https://www.benkellie.com/contact daily 0.75 2023-12-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/8fa1e754-c8a1-4958-93b6-35cfac83b208/4.png https://www.benkellie.com/book daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://www.benkellie.com/index daily 1.0 2026-03-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/e2602085-17c0-4d40-aaca-e24fea68714f/BKC1-9727.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/1635220217141-GJETUOHY2KANSL4L86MW/V__1187.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/53519bce-ca52-4ef2-bcd5-e38ac9aa2a36/3.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/1635388719912-LE4AP4SRZVHHIVRYPY7J/dad+flying+remastered.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/0b26da08-6d0a-480b-a6ea-aeeab804b2ec/11.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/f3c51377-3707-4776-8672-e9a3446a0072/5.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/8378e610-6d9f-4e08-8d31-500566ed5160/7.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/183337f4-3a2d-421d-8c84-b08ed8979722/12.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/b54bec12-ee55-4691-8008-7108169a9908/6.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/d1cb1257-e8ff-4c57-9b43-c9df878950c8/8.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/20431210-9238-43b8-a166-7498fc84914d/13.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/858f1a9a-3252-4ce9-96b2-6652fd2f1443/4.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/06b00277-3d4e-4b93-859f-db05aabe135e/9.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/ed09b063-eb0e-4056-a3ed-6c33cd0f0664/10.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/af4c4d5c-e74f-4edb-aa7a-89d415b2780e/14.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/4a9eb60b-bb46-475a-93a1-6e147cc8290e/3.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/d65afbda-b32c-4289-9cd6-bb9024a851b8/2.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/e8586b15-c7df-4f61-ae03-1941013873f8/1.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/7221e011-c25b-4a89-b27e-93f07e975a9f/15.png https://www.benkellie.com/portfolio daily 0.75 2024-05-28 https://www.benkellie.com/portfolio/tlc monthly 0.5 2023-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/d632893d-ce4c-4f97-ae2f-a1c9cbe50f01/team+MULS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/60b9e4e7-d4fe-424c-b624-a96cb8ec0024/20180129_121157456_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/d65afbda-b32c-4289-9cd6-bb9024a851b8/2.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/f3c51377-3707-4776-8672-e9a3446a0072/5.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/b54bec12-ee55-4691-8008-7108169a9908/6.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/d1cb1257-e8ff-4c57-9b43-c9df878950c8/8.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/af5d9d46-b05b-4904-921b-4aee59a93e4a/MULS+gas+panel+2.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/2346c6c7-3aaa-4bee-a40c-a671b55ccd7f/shop+at+night.jpg https://www.benkellie.com/portfolio/darpa-launch-challenge-at-kodiak-spaceport monthly 0.5 2023-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/70806809-9302-4e19-86c5-464b73caaec7/20180314_231321378_iOS.jpg Portfolio - DARPA Launch Challenge at Kodiak Spaceport The DARPA team helped increase on-site capability through infrastructure investments, similar to this one that was done on the LP-2 pad for another campaign previously. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/99f55366-935b-4340-97e3-cc0a2eb708a5/20180324_193005937_iOS.jpg Portfolio - DARPA Launch Challenge at Kodiak Spaceport Astra had attempted to launch from Kodiak a couple of times before. I was the initial designer of their ground fluid systems, and served as a field lead engineering during their first campaigns. This photo is from one of those before DLC. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/8114fdb5-0d95-48d7-9867-51e7e3369ba1/DJI_0011.JPG Portfolio - DARPA Launch Challenge at Kodiak Spaceport This is a drone photo I took of Astra's rocket on the pad they'd try to launch from for the DLC. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/d24fd108-d2d8-47b6-b096-d2b19efcfda5/DLC+1+team+photo.jpg Portfolio - DARPA Launch Challenge at Kodiak Spaceport Here's the Astra and DARPA teams with the rocket raised on the pad. Why so many photos of the Astra rocket? Because it was the only one that made it to the pad ... though it never made it *off* the pad. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/69430c55-896f-44e3-a165-b002254f6f75/20180316_010738259_iOS.jpg Portfolio - DARPA Launch Challenge at Kodiak Spaceport This is an unrelated picture, but it was too funny not to include. One time during a launch campaign I got asked to pickup a new rocket engine from the local UPS warehouse. When I arrived, everyone acted like it contained plutonium. I was driving a little 4Runner, so I had a friend-of-a-friend come by and slide it into the bed of his truck. Truly scrappy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/c02626a4-a12e-4a08-bd5a-848615ba486d/DLC+1+team+photo.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/8378e610-6d9f-4e08-8d31-500566ed5160/7.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/3c8ebd6c-a15b-4de6-89e9-03c33813fb0b/PacificSpaceport.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/b54bec12-ee55-4691-8008-7108169a9908/6.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/d8e123f8-d3c2-4d25-833a-59eeb81cdcfe/20180324_193002267_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/1703111570088-6HUYJSW82U9RSICI91AV/DLC+1+team+photo.jpg https://www.benkellie.com/portfolio/spx-rss monthly 0.5 2023-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/c2cdc164-7ffa-4355-ac59-07882372364b/20170712_144143132_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure This is one of the big locomotives that pulled the 4,000-ton tower around on its big semi-circular track. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/1a082fcd-8c45-400a-b3d3-dfa71c9dc436/20161231_141738304_iOS.JPG Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure We gutted the insides of the tower using winch cables run through pulleys hung throughout. Then as we demo'd everything inside, we just pulled it out the front door. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/82aba276-322a-4d65-88e2-67b7e2241d6e/20170105_130410457_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure It didn't always fit the first try. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/edc90cd6-c05b-4201-9be6-d01fdc18c21c/20170727_152337084_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure This was no empty tower. This was an intricate machine with foam panel walls and a full cleanroom inside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/8f6b81a2-d9be-40ca-b1e4-4ff919c6e2b7/20170117_205744666_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure Many structures hung off the bottom of the tower's cross-span. These were cutoff wholesale ... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/fe0b7618-3fe2-472f-aa07-deb0afb31e09/20170110_221130736_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure ... then lowered as one massive piece to the ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/eeb3960c-2afc-4ec5-ae07-34a7b3341fa2/20170119_142634181_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure Lowering whole sections like these, to be further processed on the ground, was a real time saver. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/82e01a03-87de-4d0c-9f5d-5f8390098b74/20170723_145832510_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure It thinned out quickly, but this was the hardest part of the job. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/ab21b6ac-92b7-4c78-bd9d-3793f4849558/20171210_182125888_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure The demo crew got the tower down to bare structure in no time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/6e9509d9-ee2f-4985-96fe-ee6d5fe861f2/20170503_150754470_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure Our work was not without it's pressures. Literally, we worried about thrust pressure on the tower and always had to leave it in a stable state pre-launch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/a503c254-69ef-44c3-8817-5672aed0b05c/20170730_134953289_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/9125b2ee-3e26-44d0-9fb7-c020e9843b8b/20170725_142644926_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure Removing the overhung crane structure with the giant block, winches, and motors was a huge challenge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/fd5412e5-333a-44dc-96c7-fc0c9af2f0ff/20171210_182938320_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure The floor started coming down, which meant the end of working from inside the tower. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/47da40a5-4b30-4d17-97b0-534511b96ea6/20171212_140339700_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/950ae87f-a223-47ae-8f18-8ce08f70eb6e/20171206_184932874_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure The pipes look a lot bigger up close on the ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/e1f3e4a3-7d61-4f6b-ba6e-747817925692/20171212_140433957_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure The last piece holding the two sides of the tower together is removed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/d359676b-4819-4104-bc8e-089c9e77b95e/20171216_221343523_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/4a714815-7e5b-459c-b8b6-989680ba1d36/20171216_220945129_iOS.JPG Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure Which means these giants can lie down to rest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/530b7cc3-7026-416d-bb7e-c770c3e4d87e/20171218_135714924_iOS.JPG Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/7097e461-f592-4c8c-845c-21859e1c450f/20171216_224113342_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure After the end of a long push working day and night shifts, the remainder of the job hangs cantilevered. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/9b96aedd-e0a5-4561-9752-162eff68f3f6/20170429_032718293_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure One of these days I gotta tell *this* story. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/360a8fcb-0496-438c-8884-39735520c3f7/20171218_154454776_iOS.jpg Portfolio - Demolition of the Rotating Service Structure Bit we bit we pulled it back to it's neighbor, the Fixed Service Structure. This tower was retrofitted and now transports astronauts to the crew arm and into Dragon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/e53d2a89-752f-4424-9adb-9d98f24dbfb0/20161228_230438356_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/1689314242861-V3TCSCV0LUC73BH2THAA/20171213_225800217_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/862256e9-b27b-4d16-8a3d-db6f93e478d6/20170124_201447274_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/42e196e0-b07d-4999-b26f-8ae82fa759d4/20170828_105626056_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/e00884c2-2e75-4139-be8d-8f28e7cd352f/20171213_231919707_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/6dbb435e-ab4f-4c2c-8fd4-36232a8062c7/20170117_205744666_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/71746fb3-0dd8-4e34-a5b5-d5c43699ee0c/20170122_144155971_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/b7f6fa55-1d35-44d3-a11a-a366e97134f1/20170503_150754470_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/4ef8bba2-cf1e-4bac-abc7-2c10dd03fb20/20170420_125544584_iOS.jpg https://www.benkellie.com/portfolio/spacex-barges monthly 0.5 2023-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/0da4b43c-ca81-4d80-be0c-2679af5a4ab0/WP_20141014_13_45_31_Pro.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" This is what most don't get to see: sweat, dirt, and smoke in a back bayou of Louisiana along the Atchafalaya. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/c2fdd1f0-7245-405a-a6c1-e6abb9909aeb/WP_20141213_15_42_32_Pro.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" Right before the first mission, it was decided that we needed an extra ten feet of decking on either side to make the barge wider. Management wouldn't give us more time or added budget, so we built what we could from the junk we had on hand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/4b3ba971-335c-473d-a685-7cc247d5c4b5/WP_20141017_11_07_13_Pro.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" They show you the glass offices and gleaming factories on Instagram. Here we have the moldy mobile home on concrete blocks, sitting at the edge of the bayou shipyard where we first built the barge. That table and a shared hotspot was our office. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/2bfc1123-4945-4442-873c-419425f61f4d/WP_20141209_10_28_32_Pro.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" Initially we were told an "X" was a bad idea because it made the barge look like a target for crashing rockets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/1702673211197-1CPXKVM2KP8ZGF8FIS2H/WP_20141112_12_21_29_Pro.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" The barge's first time under tow, heading through the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida. I rode along on the tugboat for the weeklong journey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/0689eac4-ddaf-42b2-bdee-4f98d4717461/WP_20141210_12_32_56_Pro.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" Eventually, they got over it and went with the "X," as well as the name "Just Read the Instructions" based on the vessel naming convention in the Culture book series. After a few missions, the explosions necessitated so many reapplications of the name, that our painter said if it was his barge he'd replace the "X" with a smiley face and name it, "SHIT HAPPENS." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/8420f877-be0a-425f-8381-17140cc2cd00/first+barge.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" Four friends, naively thinking they were ready for the first mission. We were ready for nothing. We knew nothing, and we were never adequately prepared for what came at us. One of the four of us would lose a leg on a future mission due to poor management. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/40494f5d-fe41-4655-b844-a95b0e83d285/WP_20141220_07_50_01_Pro.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" Between missions we parked at the JAX Port Cruise Terminal. As new passengers loaded into the ship, we could hear them wondering what we were doing. Once, as a team of us labored in the hot sun, I heard a dad tell his son we were the reason you should stay in school. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/12a128c3-0c5f-4f3d-9158-f11cf574814f/20150414_221725135_iOS.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" A soft light shines down upon on the charred remains of our barge, illuminating our mistakes and showing us that the real work lies ahead. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/4c87055e-6455-45de-917f-3e1584df186e/20150219_085518.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" We learned early on that the ocean was a source of raw power that we could scarcely comprehend. A wave came over the bow and caved in the side of this shipping container. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/1786f5c5-ec81-474b-9458-7c98b7b9deb9/WP_20150112_14_46_12_Pro.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" A based member of our tugboat crew. It took a supporting cast of experienced mariners to tow the barge and run the support ship that we lived on at sea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/83af0df6-faa1-438e-a7f5-7880d8e337fc/20150106_220742000_iOS.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" Like the Sirens themselves, she is alluring and intoxicating from a distance, but beware! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/78252d06-4778-4c44-a84f-2a8268a1ebe1/20150106_220740000_iOS.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX Landing Barges "JRTI" and "OCISLY" This photo matches the color tone and grandeur of most of my memories at sea. It seemed like we were always working in half light, building seas, and rain-soaked storms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/a1bf7b89-6908-49b5-93d1-fdd2e5fd1b6a/20150414_201912380_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/8420f877-be0a-425f-8381-17140cc2cd00/first+barge.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/b793450f-6b56-49fc-92c1-c940277f0839/ben_matt_strawhat_edit.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/7b7a4138-2482-4916-97ff-61ec7db5c4cb/20150403_143910335_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/81e243f8-e017-4959-bb64-0f8e189d2465/WP_20141112_12_21_29_Pro.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/4c87055e-6455-45de-917f-3e1584df186e/20150219_085518.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/12a128c3-0c5f-4f3d-9158-f11cf574814f/20150414_221725135_iOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/a1bf7b89-6908-49b5-93d1-fdd2e5fd1b6a/20150414_201912380_iOS.jpg https://www.benkellie.com/portfolio/spx-vandy monthly 0.5 2023-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/fabfbc9a-8827-4c12-b8b1-7c0c37636977/Sign+Picture.JPG Portfolio - SpaceX SLC-4E Lead Engineer Welcome to Vandy SLC-4E. Modeling by Chris Newton. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/27d3235c-aa9f-4705-9c1c-d32abca03245/VAFB-4E+early+days.JPG Portfolio - SpaceX SLC-4E Lead Engineer It looked like a parking lot, with a giant portal to Hell at the center. Our job was simple: build everything (the hardware, operations, and expertise) that would let a rocket sit over that portal and launch to space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/d72d4d19-5773-4cbe-b59e-086b81a5f7f1/IMG_0746.JPG Portfolio - SpaceX SLC-4E Lead Engineer The hangar is under construction. We really started over from the beginning. The road to connect this hangar to the pad was cut through a hillside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/4b7c52bb-d190-4531-b153-7e21cf854ced/WP_20130415_004.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX SLC-4E Lead Engineer The hangar team welded together around a million pounds of steel into a trolley called the Transporter Erector. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/cf546d10-607b-4fc5-8b4c-849090740dbb/WP_20131122_003.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX SLC-4E Lead Engineer We were mostly youngins, but we had a few critical 'graybeards' like Dick Gill who had run rigs in the desert of the Middle East, helped build the Alaska Pipeline, and then launched rockets for our competitor. He knew how to do more with less. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/3ca6eacf-4a37-4133-98ff-f9c82202dd02/IMG_1071.JPG Portfolio - SpaceX SLC-4E Lead Engineer Fuel tanks arriving on site. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/7e8ee899-1b57-4cf3-b387-93bac54cdbb9/WP_20130615_008.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX SLC-4E Lead Engineer On Instagram, things always look put together. Our team was in the fog and the dirt making the proverbial sausage everyday. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/05f41810-fa7a-43e0-b78c-15a3f5c68781/WP_20130826_001.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX SLC-4E Lead Engineer One day, our construction site turned abruptly into a launch site. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/3a72f119-0e72-4da1-bba8-5ed56fa244cc/SPX+Flight+6+vertical.jpg Portfolio - SpaceX SLC-4E Lead Engineer Taken the morning of launch. I led the Red Team, a small group of technicians responsible for final config of the pad before launch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/3a72f119-0e72-4da1-bba8-5ed56fa244cc/SPX+Flight+6+vertical.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/27d3235c-aa9f-4705-9c1c-d32abca03245/VAFB-4E+early+days.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/4b7c52bb-d190-4531-b153-7e21cf854ced/WP_20130415_004.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/05f41810-fa7a-43e0-b78c-15a3f5c68781/WP_20130826_001.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6015e4bf7afdae55ced984dd/1702227480241-0H01YUYH119P3HRE5G3O/Twitterf1780a8_jpg.jpg