USS Kitty Hawk Arrives In Brownsville for Scrapping | Starship Boca Chica

[@edwardcasati3374]

I called her home for 4 years back in the 80's. She served with honor, and it is very sad to me to see her take her last few miles of voyage. I can still see myself on the flight deck, helping launch fighters that have also long since retired. RIP USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63.

[@rogerthomas169]

Thanks for your service and the thought

[@jomama55ful]

I served in the Air Force, but My Uncle served as a CPO aboard the Kitty Hawk. I visited it in San Diego as a young teen in 1968 and had morning chow on board. What an amazing vessel. I will never forget that experience.

[@WaldoKitty]

my father, may he R.I.P., served on her back in the late 60s or possibly the very early 70s as (one of the?) ship's storekeeper(s)... he later handled the same at NAS Albany, GA until that base was closed in the mid-70s...

[@weschilton]

Its definitely a mix of pride and sadness to see the big old girl go to her rest.

[@warrior7ra]

Same here shipmate I was CR/Comms 93-95 lived right between cats 1 and 2 on the O3

[@tolson57]

Thank you for taking the time to show respect to the USS Kitty Hawk. I was a crew member for 4 years in the 80s and 90s and went around the world on her. It is sad to see her go but it was always her fate.

[@katyjackson374]

Thank you for the coverage of USS KITTY HAWK's arrival to Brownsville!

[@anndrake492]

What beautiful skies across the jetties as the kitty hawk is towed in for the last time. A memorable moment, but life goes on. Thanks.

[@markviereck4547]

I was on the Kitty Hawk in Philadelphia when it was built. It was unbelievable for me only being 4 yrs old.

[@FanifrischLP]

Thats a huge droneship for landing super heavy boosters

[@badrinair]

That could be one amazing use for a booser landing drone ship ..

[@mrxmry3264]

even big enough to land 2 boosters at the same time

[@johnway9853]

Not just a landing ship! SpaceX intercontinental travel plan Elon has spoken of... Could have passengers board it like a cruiseship, travel out to sea far enough to not be a noise problem and launch the intercontinental ship, wait around for the return trip and sail back in with the returning passengers.

[@julese7790]

The aircraft carrier part is majestic but sad. As all scrapping. "Un grand merci " for sharing this :)

[@MrGoesBoom]

agreed, something special about aircraft carriers. I know they can't all be converted to museums but still sad to see something like that get cut up and scrapped

[@knowledgeisgood9645]

@@MrGoesBoom Maybe the scraps end up in new steel sheets from which new boosters and ships are made. (Unlikely, but one could wish)

[@kiwigurn]

Looks like a great landing pad in the making to me

[@rogerthomas169]

The Kitty Hawk Starbase Rocket Museum, don't need to come in, just drive by

[@philosopherofinfinite4558]

@@kiwigurn that's what I was thinking to.

[@marsspacex6065]

Amazing kitty hawking being scrapped where space is about experience another kitty hawk moment.

[@45035]

Outstanding shipmates. Press on. USS Kitty Hawk CV-63. Jan 1980 to July 1983.

[@OleNavy]

The USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) will be the next aircraft carrier to arrive at Brownsville. Every ship I served on during my 24-year career has been sold to another country or scrapped. My first ship, the USS Terrell County (LST-1157) was sold to Greece. When they were through with her, a group of prior shipmates tried to buy her back from the Greeks. That project fell through, however, when the Greeks removed her engines and drives, and sold her for conversion to a barge. At age 76, it is sad to see them go as it reminds me of my own race to the end...

[@KKemp-bt6nl]

I had friends in basic and A school that got orders to the Kennedy. It's crazy to see how fast the years have gone by in a blur, and what we saw in the fleet is being taken out of service.

[@charlesmiller1446]

My old carrier USS Saratoga had its last stand in Brownsville some years ago. Always sad. Thanks for showing!

[@mgsbrowning]

Epic views from Nic and Mary, many kudos and many thanx NSF!

[@darkguardian1314]

She’s in great shape years after retirement. Served many years homeported in San Diego along side Constellation. It’s a sad ending to a great career. The last chance for a US Navy carrier to be converted to a museum. I had hope she would be saved. All other carriers retired will be nuclear and there for too costly to be converted.

[@dongiovanni4331]

From what the Navy says, the Forrestals on share too many design iterations with the modern nukes (Nimitz, Ford) to be museum ships or artificial reefs like the Essex class (Oriskany, Intrepid...)

[@argoniastation]

@@tHEHEAd1138 She was The lead ship of the Kitty Hawk class. (Constellation, America and the Kennedy) All 4 are now decommissioned.

[@Cruiserfrank]

The people who think that every ship must be turned into a museum never seem to want to put up their own money to make it happen.

[@dale62676]

There was some talk about bringing USS John F Kennedy to Boston, where it could have been moored next to the JFK Presidential Library and Museum. But among the cost of converting the ship to a museum, was the cost of dredging a channel to the library, because that part of Boston Harbor was not deep enough. With the USS Constitution and USS Cassin Young (a WWII destroyer), we're lucky to have some amazing Navy heritage open to the pulbic. But still, it would have really great to have the USS JFK next to the JFK library. I should add, the ship I served on in the Navy that is decommissioned, the USS Nashville, appears to be rotting at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. I know it'll end up as scrap too, but I think diving an Amphibious Assault Ship that was made into an artificial reef would be really cool.

[@argoniastation]

@@dale62676 the Kennedy is slated to follow The Hawk shortly to Brownsville.

[@williamscoggin1509]

Kitty hawk, part of some of the greatest history ever told. So many sailors have memories of working on this ship during peacetime and during battle. 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@sdoc3]

That boost body buckling back to shape during pressurization. Fantastic shot.

[@barrygoffe]

The video of the Kitty Hawk was incredible. You guys are the best! Thank you!

[@bettymaverick1098]

I went aboard that ship in 1972 when it was in Subic Bay docked. I was marine stationed Cubi Point NAS. Me and my fellow Marine walked right up an saluted and went on a tour. No one even question us. We went aboard all the Carriers that docked there.

[@dwightadams3853]

When I was in Navy boot camp in San Diego in the summer of 1974, we only saw the large number 63 on the conning tower as it passed the nearby road bridge. We could not see the rest of the ship,

[@MrAluntus]

Kitty Hawk looks like a perfectly good landing pad for Starship. Goodbye Kitty Hawk 😞

[@thomasgoodwin2648]

Godspeed Kitty Hawk! Seem to recall she was one of the models I put together as a child so long ago. While it's tough to see a grand Ol' Lady go like that, if she's melted down n beaten out to make Starships, it won't be nearly as tough to take. The explorative future in exchange for the destructive past. I could live with that.

[@erlienfrommars]

She'll probably be melted into new steel parts for cars, electronics and other vehicles.

[@thomasgoodwin2648]

@@erlienfrommars True, but one can still some hope and comfort in the uncertain possibilities.

[@charleshaggard4341]

Thanks for showing the Kitty Hawk footage. And the other as well.

[@anitaw1580]

awesome drone footage of USS Kitty Hawk ... thanks Nic, .... great views of the "old Lady" ... greetings from Germany

[@larrycbrown1]

the decommissioned Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier would make a great lift off and landing vessel for a star shilp :)

[@raptor2265]

Well, that would require some massive reconstruction. From what I can tell, the reason why it was towed to the shipbreakers rather than sailing under her own power was because the interior of the ship has already been gutted.

[@badrinair]

Thank You Mary and NSF team for sharing this amazing footage. did not expect drone shots of the majestic war ship . would have been great if it was re purposed as a booster drone ship .

[@philb5593]

Thanks for sharing Kitty Hawk with us. Sad, but that’s how it goes.

[@jamesgunn1606]

God Bless all those that served on her. She is a great ship.

[@robertlucke4132]

I was in the Kitty in Dec 92 for Operation Restore Hope.

[@josephrobair1371]

Philidelphia

[@joshuawiggins3891]

Thank you all for your service and for all the amazing storys aboard her an amazing ship for sure RIP kitty hawk and I know Im not the only one thinking this I wonder if there would be a way to save her of sorts It sure would make an amazing platform for starship launches HAY ELON what you think

[@Mars_plane_Channel]

RIP USS Kitty Hawk,1960-2022

[@SpaceportChapter]

Thanks!

[@knowledgeisgood9645]

Kitty Hawk would not be possible to use as a landing or launching platform. It is large but like all ships it can capsize if it is made top heavy, which it would be with a 140m tower built on it. But the steel they get from scrapping it might find its way into stainless steel used for ships and boosters. Just a thought.

[@neuronoc.7343]

Kitty Hawk could be used to carry complete starships on their side.

[@knowledgeisgood9645]

@@neuronoc.7343 Starships and booster can only be transported in a vertical position.

[@jeffweingrad4658]

@@neuronoc.7343 I've wondered how you would get ships from TX to Fla (or other routes) if you don't have permission to fly. You just solved the issue!

[@neuronoc.7343]

@@knowledgeisgood9645 That should be changed, at least for the final starship design.

[@francocastilloAR]

@@knowledgeisgood9645 It isn't true.

[@mariusmeyer14]

USS KITTY HAWK! Now there's a nice landing pad

[@iDuckman]

R.I.P. Kitty Hawk. You served well.

[@BradleyRhea]

Makes me wonder if Kitty Hawk steel will become later boosters and starships.

[@mikeklegin2259]

Add platform legs like a drilling rig it could make a great platform

[@memadmax69]

I used to drive past the Kitty Hawk everyday on my way to quarters on USS Camden in bremerton. Camden was scrapped at brownsville too...

[@granddadmark7639]

Absolutely love these video updates, especially the sunrises ❤ However I struggle with the scale of starship, does anyone know how it compares in size to the space shuttle? Thanks in advance.

[@donrubottom8723]

Yes. Move the shuttle to the top of its orange tank and add about 20-40 feet in additional height. The starship stack will be taller than Saturn V/Apollo and have twice the booster thrust.

[@michaelreid2329]

Wouldn't she make a grand semi mobile lauch facility for Starship! And what a name to do it with: first flight, you bet.

[@miroslavmilan]

They shouldn’t retire the aircraft carrier. It could be used as an experimental landing target for Starship orbital test flights. It could potentially fit 4 or 5 of them. Something of a rocket garden in the sea. How cool would that be! Only THEN bring them all back to Brownsvillle for scrapping. :)

[@shadonw6180]

I think spacex should try and get their hands on kitty hawk.. great launch platform plus its has a flight deck for passengers coming to board the starship not to mention the amount of space available to store whatever spacex need out at sea

[@happyhome41]

Excellent

[@ЕлизабетБобошевска]

Goodbye Kitty Hawk,I remember your name since childhood. You will become a starship,and you will be remembered again .

[@traficdas]

Now that (Kitty Hawk) would be a worthy launch/landing open sea platform!! Hey Elon what about it ? Mount some type of lateral stabilizer pontoons out to the sides?!, like an oil rig or two?

[@jimgraves4197]

Sad to see USS Kitty Hawk being towed into Brownsville. In an ideal world she whould be undergoing conversion into a museum as the last of the conventionally powered carriers.

[@raptor2265]

I believe that there still is some hope for the USS John F. Kennedy - while it's been slated for scrapping, it has not been towed to the shipbreakers yet, and I don't see much that talks about when that's scheduled to happen. It's still possible that a group could buy out the ship in the remaining time to rescue it.

[@stevej7139]

That makes me sad . Back in the late 60's the Kitty Hawk was stationed in San Diego and at that same time I was a Cub Scout , Our troop along with about a dozen others got to go aboard , take a tour and have lunch with the crew . It was an awesome experience , and now to see it going to scrap is sad 😢

[@alfavulcan4518]

Dang! I wanted to see it, too late now to see it move for the last time

[@JustSomeCanuck]

I'm waiting for the surprise reveal that the people in that pirate ship we've seen in some broadcasts are upgrading a little bit ;)

[@swissyodelbear]

Thanks Team. 9:11 Is Elon converting USS Kitty Hawk to a sea launch STARSHIP REFURBISHMENT PLATFORM to work in conjunction with the converted OIL RIG LAUNCH PLATFORM?? ( huge deck to bring/store supplies/ hangars to work in protected environment/massive accommodation for staff) providing mobility to irritate the FAA/Pocahontas/Jeff some more??????.....

[@rogerthomas169]

Money pit

[@phillipsprosty2644]

Imagine this catching boosters and ships...

[@scoobedoo1008]

Ship 24 being pressurized: Woah!!

[@adrianflower3230]

😮😮Sell the Oil Rigs! SpaceX has a new platform for Launch & Recovery 👍👍

[@DavidGalich77]

Wow was going to be stationed on that ship for family duty.

[@martinernestoguevara5275]

Muy buenos como siempre los videos. Van a desarmar el portaviones en Space X ??? Lo van a mostrar???

[@tjpdemo9081]

Thanks for the vid

[@peterbarratt8699]

That's something you don't see every day! I'm glad I didn't get stripped down when I retired.

[@TheDaexiled1]

Pretty soon we'll have a dozen Gerald Ford class aircraft carriers out there and all the regular ones will retire I'm sure one will become an actual floating museum somewhere

[@niklasdornen4484]

good Morning from Germany, hey this Tank on top of the Can Crucher Cap, is not a Headertank. But rater an usual schmall tank. It was before, the Headertanks comes in to Play at The Starshipbooster.

[@poijmc606]

Could they use aircraft carrier as a booster landing barge?

[@raptor2265]

I doubt it, unless they made major modifications to add tons of ballast and lower the CG and freeboard. It could work for Falcon 9, but building a 130+ meter high tower on it would raise the center of gravity up so much that it'd be at extreme risk of capsizing. If they strapped two carriers side-by-side, then perhaps it could work, though it just isn't practical financially.

[@ph11p3540]

Not the big klaxon horns on top of the white tank at 12:36. Those things will be the loudest thing until Starship Super heavy make it's maiden flight.

[@DuckshotProductions]

When those dents pop out.. NICE

[@kaltenstein7718]

Next time: US Aircraft Carrier Converted to Autonomous Spaceport Droneship

[@markknister6272]

The old and the new. So sad the see the Kitty Hawk hauled off for scrap.😔 Hate to fill her fuel tanks at 6 bucks a gallon!

[@robert-brydson-1]

wonder if they are going to cover the launch mount

[@MrEason2007]

它小鹰号是当年封锁台湾海峡避免战争的主要战舰，如今看到它来到报废场，我感到有些悲伤，它封锁台海的时候我还是一名pink小学生。

[@tinman3251]

Heard that the last one was getting scrapped, sad to see it go.

[@P5ychoFox]

Fires, plane crashes, movies being filmed aboard and even a race riot. She’s led quite the life.

[@argoniastation]

I was there for one of them. July 1993, the F-14 from VF-213

[@drpork1360]

0:39 Better have a raygun inside.

[@ronwatkins5775]

What's going on with the Phobos and Deimos launch platforms?

[@josephrobair1371]

The Hawk, Comm Division 92-94 Man, my Division was jam tight with men I’ll forever call my Brothers…. And some outside my Division as well….

[@llessur426]

Mystery box is starlink clean box for loading satellite on the tower into the rocket.

[@WM3636-d1c]

Wouldn't it be cool to convert an old supercarrier into a Starship launch vessel, imagine that. Sadly the chances of this ever happening are probably very slim

[@argoniastation]

The sheer cost of maintaining it would not make it feasible. Plus she burned diesel. The EPA fined the Navy every time the boilers were lit (at least that's what I was told. heh)

[@Cruiserfrank]

Too much ship. Top heavy and prohibitively expensive to operate like that.

[@mattjohnson9753]

Repurpose Kittyhawk as a Space X launch/landing platform?

[@LIVE3DPrinting]

Why didn't Elon buy that to land the Super Heavy? That flight deck is already a MONSTER compared to the other drone ships. Throw some thrusters on it for station keeping, remove the superstructure, beef up the flight deck with flame retardant materials and BAM! One badass Super Heavy Drone ship! Of course, it is a bit tall.

[@damwalsh5588]

The carrier would work for landing rockets

[@jonnyde]

How about an aircraft carrier converted to a permanent off shore space cargo port ???

[@georgewood2564]

What was the result of the FAA report due 31st May?

[@Trojansteel-hh5xd]

It got delayed again.

[@venturestar]

FAA PEA to be issued on June 13

[@mauricebruns1028]

@@venturestar unless delayed again

[@vankrack]

the FAA only gives approval after SLS has flown. the US government can't explain that Starship flies before SLS after spending all those billions of dollars. and all the government has is delaying the FAA report

[@ilmarinen79]

"You're gonna need a bigger boat." Ok let's scrap it boys.

[@BrettCooper4702]

That expansion and contraction can't be good for helping the tiles stay in place.

[@dennisud]

Too bad they couldn't save her as a Museum ship! RIP Kitty Hawk you served well and Proud!

[@robkostense9170]

Because it's on this channel, I thought for a second that SpaceX bought the USS Kitty Hawk to land on or something

[@miroslavmilan]

@12:15 - imagine just chilling on Mars, and seeing your ride home buckled like that… 😳

[@mrxmry3264]

when i saw that, i was like "uh-oh, that's not good."

[@mavigogun]

That ship is dead.

[@dancingdog2790]

You must be new here -- they all do that.

[@mavigogun]

@@dancingdog2790 then please, link to the last pressure test you witnessed in which the ships hull buckled to this extreme.

[@samh6761]

ha. was going to say the same thing.. "gee, ship's looking a little deflat- oh there it goes"

[@argoniastation]

Thank you for this. I love you. (However it is more proper to call her Ex- or Former, tbh) I had hoped you guys would be able to get eyes on her. Served on her from Jan94 to Oct96. G-2, Ship's Armory. GMG3 (Petty Officer 3rd Class)

[@warrior7ra]

I was in CR/ Comms at the same time shipmate.

[@argoniastation]

@@warrior7ra you know Jared Ream? Aka Hoss...

[@jeffjeff4477]

Should be the newest drone landing recovery ship How many rockets could Land on it? Or Launch??

[@GreatTutorialChannel]

Would be a nice portable base for SpaceX.

[@benedictmarshall7031]

Couldn’t the aircraft carrier be refitted as an emergency hospital ship?

[@philb5593]

The US already has two of them, and they are hardly used and aren’t cheap.

[@kptbillburkett8735]

You know that aircraft carrier would be a Great launch and recovery ship. For space X. And you can get it cheap.

[@willmac1748]

Shd be saved. A piece of history, this will be seen as a huge mistake, like some English historic ships that were broken up.

[@AlexanderLopez-df3jq]

POR FIN LO ESTABA ESPERANDO ARGENTINA PRESENTE!!

[@nkronert]

Is the aircraft carrier in danger of sinking due to rust? If not, I cannot imagine that energy wise it is more economical to scrap such a huge floating structure and build a new one, than repurposing it as is.

[@mavigogun]

Dude, this is the norm- at some point, upkeep and retrofitting become bad investments. Sadly, most ships- cargo, by number - never see a formal scrap yard, such as in the US or Turkey, but are beached in places like Bangladesh or Pakistan, where the very, very poor deplete them like so many ants- super dangerous, and an environmental catastrophe.

[@49walker44]

Kitty Hawk looks like a nice spaceport to me, extra room for wave runners and a restaurant.

[@antoniomontanez4124]

They can save the Kitty Hawk by giving the carrier to SpaceX and reuse it as a landing pad for Star Ship. Another Doolittle Hat Trick to resupple a Air Carrier.

[@IMYOURWILL]

Space X should buy the USS Kitty Hawk and convert it into a launch pad. That would be the greatest thing ever the ship that remembers the first flight history and Space X for the first SpaceShip to land its self in history. Also remembering the fist airplanes to take of from the water. Dang I just hate to witness them scrapping something with so much history behind it. She was a great aircraft carrier

[@rtz549]

What's the draft of that carrier?

[@richpayton7162]

38' when loaded.

[@mavigogun]

It's not draft- it's canned!

[@mikeklegin2259]

just need some mass below hull

[@DaT0nkee]

Hmm... What about the Kitty Hawk as sea launch platform?

[@mavigogun]

The outer hull of Starship 24 buckles while testing, but- SQUIRREL!!! - look at this ship on way to being scrapped...

[@joyl7842]

What is causing all that cloudy water nearer to the shore?

[@mavigogun]

The Texas ports are all industrial hellscapes layered on top of sensitive estuaries- the coast from S Padre to Corpous C is one of the largest salt water marshes in the world. There is a reason the environmental approval keeps getting delayed.

[@joyl7842]

@@mavigogun I see. Thank you.

[@mavigogun]

@@joyl7842 When I first moved to Houston, I was excited about living next to the ocean- then I went for a swim: when I climbed onto the beach, I was covered in oil!

[@joyl7842]

@@mavigogun yikes!

[@___jd]

Fun fact, the scrap metal company that's dismantling the USS Kitty Hawk bought it from the US government for literally one cent. They also got the USS John F Kennedy for the same price.

[@kev201014all]

Land starship on USS Kitty Hawk!!

[@JohnPaul-my6ct]

So sad but we all gotta go at some time and dignity is all we have to take with us!