For some reason I thought this was earlier, like around noon CST. I'm glad I didn't miss it!
We briefly had an early morning launch scheduled, but that was SpaceX and very preliminary - the Range decided it didn't like the idea, so SpaceX has been bumped to ... probably this weekend
Also, congrats on the big purchase, friend!
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BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
edited March 2018
Fueling is underway down at the Cape - the Centaur upper stage has its Liquid Oxygen onboard, now loading Liquid Hydrogen
Common Core First Stage loading its Liquid Oxygen, RP-1 Kerosene to follow!
T-65 minutes, all systems are still GO for launch.
Edit: I managed to use "its" both wrong AND right in the same post.
BeNarwhal on
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BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
Fueling now totally complete down at the Cape, Atlas V ready for launch, now it will just be continuously topped up until just prior to launch. (Maybe right to T=0? I forget the complete Atlas V launch process.)
Which of course can be foiled if someone just totally shits their brainpants and forgets to pass the memo around
The Norwegian rocket incident, also known as the Black Brant scare, occurred on January 25, 1995, when a team of Norwegian and U.S. scientists launched a Black Brant XII four-stage sounding rocket from the Andøya Rocket Range off the northwestern coast of Norway. The rocket, which carried scientific equipment to study the aurora borealis over Svalbard, flew on a high northbound trajectory, which included an air corridor that stretches from Minuteman III nuclear missile silos in North Dakota, all the way to the Russian capital city of Moscow.
During its flight, the rocket eventually reached an altitude of 1,453 kilometers (903 mi), resembling a U.S. Navy submarine-launched Trident missile. As a result, fearing a high-altitude nuclear attack that could blind Russian radar, Russian nuclear forces were put on high alert. The Cheget, Russia's "nuclear briefcase," was brought to Russian president Boris Yeltsin, who then had to decide whether to launch a retaliatory nuclear strike against the United States.
The Norwegian and U.S. scientists had notified thirty countries, including Russia, of their intention to launch a high-altitude scientific experiment aboard a rocket; however, the information was not passed on to the radar technicians. Following the incident, notification and disclosure protocols were re-evaluated and redesigned.
Hah! Everybody almost died!
Oh please, we've got waaaay closer to the complete annihilation of humanity as a species.
Operation Able Archer, anyone?
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BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
Annnnd NASA TV is LIVE with its coverage of the Atlas V launch with GOES-S onboard, scheduled for liftoff at 2:02pm Pacific, 5:02pm Eastern, 2202 UTC!
BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
I'll be done watching the livestream after MECO-1, but I'll keep you all up to date on how the rest of the flight goes to ensure that GOES-S gets to where it's supposed to go!
Really, the best thing SpaceX has done for spaceflight (other than landing a rocket) is packing their missions with cameras. ULA / Orbital really need to up their marketing game.
BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
MECO-1, and the Centaur with GOES-S is in Low Earth Orbit! A couple more burns to push the apogee of the orbit out beyond geostationary orbits, and then the spacecraft will be responsible for circularizing its final geostationary orbit
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BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
Really, the best thing SpaceX has done for spaceflight (other than landing a rocket) is packing their missions with cameras. ULA / Orbital really need to up their marketing game.
Camera >> computer imagery
Seriously. It was a NASA launch even, so they had access to all those great NASA tracking cameras (watching from the ground when the rocket is at 100km in altitude is quite a feat!). Gotta slap some GoPros on there, ULA!
Only tangentially related, but the PBS Space-Related youtube channels are absolutely amazing. PBS Spacetime (astrophysics) is phenomenal, if you have minutes to spare and want to learn something about space.
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BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
Only tangentially related, but the PBS Space-Related youtube channels are absolutely amazing. PBS Spacetime (astrophysics) is phenomenal, if you have minutes to spare and want to learn something about space.
Ooh, neat! If nothing else, more relaxing video to fall asleep to
Also, I never did report in on the final status of the GOES-S mission, but unsurprisingly - total success! The Centaur upper stage delivered it right to where it was supposed to, and GOES-S separated from the upper stage exactly according to the mission timeline
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BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
Oh, and just received a new launch date and time for SpaceX's Falcon 9 carrying Hispasat 30W-6: Tuesday March 6th at 12:33am Eastern, 0533 UTC. That's 9:33pm Pacific on Monday the 5th.
Not promising coverage at all on that launch, for obvious reasons (I'm an East Coast boi)! But we shall see and either way, let's hope Hispasat 30W-6 can finally get its heavy butt lifted up into a geostationary transfer orbit!
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BrodyThe WatchThe First ShoreRegistered Userregular
OCISLY better get its war paint on.
"I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."
Only tangentially related, but the PBS Space-Related youtube channels are absolutely amazing. PBS Spacetime (astrophysics) is phenomenal, if you have minutes to spare and want to learn something about space.
Also recommend Crash Course Astronomy and Kurzgesagt.
Hispasat is going expendable due to high seas but there are still Ti grid fins attached. Elon please.
Last I heard OCISLY was going to try and catch it anyways. Gotta show that its the bravest inanimate object. Screw your toaster.
Seal has the right of it - the recovery fleet remain in port at this time, which precludes any chance of a recovery effort. Ti grid fins are still attached for the sake of expediency, it would appear (Or more accurately, if they still had time to get the vehicle horizontal and replace them, I bet they would!).
Based on the times given in the press kit, MECO is still occurring early enough that it's likely the booster will attempt a "soft" water landing, so they'll certainly be collecting data and telemetry all the way to splashdown, despite the sea conditions.
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
The National Weather service just posted a GIF of a GOES-R satellite detecting a wildfire breaking out in western Kansas.
Can you imagine that? That kind of accuracy, that kind of fidelity, from geosynchronous orbit. That's 22,000 miles up there! Bam, eyeballing a wildfire in western Kansas.
This is its "sister" satellite, which is responsible for the East Coast.
GOES-S, the recent launch, will eventually be responsible for the West Coast.
(And in total will provide coverage from, like, New Zealand through to the West African Coast, as far south as Rio de Janeiro and as far north as southern parts of Canada)
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BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
Today's Launch Coverage - Falcon 9 Block 4 carrying Hispasat 30W-6 to a geostationary transfer orbit!
Hello everybody, we are LIVE here at Narwhal Mission Control. The big clock currently reads 6:45pm Pacific, 9:45pm Eastern, 0245 UTC
Today's mission is launching out of Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral AFB. Liftoff (T=0) is scheduled for MAR 05 9:33pm Pacific, MAR 06 12:33am Eastern, MAR 06 0533 UTC. ... Less than 3 hours from now, in case you're confused :P
This launch is the BIG 5-0 for the Falcon 9 launch vehicle. The 50th launch of a Falcon 9, the 4th Falcon 9 launch of the year, today's payload is a big'un, weighing in at just over 6000kg!
The press kit featuring the mission timeline, etc. was released earlier this week, showing a fairly typical launch profile for a Falcon 9 launch to a geostationary transfer orbit.
As I theorized earlier, the slightly-early MECO does indeed indicate that they will attempt a soft touchdown on the ocean's surface with the first stage, which comes as no surprise given that this was initially going to be a downrange landing on Of Course I Still Love You before rough sea conditions denied that possibility.
As always, SpaceX and their dedicated PR crew will be hosting the livestream (it's a late launch, though not so much for the West Coast where Mission Control is located, and I suspect they'll be celebrating #50 in a big way!), and the link is right here:
Finally, a look at the launch vehicle waiting on the pad earlier today, as the countdown continues toward liftoff at 9:33pm Pacific, 12:33am Eastern, 0533 UTC.
This is BeNarwhal at Narwhal Mission Control, monitoring the countdown to the 50th launch of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle carrying Hispasat 30W-6 to a geostationary transfer orbit!
I'll be asleep (hopefully) at 12:30 in the morning. Normally, I'd go behind my condo and can see the launches, but I'm sick as a dog and just can't make it this time.
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BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
I'll be asleep (hopefully) at 12:30 in the morning. Normally, I'd go behind my condo and can see the launches, but I'm sick as a dog and just can't make it this time.
I'm jealous of your location but won't hold it against you because being incredibly ill is a very good excuse! Get some rest, launch replay and everything else will be waiting for you here in the morning.
I'm only covering the launch because worrying about family travel troubles kept me up until now, so I may as well close the deal at this point!
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We briefly had an early morning launch scheduled, but that was SpaceX and very preliminary - the Range decided it didn't like the idea, so SpaceX has been bumped to ... probably this weekend
Also, congrats on the big purchase, friend!
Common Core First Stage loading its Liquid Oxygen, RP-1 Kerosene to follow!
T-65 minutes, all systems are still GO for launch.
Edit: I managed to use "its" both wrong AND right in the same post.
Operation Able Archer, anyone?
Also, livestream confirmed something I thought - in this configuration, that massive payload fairing is also covering the Centaur upper stage.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Camera >> computer imagery
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Seriously. It was a NASA launch even, so they had access to all those great NASA tracking cameras (watching from the ground when the rocket is at 100km in altitude is quite a feat!). Gotta slap some GoPros on there, ULA!
Ooh, neat! If nothing else, more relaxing video to fall asleep to
Also, I never did report in on the final status of the GOES-S mission, but unsurprisingly - total success! The Centaur upper stage delivered it right to where it was supposed to, and GOES-S separated from the upper stage exactly according to the mission timeline
Not promising coverage at all on that launch, for obvious reasons (I'm an East Coast boi)! But we shall see and either way, let's hope Hispasat 30W-6 can finally get its heavy butt lifted up into a geostationary transfer orbit!
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Also recommend Crash Course Astronomy and Kurzgesagt.
PSN: ShogunGunshow
Origin: ShogunGunshow
It has, but given enough demand they're usually not adverse to doing a second series on a given subject!
Last I heard OCISLY was going to try and catch it anyways. Gotta show that its the bravest inanimate object. Screw your toaster.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Seal has the right of it - the recovery fleet remain in port at this time, which precludes any chance of a recovery effort. Ti grid fins are still attached for the sake of expediency, it would appear (Or more accurately, if they still had time to get the vehicle horizontal and replace them, I bet they would!).
Based on the times given in the press kit, MECO is still occurring early enough that it's likely the booster will attempt a "soft" water landing, so they'll certainly be collecting data and telemetry all the way to splashdown, despite the sea conditions.
That's insane. Absolutely insane.
Gonna try to link this thing...
https://www.facebook.com/NWS/?hc_ref=ARS2349hBK34KAqRe6Wv41vZgGcbiLJdg0QMSt3UqUOn6eCMQVu7IVm-DSzDpUjqoK0&fref=nf
I'm in Nebraska, we've been having 70-80 mph winds all day today.
Is that the one they just launched?
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Can you imagine that? That kind of accuracy, that kind of fidelity, from geosynchronous orbit. That's 22,000 miles up there! Bam, eyeballing a wildfire in western Kansas.
This is its "sister" satellite, which is responsible for the East Coast.
GOES-S, the recent launch, will eventually be responsible for the West Coast.
(And in total will provide coverage from, like, New Zealand through to the West African Coast, as far south as Rio de Janeiro and as far north as southern parts of Canada)
Hello everybody, we are LIVE here at Narwhal Mission Control. The big clock currently reads 6:45pm Pacific, 9:45pm Eastern, 0245 UTC
Today's mission is launching out of Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral AFB. Liftoff (T=0) is scheduled for MAR 05 9:33pm Pacific, MAR 06 12:33am Eastern, MAR 06 0533 UTC. ... Less than 3 hours from now, in case you're confused :P
This launch is the BIG 5-0 for the Falcon 9 launch vehicle. The 50th launch of a Falcon 9, the 4th Falcon 9 launch of the year, today's payload is a big'un, weighing in at just over 6000kg!
The press kit featuring the mission timeline, etc. was released earlier this week, showing a fairly typical launch profile for a Falcon 9 launch to a geostationary transfer orbit.
As I theorized earlier, the slightly-early MECO does indeed indicate that they will attempt a soft touchdown on the ocean's surface with the first stage, which comes as no surprise given that this was initially going to be a downrange landing on Of Course I Still Love You before rough sea conditions denied that possibility.
As always, SpaceX and their dedicated PR crew will be hosting the livestream (it's a late launch, though not so much for the West Coast where Mission Control is located, and I suspect they'll be celebrating #50 in a big way!), and the link is right here:
Finally, a look at the launch vehicle waiting on the pad earlier today, as the countdown continues toward liftoff at 9:33pm Pacific, 12:33am Eastern, 0533 UTC.
This is BeNarwhal at Narwhal Mission Control, monitoring the countdown to the 50th launch of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle carrying Hispasat 30W-6 to a geostationary transfer orbit!
I'm jealous of your location but won't hold it against you because being incredibly ill is a very good excuse! Get some rest, launch replay and everything else will be waiting for you here in the morning.
I'm only covering the launch because worrying about family travel troubles kept me up until now, so I may as well close the deal at this point!