[SPESS] Launches over the next couple of days
drasnor
Starship OperatorHawthorne, CA Icrontian
Howdy folks, it's time to go to spess!
2014-07-13 16:52 UTC (12:52 EDT), Wallops VA: Orbital Sciences will be launching their Antares medium-lift launch vehicle carrying the Janice Voss Cygnus spacecraft to a July 16 rendezvous with the International Space Station. Manifested in this cargo is 28 nanosatellites for the Planet Labs Flock 1b Earth observation constellation, the TechEdSat-4 research nanosatellite operated by San Jose State University and the University of Idaho, the Google Project Tango-based Smart SPHERES free-flying space robots, and a whole slew of fresh supplies and new science experiments. This is Orbital's second operational flight in their ongoing Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA.
Weather is projected to have a 90% chance of being favorable for flight. The launch window is instantaneous which means they're launching on time or not at all. If you're living near the coast in Virginia, Washington DC, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, or New York and aren't doing anything early tomorrow afternoon, it might be worth stepping outside to watch: http://www.universetoday.com/113108/how-to-watch-spectacular-antares-commercial-launch-to-iss-on-july-12-complete-viewing-guide/ . I'll definitely be watching it on the NASA Ustream HD channel: http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv
2014-07-14 15:15 UTC (11:15 EDT), Cape Canaveral, FL: SpaceX will be launching their Falcon 9 medium-lift launch vehicle carrying six Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) telecommunications satellites for Orbcomm. These spacecraft are the first of the OG2 second-generation satellites to augment Orbcomm's machine-to-machine global telecommunications service. The satellites are based on Sierra Nevada Corporation's SN-100A small spacecraft bus and are manufactured in Louisville, CO.
Weather is currently projected to have a 70% chance of being favorable for flight. The launch window is 153 minutes long. Though T-0 is scheduled for the opening of the launch window, the additional time allows SpaceX to delay for weather or other issues and still launch within that time if conditions allow. The rocket's flight path takes it east away from Florida so your best bet of catching the launch is to watch the SpaceX webcast: http://www.spacex.com/webcast/
Have fun and fly safe!
Comments
Antares went off yesterday with nary a hitch and the Janice Voss is spending the next couple of days phasing up to the ISS!
SpaceX launch is pushed back to later this morning (11:44 EDT) so hopefully more west coasters will be awake.
Now 11:15am http://new.livestream.com/spacex/events/2980259/statuses/56571543
Great success. Looked like a pretty textbook launch from here.
Are you guys playing reruns? I'm watching right now and it's T-15min.
I think you're watching the re-run :P
How much do I love mission patches? I love mission patches.
Another mission patch lover? Nowai. I have a decent sized collection. My dad had a contact at NASA who always hooked me up with mission patches and/or stickers and crew photos for STS missions. He'd pick them up when he went on business trips to FLA. If I find them, I'll take a group shot and post it.
Mission patches? Want.
@AlexDeGruven, get your SpaceX Mission patches here: http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-120712b.html
And your NASA Mission patches here: http://www.thespaceshop.com/spshmi.html
I worked for a NASA contractor for STS-26 through the end (STS-135). NASA is big on patches, pins, medals and stuff flown in space. I have a bunch of that stuff and used to display some of it, but it’s all packed away now.
I think it’s cool that @drasnor is in at the beginning of the Next Generation of the space adventure. It’s great to be part of something like that.
Price tag is a bit steep but they are available: http://shop.spacex.com/accessories-39/cassiope-mission-patch-collection.html
$50 for 12 patches isn't bad.
Looks like SpaceX nailed their orbital insertion again keeping the customers happy: http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/010/140723orbcomm
Kudos for the successful soft landing of the first stage; another step down the road to reusable launch vehicles: