him the same courtesy.

 

[Electroman]

A ton of solar panels. Someone smart can count the panels and figure out how much they will generate.

 

[bxr140]

Chef Art also re-vamped the restaurant semi-recently with a new look and menu. (Though I don’t think anything really changed externally). It’s the complex center right of the frame, and specifically the building with a “1” on it.

 

[Ben W]

A ton of solar panels. Someone smart can count the panels and figure out how much they will generate.

I count around 2300 panels. Assuming 380W per panel, that's around 875kW peak, or about 200kW time-averaged.

Meanwhile, the Starship + Super Heavy stack contains about 1500T of liquid methane, which works out to about 22 million kWh of chemical energy. Assuming 80% efficient conversion of solar energy + H2O + CO2 to CH4 (the theoretical limit of the Sabatier process is 86%), it would take around 15 years for this solar array to produce enough energy to power a single orbital Starship launch. (This is also why practical in-situ propellant production on Mars will almost certainly require a nuclear power source.) Someone check my math

 

[Electroman]

Your point well noted, but those panels are used to power the Starbase and not to create fuel to propel the rocket.

 

[Ben W]

Your point well noted, but those panels are used to power the Starbase and not to create fuel to propel the rocket.

True. It was mostly meant to illustrate just how insanely powerful these rockets are.

 

[Electroman]

True. It was mostly meant to illustrate just how insanely powerful these rockets are.

.. or how much energy they use.

Which makes me wonder, perhaps we can use the same rocket fuel to generate power and feed into the grid? Is that an inefficient process? polluting?

.. of course, we digress from the topic...

 

[adiggs]

I count around 2300 panels. Assuming 380W per panel, that's around 875kW peak, or about 200kW time-averaged.

Meanwhile, the Starship + Super Heavy stack contains about 1500T of liquid methane, which works out to about 22 million kWh of chemical energy. Assuming 80% efficient conversion of solar energy + H2O + CO2 to CH4 (the theoretical limit of the Sabatier process is 86%), it would take around 15 years for this solar array to produce enough energy to power a single orbital Starship launch. (This is also why practical in-situ propellant production on Mars will almost certainly require a nuclear power source.) Someone check my math

OR 100x the solar panels. That's shrink the 15 years down to 1.5 years (18 months), down to 1.8 months. Or another 10x to get down to 5 days.

I hear there is a LOT of unused real estate on Mars. Getting the panels there, or manufacturing them in situ might be a challenge ...

 

[bxr140]

Which makes me wonder, perhaps we can use the same rocket fuel to generate power and feed into the grid? Is that an inefficient process? polluting?

When you look at the lifecycle of making, storing, and using the fuel, it’s way too costly for that kind of application. (And also pollute-ey)

FTR there’s a big power plant with 5 or 6 turbines (basically the west-most complex) that augments the solar farm.