Posted: 9/4/2013 6:14:15 AM EDT
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Any planning on going to the launch Friday at Wallops Island? Launch a satalite to the moon for some dust and atmosphere research. (What are they going learn...?)
Weather permitting I should be there. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Any planning on going to the launch Friday at Wallops Island? Launch a satalite to the moon for some dust and atmosphere research. (What are they going learn...?) Weather permitting I should be there. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Awfully far north. You get less and less advantage form the rotational speed of the earth. |
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Thanks for the reminder!
I would've forgotten (and still might)... despite looking forward to this for a while now. Not going down to Wallop... but supposedly, folks are supposed to see it from all over. My biggest problem is finding a good spot to sit and watch. With all the clutter and such around my inside-the-beltway home, I'm thinking I won't have much luck if I stay home. Good info here: http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/MissionUpdates/MinotaurV/index.shtml |
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A Minotaur V is essentially a modified Peacekeeper ICBM with an additional fifth stage to boost the carge into a transfer orbit. So yeah, it's a pretty big rocket  Thanks, I googled the rocket, and yes indeed it is large. Should be exciting! Looking at your name you may know a little about them... Since this is an unmanned mission what are the chances for a scrub due to weather? Weather is cloudy in evening and clearing at night, but I'd hate to drive from Goochland and it get scrubbed. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Thanks, I googled the rocket, and yes indeed it is large. Should be exciting! Looking at your name you may know a little about them... Since this is an unmanned mission what are the chances for a scrub due to weather? Weather is cloudy in evening and clearing at night, but I'd hate to drive from Goochland and it get scrubbed. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Quoted:
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A Minotaur V is essentially a modified Peacekeeper ICBM with an additional fifth stage to boost the carge into a transfer orbit. So yeah, it's a pretty big rocket Thanks, I googled the rocket, and yes indeed it is large. Should be exciting! Looking at your name you may know a little about them... Since this is an unmanned mission what are the chances for a scrub due to weather? Weather is cloudy in evening and clearing at night, but I'd hate to drive from Goochland and it get scrubbed. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile I do indeed know a bit about launch vehicles such as Minotaur V. My area of knowledge is in building the spacecraft themselves, but in general I would say regardless of manned or unmanned, the amount of monetary investment sitting on a launch pad is such that caution will always be the order of the day. I don't know where the cutoff point is for cloud cover. My gut is so long as there's no precipitation or signficant wind combined with clear skies then launch should be good to go. |
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Not much chance very far inland. Even the 15 degree band is dicey.
For the 15 degree band: Go outside. Straight up is 90 Halfway to the horizon from 90 is 45. Cut that remaining amount into thirds, and that bottom third is the highest angle above the horizon the bird will be during powered ascent. I got to see a Saturn V launch from as close as civilian type people could be to one. Now *that* was something!!! |
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As far as I know it's open to the public.
My sisters husbands mother  , lives on eastern shore, and goes to these launches occasionally. She said they fill up fast and to get there early. This is the largest launch to date at the facility, and it's mission is to the moon, so I figure its going pretty packed.
I'll be there, va home team shirt and a boonie hat, if you see me, say hello! Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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I do indeed know a bit about launch vehicles such as Minotaur V. My area of knowledge is in building the spacecraft themselves, but in general I would say regardless of manned or unmanned, the amount of monetary investment sitting on a launch pad is such that caution will always be the order of the day. I don't know where the cutoff point is for cloud cover. My gut is so long as there's no precipitation or signficant wind combined with clear skies then launch should be good to go. Quoted:
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A Minotaur V is essentially a modified Peacekeeper ICBM with an additional fifth stage to boost the carge into a transfer orbit. So yeah, it's a pretty big rocket Thanks, I googled the rocket, and yes indeed it is large. Should be exciting! Looking at your name you may know a little about them... Since this is an unmanned mission what are the chances for a scrub due to weather? Weather is cloudy in evening and clearing at night, but I'd hate to drive from Goochland and it get scrubbed. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile I do indeed know a bit about launch vehicles such as Minotaur V. My area of knowledge is in building the spacecraft themselves, but in general I would say regardless of manned or unmanned, the amount of monetary investment sitting on a launch pad is such that caution will always be the order of the day. I don't know where the cutoff point is for cloud cover. My gut is so long as there's no precipitation or signficant wind combined with clear skies then launch should be good to go. Thank you sir, your point about the monitary value makes sense. Is the rocket one time use? Ie: nothing is retrievable? Just become space junk? Are you hiring?
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
| I was listening to the radio today (wrva) and they were interviewing a guy from Wallops Is. who is giving some sort of presentation at the Nascar race in RIC this evening. He was saying that the folks at the race track (northside RIC) should have an excellent view of the launch. So even a good distance inland should be able to see it. |
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I'm watching it here:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#.UiqJ3Rafd1M |
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Man that was a good launch and you couldn't have asked for a more clear night! I could see it great from Louisa County up till about stage 3 then it just to far down range. Yep, Tammy and I just went out and watched here in Sterling. It was visible for a good long while even all the way up here. To da Moon!!! |
| of course i watched it. i live less than 8 miles from the launch site. someone mentioned this was the biggest launch to date from Wallops, well, no. the largest launch was the test flight of the Antares rocket a couple of months back and another is scheduled for later this month i believe. it is a resupply mission for the ISS. that thing is just impressive to watch since it is a lot larger than the MV and is a liquid fulled 3 stage rocket. |
| THIS is the big one. its just shy of 13ft where the minotaur V is only 5 feet. the satellite launched tonight was 248kgs. the MV can carry a payload of up to 342kgs where the antares can carry up to 5000kgs. |
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In chincoteague, Robert reed park watching the show. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile You had front row seats then! I was driving my tugboat across Norfolk harbor and we saw it clearly. We even saw when the 1st and 2nd stage lit off. Pretty cool for me I think its only the 2nd rocket I have seen in the air. |
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of course i watched it. i live less than 8 miles from the launch site. someone mentioned this was the biggest launch to date from Wallops, well, no. the largest launch was the test flight of the Antares rocket a couple of months back and another is scheduled for later this month i believe. it is a resupply mission for the ISS. that thing is just impressive to watch since it is a lot larger than the MV and is a liquid fulled 3 stage rocket. I suppose we won't be so lucky as to have the Antares launch being scheduled so late at night? I can't find anything posted on it. Would be sweet if the launch time were around the same as Friday's. |
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I suppose we won't be so lucky as to have the Antares launch being scheduled so late at night? I can't find anything posted on it. Would be sweet if the launch time were around the same as Friday's. Quoted:
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of course i watched it. i live less than 8 miles from the launch site. someone mentioned this was the biggest launch to date from Wallops, well, no. the largest launch was the test flight of the Antares rocket a couple of months back and another is scheduled for later this month i believe. it is a resupply mission for the ISS. that thing is just impressive to watch since it is a lot larger than the MV and is a liquid fulled 3 stage rocket. I suppose we won't be so lucky as to have the Antares launch being scheduled so late at night? I can't find anything posted on it. Would be sweet if the launch time were around the same as Friday's. The Antares launch is scheduled for 11:16 am on the 17th. NASA Launch Schedule |
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Yes I saw it from Hampton in my front yard. Very impressive and fast. I think I could actually hear it. There were several aircraft in the sky at the time. I saw the airplanes too, it seemed like they were "boxing in" the airspace the missile would be flying through. Maybe they were NASA F-5s. |
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Thanks! Yeah, figured it'd be a day launch.  Oh well... guess I won't be seeing that one.
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I saw the airplanes too, it seemed like they were "boxing in" the airspace the missile would be flying through. Maybe they were NASA F-5s. Quoted:
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Yes I saw it from Hampton in my front yard. Very impressive and fast. I think I could actually hear it. There were several aircraft in the sky at the time. I saw the airplanes too, it seemed like they were "boxing in" the airspace the missile would be flying through. Maybe they were NASA F-5s. There was a helicopter hovering as well off in the distance, the official at the park said it was to bd sure no one was in the launch area after the rso gave the all clear. I assume if was using thermal, might be a neat video to see if it caught the launch. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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I suppose we won't be so lucky as to have the Antares launch being scheduled so late at night? I can't find anything posted on it. Would be sweet if the launch time were around the same as Friday's. Quoted:
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of course i watched it. i live less than 8 miles from the launch site. someone mentioned this was the biggest launch to date from Wallops, well, no. the largest launch was the test flight of the Antares rocket a couple of months back and another is scheduled for later this month i believe. it is a resupply mission for the ISS. that thing is just impressive to watch since it is a lot larger than the MV and is a liquid fulled 3 stage rocket. I suppose we won't be so lucky as to have the Antares launch being scheduled so late at night? I can't find anything posted on it. Would be sweet if the launch time were around the same as Friday's. the test launch a couple months back was a night launch and let me tell you, it was nothing short of spectacular. even a day time launch will be visible for quite a distance. |
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Thank you sir, your point about the monitary value makes sense. Is the rocket one time use? Ie: nothing is retrievable? Just become space junk? Are you hiring?
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Quoted:
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A Minotaur V is essentially a modified Peacekeeper ICBM with an additional fifth stage to boost the carge into a transfer orbit. So yeah, it's a pretty big rocket Thanks, I googled the rocket, and yes indeed it is large. Should be exciting! Looking at your name you may know a little about them... Since this is an unmanned mission what are the chances for a scrub due to weather? Weather is cloudy in evening and clearing at night, but I'd hate to drive from Goochland and it get scrubbed. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile I do indeed know a bit about launch vehicles such as Minotaur V. My area of knowledge is in building the spacecraft themselves, but in general I would say regardless of manned or unmanned, the amount of monetary investment sitting on a launch pad is such that caution will always be the order of the day. I don't know where the cutoff point is for cloud cover. My gut is so long as there's no precipitation or signficant wind combined with clear skies then launch should be good to go. Thank you sir, your point about the monitary value makes sense. Is the rocket one time use? Ie: nothing is retrievable? Just become space junk? Are you hiring?
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Minotaur V is all one use. As each stage separates the pieces will fall back into the ocean. As so much energy is required to break the gravity well of our planet, very little if anything other than the cargo vehicle will actually enter into orbit, so no significant "space junk".
While I work in the industry, I myself have very little to do with hiring. I'd recommend checking out the web pages of the various agencies/companies involved in the launch for job openings. Just my opinion, but I think the Wallops spaceport is going to expand significantly in the next few years, which should create new jobs for all sorts of support staff. |
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Minotaur V is all one use. As each stage separates the pieces will fall back into the ocean. As so much energy is required to break the gravity well of our planet, very little if anything other than the cargo vehicle will actually enter into orbit, so no significant "space junk".
While I work in the industry, I myself have very little to do with hiring. I'd recommend checking out the web pages of the various agencies/companies involved in the launch for job openings. Just my opinion, but I think the Wallops spaceport is going to expand significantly in the next few years, which should create new jobs for all sorts of support staff. with this last launch and the launch on the 17th, if it goes off without a hitch i do believe you are correct. Orbital will be looking for people real soon. |