Five reasons to visit Starbase as soon as possible – Kosmonautix.cz

The company’s missile base SpaceX The starbase at the southernmost tip of Texas is incredibly open these days. One gets to the rockets slowly within arm’s reach. But this openness will not last forever and the base will gradually close. It is completely understandable, for example, at Cape Canaveral, the guide of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum explained to us that, in addition to the usual visitors, Russian and Chinese “tourists” with half-meter lenses went to the active complexes, who photographed not only the memorials of the American space force, but also the active technology and ramps. Which did not please the investors of many private projects.

Thanks to such tourists, the bus tours around Cape Canaveral were canceled. And we can forget about their restoration. It is only open to visitors Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island.

At the Starbase, SpaceX’s private land violations are starting to increase, for example, in late January, four Chinese tourists entered the hangar and took pictures of everything they could. In another case, a woman claiming to be Elon Musk’s wife broke into the base. It turned out that she did not have all five together and ended up in the care of Dr. Chocholouška.

It’s so understandable that the incredible openness of Starbase can’t last forever. Here are five reasons why you should not wait for a more suitable opportunity to visit this place of pilgrimage for astronautics. As soon as possible.

Reason number 1: Clouds of tourists

Larger and larger crowds of tourists begin to flock to Starbase. No wonder it’s a business for the locals. In addition to space accommodation (Rocket Ranch), they also started offering guided tours, any souvenirs with the SpaceX brand or flights over the rocket base in a helicopter. Tourists are even welcomed in a way on Starbase, SpaceX even has information signs here that tell how to behave (stay on public roads, don’t use drones, etc.). However, there is no capacity for a larger number of tourists: toilets (there are none at all) or parking spaces.

But pilgrims who do not respect private land and the boundaries of the complex are becoming the biggest problem. It’s not surprising, because sometimes the border is only given by a sign and the doors to the buildings attract you, for which you don’t need special verification or a chip. Just press the handle. Unfortunately, the recklessness of these tourists forces the operator to gradually close the complex.

Reason number 2: Gradual closing

As corny as it sounds, Starbase isn’t what it used to be. Despite the fact that it is very open, it is already slowly closing. For example, last fall it was still possible to get to the famous rocket garden, but now one can only see it from the adjacent road from a distance of a little over 200 meters. And such closures (“displacing visitors”) are slowly happening all over the base.

Reason #3: The show ends, the curtain falls

We’ve gotten used to seeing the giant Highbay hangars without restrictions. And that directly on Starbase or through Internet transmissions. But during our last visit, giant blinds started to appear in the hangar doors. For now, the hangars remain open most of the time, but we can imagine that in the future they will only be opened for the entry or exit of missiles.

Reason number 4: The Boring Company and road number 4

One of the last reasons he can get to Starbase so easily is a Texas law that says all public beaches must also have free access for civilians. The only access to the beach Boca Chica is now Route 4 leading out of Brownsville. This means that this road must be open non-stop. The entire Starbase complex is also located along the “four”, which is therefore relatively accessible. But it wouldn’t be Elon Musk to figure out how to get around this law.

Using his company, The Boring Company, founded in 2017, he plans to dig a tunnel from South Padre Island, located north of the base. This would solve several problems at once, as there are enough workers living here who have to make the hour-long commute through Brownsville every morning. The tunnel would reduce travel time to 10 minutes. At the same time, Musk could close Route 4, giving the factories peace of mind. Although there is no date for the construction of the tunnel yet, it is possible that access to the inland part of the complex will disappear over time.

Reason number 5: Only a white box for a year

Starbase was beautiful even a year ago in that parts of the first stages (Booster) and the second (Ship) were randomly rolling around the base, gradually coming out of different halls. The pieces were variously transported from one place to another or simply awaited their next fate. Gradually, however, everything is automated and synchronized, which will lead to the unification of all production processes under one roof. Work is already underway on one giant production hall, in which all production processes should take place. And finally, the moment will come when the entire Starbase will be under one roof. As the local enthusiasts at Rocket Ranch told us, “In a year there will only be one big white box on display here, with the occasional full Starship assembly coming out of it.”

Are you really still hesitating to visit Starbase?

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Today, the author of the article will give a lecture about travels to Starbase at the Museum of the Jihlava Highlands. Personal experiences, transformations of Starbase over time, unique photos. Live Streaming: