The Official Space Flight Thread - The Space Station and Beyond

Cosimo · 23 Oct 2014 at 07:15

Spacewalk 3. Removal of experiment hardware and antennas no longer needed on the Russian segment of the complex:

Cosimo · 23 Oct 2014 at 08:11

A collection of NASA sounds from historic spaceflights and current missions for you to enjoy:

https://soundcloud.com/nasa

Cosimo · 24 Oct 2014 at 11:11

A look at the challenges of re-entry and the IXV Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle which will be launched in November 2014 and a Rosetta update:

Cosimo · 25 Oct 2014 at 09:19

Glaucus · 25 Oct 2014 at 10:35

Wahoo more info on SpaceX Flouting platform.

The attempt could come as soon as December.

The landing platform is being built at a Louisiana shipyard and measures 300 feet by 170 feet, Musk said during a talk at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which was streamed online.
It will be positioned miles out in the Atlantic Ocean, unanchored but equipped with engines and GPS sensors that will try to keep it stable.

Musk gives it 50/50 chance on first attempt.

Cosimo · 25 Oct 2014 at 16:01

On the way home:

Mike1983 · 25 Oct 2014 at 18:39

Cosimo · 26 Oct 2014 at 12:14

Dragon returns to Earth yesterday, carrying 3276 lbs of cargo and science samples:

In the Pacific Ocean at 15:39 EDT (19:39 GMT), about 265 miles west of Baja California.

Cosimo · 27 Oct 2014 at 06:43

Antares ORB 3 rollout:

Launch from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility is set for 22:45 GMT (18:45 EDT).

Cosimo · 27 Oct 2014 at 11:04

Final preparation of "Progress M-25M". The launch of Soyuz-2.1a with "Progress M-25M" is scheduled for 29th of October:

Cosimo · 27 Oct 2014 at 13:01

Finally the best part of preparation, rollout:

wingman44115 · 27 Oct 2014 at 22:48

Cosimo said:
Antares ORB 3 rollout:

Launch from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility is set for 22:45 GMT (18:45 EDT).

was disappointing

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2014 at 08:17

One gets ready as the other leaves:

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2014 at 09:38

Antares launch postponed last night because of a boat down range. Another attempt tonight at 22:22 GMT (18:22 EDT). There is a 10 minute launch window.

Combat squirrel · 28 Oct 2014 at 10:18

Cosimo said:
Antares launch postponed last night because of a boat down range. Another attempt tonight at 22:22 GMT (18:22 EDT). There is a 10 minute launch window.

Yeah saw this, I was very annoyed, but not as annoyed as the staff, I imagine the boat down range will be in a lot of trouble. Any ideas what will happen to them? I would imagine a huge fine ?

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2014 at 11:09

Combat squirrel said:
Yeah saw this, I was very annoyed, but not as annoyed as the staff, I imagine the boat down range will be in a lot of trouble. Any ideas what will happen to them? I would imagine a huge fine ?

They can be arrested and fined. I expect they got slapped wrists as the launch window was short and they didn't have much time to clear the zone.

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2014 at 11:48

The Chinese have launched the Chang'e 5 Test Mission.

This is technology test which will fly around the moon and back to earth in preparation for the country's first unmanned return trip to the moon.

Piggybacked is a mini satellite called the Manfred Memorial Moon Mission (M4) for the Pocket Spacecraft project:

http://moon.luxspace.lu/the-mission/
http://pocketspacecraft.com/

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2014 at 17:37

Combat squirrel said:
Yeah saw this, I was very annoyed, but not as annoyed as the staff, I imagine the boat down range will be in a lot of trouble. Any ideas what will happen to them? I would imagine a huge fine ?

Further Update:

They appear to have been in international waters so nothing:

According to various reports, there was a sailboat about 35 miles offshore in the launch hazard area that did not respond to NASA radio calls to it, nor to a NASA surveillance plane that flew over it an tipped its wings seeking to get the boat's attention. Reportedly, one person was observed by the NASA surveillance plane in the cockpit of the sailboat.

Since the sailboat was in international waters (more than 12 miles off the U.S. coastline) the boat was legally allowed to be there even though NASA had issued a Notice to Mariners warning all vessels of the danger during this launch and requesting that vessels stay away from the published hazard area during the 10 minute launch window.

It is quite possible that the sailboat crew was not even aware of the fact that they were interfering with the Antares launch.

NASA's responsibility for ensuring public safety during launches required that the launch be scrubbed due to the potential risk to that sailboat if the flight would have had a first-stage malfunction and then required a command destruct action resulting in a large debris field in the launch hazard area, or if the spent first stage would impact it with the defined launch hazard area.

LOAM · 28 Oct 2014 at 22:26

The antares (unmanned) launch of the Orbital CRS-3 to the ISS has exploded after lift off.

mattyprice4004 · 28 Oct 2014 at 22:29

Was watching NASA TV, didn't expect that!

** The Official Space Flight Thread - The Space Station and Beyond **

The Official Space Flight Thread - The Space Station and Beyond