Miscellaneous Launches and Payloads (updates)

[Jim K Global Moderator]

37 minutes ago, Draggendrop said:

Looks like another shot at 5:58 EDT

 

 

 

Sweet.  So all you have to do is go run a quick errand ... come back and and the clock is ticking.  Will have to remember that during the next SpaceX hold.

 

Hopefully weather is good at T-60

 

Edit:

Son of....

[Clirion]

Violation of Weather Constraints under T-1.

 

[Clirion]

Scrubbed.:

Quote

SCRUB! The persistent gloomy weather at Cape Canaveral this afternoon will keep the United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket from flying today to deliver a classified U.S. national security satellite into space.

A combination of rain, clouds and lightning meant it was unsafe to permit the triple-barrel rocket launch during its lengthy opportunity today.

Liftoff of the NROL-37 mission is rescheduled for Saturday at 1:51 p.m. EDT (1751 GMT). Forecasters say there is a 60 percent chance of acceptable weather then.

Over the next couple of hours, the 235-foot-tall rocket will be safed and its 465,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel and oxidizer drained back into the launch pad storage spheres.

When the rocket does fly, it will carry a top-secret payload to orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office, the agency responsible for the design and operation of the country's fleet of spy satellites.

Experts believe the payload is an eavesdropping spacecraft that will be launched into a circular geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles high to perform intelligence-gathering on terrorist networks and adversarial nations for U.S. warfighters and policy-makers.

 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

1 minute ago, Clirion said:

Scrubbed.:

 

oh well.  Someone should have just walked bye and tossed a cigarette butt underneath it.

[Clirion]

Saturday 1:51PM is the next launch time since there is a 48 hour recycle for this.

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

They gave it a good shot for the grumpy weather. Hopefully we see a good launch on Saturday....

 

Tory Bruno was having fun as well....good to see.

https://twitter.com/torybruno

 

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

 

 

[DocM]

They were lucky with the Proton launch - there were.upper stage engine anomalies including 1 of 4 that quit firing WAY early. 

 

Russia needs to get Angara 5 production started sooner than later so they can retire Proton. Not just for the QC issues but because of its lower stage using highly toxic propellants.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Livestream starts in a few minutes for NROL-37

Launch planned for 1:51 p.m. EDT 

Weather is looking 60% favorable at launch time

http://www.ulalaunch.com/webcast.aspx

[Jim K Global Moderator]

All green.  T-60

 

Still have a potato cam type stream.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

There she goes.  Have to say...that is a nice looking rocket.

 

Edit:  Everything was good.  Successful launch/staging/fairing sep.  They have now ended coverage prior to payload deployment due to NRO requirements.   

[DocM]

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

I caught the launch at the last minute...went off well, but the prior hydrogen burn off that they do, can be a little unnerving....

 

Quote

The 9th Heavy configuration to fly

and 

Quote

The 6th Heavy for the NRO

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/06/08/d374_journal/

 

The tough part is seeing a triple booster, 350 to 400 million dollar ride, go up...expendable. That is one large "pallet of cash" to throw away. FH will make this launcher obsolete in short order and may have 9 launches done in under 3 years. Times are changing.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

3 minutes ago, Draggendrop said:

I caught the launch at the last minute...went off well, but the prior hydrogen burn off that they do, can be a little unnerving....

 

and 

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/06/08/d374_journal/

 

The tough part is seeing a triple booster, 350 to 400 million dollar ride, go up...expendable. That is one large "pallet of cash" to throw away. FH will make this launcher obsolete in short order and may have 9 launches done in under 3 years. Times are changing.

Think this rocket is kinda neat ... hydrogen burn off is unique plus you can see the obvious difference in thrust in the center booster vs. the port/starboard boosters.

 

But yea...huge pallet of cash getting thrown away.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Who saw this coming?  Not  sure what to think about it ... yet ... mainly because of the UAE's abysmal Human Rights.  

Quote

NASA, UAE Sign Significant Outer Space, Aeronautics Cooperation Agreement

 

The United States and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have entered into an agreement to cooperate in aeronautics research, and the exploration and use of airspace and outer space for peaceful purposes, working together in the peaceful use of outer space for the benefit of humanity.

 

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and UAE Space Agency Chairman Dr. Khalifa Al Romaithi formalized and signed the agreement Sunday at a meeting in Abu Dhabi.

 

“NASA is leading an ambitious journey to Mars that includes partnerships with the private sector and many international partners,” said Bolden. “I am confident this new framework agreement with the UAE Space Agency will help advance this journey, as well as other endeavors in the peaceful exploration of outer space.” Already, technical experts from our two countries are engaged in discussions on several areas of mutual interest, and I believe our two agencies will collaborate for years to come through a common interest in aeronautics, exploration and discovery.”

 

Both parties recognize the mutual benefit to be gained from working together in the exploration and peaceful use of outer space, and this agreement facilitates and strengthens the long-standing relationship between the United States and UAE.

 

The agreement covers cooperation and collaboration in space science, operational Earth observation and Earth science, aeronautics, space operations and exploration, education, technology, safety and mission assurance, and other areas with potential benefits to all nations.

The two countries will continue to identify additional areas of mutual interest for possible future cooperative programs or joint activities on Earth, in airspace, or in outer space. These activities may include the joint use of aircraft, scientific instruments aboard spacecraft, ground-based research facilities, spacecraft and space research platforms, as well as ground-based antennas for tracking, telemetry, and data acquisition.

 

Additionally, the two countries will aim to collaborate on the creation and implementation of education and public outreach programs and joint workshops, with the goal of facilitating the exchange of scientific data, scientists, engineers, and views and experiences on relevant regulatory frameworks and standards.

 

“The United Arab Emirates and the United States of America are long-standing allies and have deep economic, cultural and diplomatic ties,” said Al Romaithi. “We at the UAE Space Agency genuinely welcome the opportunity to collaborate and work with the USA and NASA in the fields of aeronautics, space science, and the peaceful exploration of outer space toward the common goal of fostering the well-being of humankind.

 

“Since its founding, the UAE Space Agency has been emphasizing the importance of cooperating and collaborating with international partners in the fields of space science and the peaceful exploration of outer space. This agreement opens the door to the creation of a wide range of mutually beneficial programs and activities involving numerous organizations within the UAE and the USA.

 

“The reason why cooperation and collaboration are important to the UAESA is because we believe that working alongside international partners is the best way to accelerate the development of space technologies and the space sector within the UAE. The space sector serves as a catalysts for economic development and diversification, creating job opportunities and enabling scientists and engineers to become leaders of an industry that can bring huge benefits to our daily lives.”

 

NASA and the UAE Space Agency also formalized cooperation in the exploration of Mars as the first field of collaboration between the agencies by signing an Implementing Arrangement under the Framework. The Implementing Arrangement establishes a joint steering group to guide discussions about potential future projects that contribute to exploring the Red Planet.

NASA

[DocM]

UAE is building a new spaceport near Abu Dhabi, so yeah. 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

I would assume that the above article would only lead to collaboration on scientific  ventures for now...more politics than anything due to ITAR.

 

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Still no word on the CNSA flight....

 

Quote

June 12 Long March 3C • Beidou
Launch time: Approx. 1530 GMT (11:30 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: Xichang, China
A Chinese Long March 3C rocket will launch a Beidou navigation satellite into orbit for the Chinese government. [June 9]

http://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

 

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Photos: Spectacular start to Delta 4-Heavy’s satellite deployment mission

 

Credit: Walter Scriptunas II / Scriptunas Images

 

 

Credit: Walter Scriptunas II / Scriptunas Images

 

 

 

Credit: Walter Scriptunas II / Scriptunas Images

 

That last shot appears to be showing a burn off for some operation (pumps, venting)...?

 

More images at...

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/06/12/photos-spectacular-start-to-delta-4-heavys-secret-satellite-deployment-mission/

 

[Blue-Vision]

Yeah, that burn-off always makes me nervous too. Then I remember that it's a normal part of using super-chilled Hydrogen + LOX.  We see the something similar in Falcon-9 launches with the LOX cooking off, so no biggie.

 

The NASA/UAE deal is .... unexpected.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Chinese Beidou Navigation Satellite takes Flight aboard Long March 3C Rocket

 

Quote

A Long March 3C rocket blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Sunday in support of China’s existing Navigation Satellite Program, replenishing the Beidou-2 constellation to continue services until the follow-on system comes on line before the end of the decade.

 

Topped with the Beidou-2 G7 satellite, CZ-3C leapt off its launch pad around 15:30 UTC and thundered into the night skies. The 56-meter tall rocket swung to the south-east to overfly the Chinese mainland, dropping its two-liquid fueled boosters, the first stage and the payload fairing onto the Guizhou and Jianxi provinces.

 

CZ-3C then flew out over the Pacific Ocean to fire its third stage twice, aiming for a highly elliptical Geostationary Transfer Orbit from where the satellite can be lifted into Geostationary Orbit to join the Beidou-2 satellite constellation. Launch success was confirmed a little over one hour after liftoff.

http://spaceflight101.com/beidou-2-g7-launch/

 

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/06/long-march-3c-beidou-2-g7/

 

Have not been able to find any video yet....

 

----------------------

Next up...

 

Quote

June 15 Falcon 9 • Eutelsat 117 West B & ABS 2A
Launch time: 1432-1517 GMT (10:32-11:17 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Eutelsat 117 West B and ABS 2A communications satellites. Eutelsat 117 West B will provide Latin America with video, data, government, and mobile services for Paris-based Eutelsat. ABS 2A will distribute direct-to-home television, mobile and maritime communications services across Russia, India, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean region for Asia Broadcast Satellite of Bermuda and Hong Kong. Built by Boeing, the satellites will launch in a conjoined configuration and will use all-electric propulsion for orbit-raising. Delayed from 4th quarter 2015, March, April, May 3 and late May. Moved forward from June 16. [June 6]

June 16 Ariane 5 • EchoStar 18 & BRIsat
Launch window: 2030-2115 GMT (4:30-5:15 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: ELA-3, Kourou, French Guiana
Arianespace will use an Ariane 5 ECA rocket, designated VA230, to launch the EchoStar 18 and BRIsat communications satellites. EchoStar 18 will provide direct-to-home television broadcast services over North America for EchoStar and Dish Network. BRIsat will support banking services provided by BRI, a large Indonesian bank. Delayed from May, June 7 and June 8. [June 8]

http://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

 

Have not heard about the F9 static fire today, assuming launch on 15th still.

 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Cygnus is hot!  Hope they release some pictures.  

Quote

Engineers at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio and Orbital ATK in Dulles, Virginia successfully conducted the first remote Spacecraft Fire Experiment, or Saffire I, carried inside an Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo vehicle that departed the International Space Station on Tuesday, June 14.  The experiment’s purpose is to learn how a fire might behave in a spacecraft after leaving Earth’s atmosphere. Understanding how fire spreads in a microgravity environment is critical to the safety of astronauts who live and work in space as NASA prepares for long duration missions on the journey to Mars.

 

“The first of our planned three Saffire experiments operated as designed which is a great credit to all the people at NASA who played a role in its development,” said Gary A. Ruff, NASA’s Spacecraft Fire Safety Demonstration Project manager.  “The success of this experiment opens the door to future large combustion experiments in the microgravity environment and directly supports the development of technologies and materials that will make deep space exploration spacecraft safer.”

 

/snip

 

More at NASA

[Blue-Vision]

Yeah, just wish they'd been smarter about who they'd named it after.  

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Just now, Unobscured Vision said:

Yeah, just wish they'd been smarter about who they'd named it after.  

oh yea ... that is right.

 

[Blue-Vision]

Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting (and completely necessary) experiment. Just they weren't being considerate. It happens sometimes without really meaning to do it. I understand the intent to honor a fallen Astronaut though, and that's fine in of itself. Just .. bad form, as only us nerds can do it.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

 

[Blue-Vision]

Well, if there's a fire, they might NOT get imagery. That's why it's a fire.