Author Topic: OT- Watch the skies! (Read 6036 times)

Brett Buck · « **on:** September 17, 2013, 09:46:41 AM »

If you are near the Space Coast, and you aren't doing anything at ~3:04 Wednesday morning, might look over towards Cape Canaveral, because our satellite is supposed to go up then. This is a good webpage for it:

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/

They will refer to it as an Atlas 5 mission. In reality the rocket part is both the cheap part, and only last 45 minutes. The expensive end of it is the satellite, the third Advanced EHF (or ninth MILSTAR if you like). Weather does not look too favorable for tomorrow morning, but there's still some chance it will go. If not it will be on successive mornings about the same time, getting 4 minutes later

Brett

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2013, 10:00:20 AM »

I hope that the "condensed" assembly and test time equals *adequate* assembly and test!

I will settle for watching the Antares out of Wallops. We will be able to see it at a much more dignified hour of the day.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #2 on:** September 17, 2013, 10:25:54 AM »

Quote from: Steve Fitton on September 17, 2013, 10:00:20 AM

I hope that the "condensed" assembly and test time equals *adequate* assembly and test!

I was rather dismayed that they were shooting for a 10% reduction a year. At some point that will cause a problem.

The satellite is pretty much the opposite. It's been sitting around for an abnormal amount of time because of our previous little issue.

Brett

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2013, 11:22:53 AM »

Quote from: Brett Buck on September 17, 2013, 10:25:54 AM

I was rather dismayed that they were shooting for a 10% reduction a year. At some point that will cause a problem.

You don't need to start worrying until they fire half of the QA staff and put up posters saying "Quality is Job 1".

Been there, done that.

dale gleason · « **Reply #4 on:** September 17, 2013, 12:06:30 PM »

I follow things like this closely through my special connection:

Matt Colan · « **Reply #5 on:** September 17, 2013, 01:11:44 PM »

If I happen to be up that late tonight, I'll take a peak to the south from my dorm. Got a perfect view to see it from Daytona, where the rocket is perfectly visible from.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #6 on:** September 17, 2013, 01:48:50 PM »

Quote from: Matt Colan on September 17, 2013, 01:11:44 PM

If I happen to be up that late tonight, I'll take a peak to the south from my dorm. Got a perfect view to see it from Daytona, where the rocket is perfectly visible from.

Any self respecting college puke should be up at 0304 hrs(!) Be sure to take pictures for the rest of us!

Don Hutchinson AMA5402 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 17, 2013, 08:31:46 PM »

They can lift a MILSTAR with an Atlas?? They must have tipped the nitro can. What do they use for the transfer orbit??

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #8 on:** September 17, 2013, 09:57:03 PM »

Atlas V launch vehicle is an Atlas in name only. No longer a 1 1/2 stage vehicle, its conventional construction and uses an RD-180 engine which is around 1 million lbs thrust. Its more comparable to an R-7 in terms of lifting power.

Roger Vizioli · « **Reply #9 on:** September 17, 2013, 10:02:34 PM »

Quote from: Brett Buck on September 17, 2013, 09:46:41 AM

If you are near the Space Coast, and you aren't doing anything at ~3:04 Wednesday morning, might look over towards Cape Canaveral, because our satellite is supposed to go up then. This is a good webpage for it:

Brett

Brett,
I am not near the Space Coast, I am on the Space coast. Plan to watch it, as I do for most launches. Noise does reach our home and rattle the windows, winds permitting.
Roger V.
Merritt Island,FL

Matt Colan · « **Reply #10 on:** September 18, 2013, 01:20:15 AM »

It is now 3:18am with a delay due to upper winds and cumulus clouds. I am going to bed as I am too tired to stay up and watch the launch from my room.

I will be at the one where they send another Mars rover/satellite, which is sometime in November I believe.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #11 on:** September 18, 2013, 04:49:11 AM »

Quote from: Don Hutchinson AMA5402 on September 17, 2013, 08:31:46 PM

They can lift a MILSTAR with an Atlas?? They must have tipped the nitro can. What do they use for the transfer orbit??

It's "MILSTAR Block III"m AKA AEHF - vaguely based on the commercial A2100 spacecraft. It doesn't go straight into geosynchronous orbit like MILSTAR, it goes into an elliptical transfer orbit and raises itself into the final orbit using a liquid-propellant apogee kick motor, and Hall Current Thrusters using a continuous low thrust. The on-orbit mass is about the same as a MILSTAR, and the separation mass is actually higher than a MILSTAR, but the booster doesn't give it nearly the same boost.

It's an Atlas 5, which not like the Atlas of old at all, and more powerful. But not nearly as powerful at a Titan IV.

Brett

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #12 on:** September 18, 2013, 05:40:37 AM »

Quote from: Matt Colan on September 18, 2013, 01:20:15 AM

It is now 3:18am with a delay due to upper winds and cumulus clouds. I am going to bed as I am too tired to stay up and watch the launch from my room.

I will be at the one where they send another Mars rover/satellite, which is sometime in November I believe.

No worries, you gave it the old college try!

FLOYD CARTER · « **Reply #13 on:** September 18, 2013, 09:07:13 AM »

I'm hoping for a complete success. I want LMCO to continue to be the top Aerospace company so that my retirement checks will continue to arrive.

F.C.

Roger Vizioli · « **Reply #14 on:** September 18, 2013, 09:13:11 AM »

Quote from: FLOYD CARTER on September 18, 2013, 09:07:13 AM

I'm hoping for a complete success. I want LMCO to continue to be the top Aerospace company so that my retirement checks will continue to arrive.

F.C.

Hi Floyd,
I'll second that.

I plan to attend Retiree Luncheon on 10/1, Med Insurance status sure to be a topic.

Launch "sounded" good, have no data/info yet. Brett will probably update.
Roger V.

Matt Colan · « **Reply #15 on:** September 18, 2013, 09:16:11 AM »

Quote from: Steve Fitton on September 18, 2013, 05:40:37 AM

No worries, you gave it the old college try!

I did have a couple friends go to the launch and see it.

FLOYD CARTER · « **Reply #16 on:** September 18, 2013, 09:37:17 AM »

During my early years at Lockheed (Missiles & Space Co.), I worked at the Vandenberg Tracking Station, usually during launch times. I guess I got enough of watching big Roman Candles taking off.

F.C.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #17 on:** September 18, 2013, 12:13:47 PM »

So far, so good:

(skip to about 1:15)

It was held up a little over an hour for cumulus clouds, and a problem with processing the weather balloon data. The separation video at the end is the best we have gotten so far.

Brett

Eric Viglione · « **Reply #18 on:** September 18, 2013, 01:50:20 PM »

Cool!

So what are the small debris particles during the final separation? Ice, chunks of propellent or frags of ?

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #19 on:** September 18, 2013, 03:34:04 PM »

Quote from: Eric Viglione on September 18, 2013, 01:50:20 PM

Cool! So what are the small debris particles during the final separation? Ice, chunks of propellent or frags of ?

Frogs

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #20 on:** September 18, 2013, 06:23:01 PM »

Quote from: Bob Reeves on September 18, 2013, 03:34:04 PM

Frogs

Nonsense. Only Wallops launches have frogs in the rocket plume.

Roger Vizioli · « **Reply #21 on:** September 18, 2013, 09:38:22 PM »

Quote from: Bob Reeves on September 18, 2013, 03:34:04 PM

Frogs

Good eyes Bob!
I wonder, did you see frogs the night we watched a shuttle launch from Port Canaveral?

Roger

Mike Ferguson · « **Reply #22 on:** September 19, 2013, 07:29:50 AM »

Quote from: Bob Reeves on September 18, 2013, 03:34:04 PM

Frogs

Actually, armadillos. Not kidding.

http://io9.com/rocket-frog-is-old-news-meet-rocket-armadillo-1348058215

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #23 on:** September 19, 2013, 10:18:53 AM »

Quote from: Roger Vizioli on September 18, 2013, 09:38:22 PM

Good eyes Bob!
I wonder, did you see frogs the night we watched a shuttle launch from Port Canaveral?
Roger

No frogs, just an awesome experience

Peter Ferguson · « **Reply #24 on:** September 20, 2013, 03:45:24 PM »

My place is 1/2 mile south of Jetty Park on the beach. I got up a 3am and went out on my balcony in Cape Canaveral. It was worth the wait . The sky lit up and the belated roar of that Atlas got shook my brother out of bed. Hopefully many more to come.