STARGATE phased array space comms (U. of Texas & SpaceX)

[Dr Mordrid]

The STARGATE system will be built just SSW of SpaceX's Mars Crossing* development East of Brownsville Texas.

Besides research they will work hand in glove with SpaceX to track their missions.

I love that their emblem hints at SG-1

*(2 Mission Control Centers, 2 spacecraft servicing centers, hangars, shops, solar farm, propellant and diesel storage etc.)

http://www.valleymorningstar.com/news/local_news/article_0eeda6a0-46ae-11e4-aed7-001a4bcf6878.html

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$9 million was pitched to advance STARGATE, including $4.4 million from the state, $4.6 million from the University of Texas System, and $500,000 from GBIC (Greater Brownsville Incentives Corp).

STARGATE, which would be the first research center for the new University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, will be a cooperative effort to develop and support phased-array technology for satellite and space vehicle communication.
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http://www.utb.edu/stargate/Pages/default.aspx

Spacecraft Tracking and Astronomical Research into Giga-hertz Astrophysical Transient Emission (STARGATE) complex is a public-private partnership between the Center for Advanced Radio Astronomy at UTB and SpaceX.​​

STARGATE is a space exploration based technology park that combines higher education, research, economic development, and commercialization. It will be located adjacent to the SpaceX launch site command center, space craft assembly facility, and spacecraft tracking hardware. STARGATE resources will give students and faculty unprecedented opportunities for near and deep space exploration research and technology development.​​

[Elie]

A portal to Mars....awesome!

[Dr Mordrid]

It's getting pretty serious too. Just SpaceX's investment in the first launch complex is $100 million, with several hundred million $ more for expansion, meaning a high likelihood of more pads for larger launchers and a factory in Brownsville (not a rumor, Musk testified about the factory before the Texas legislature.)

There's another large launch complex in planning by Georgia, about 4,000 acres in Camden County with a big landing strip, and rumors are SpaceX is interested in setting up shop there too. Not likely until after phase one the Texas site is done though.