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

[Cosimo]

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What I wouldn't give to be up there. Just imagine seeing things like this every day:

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[Cosimo]

I thought you said there weren't any more Delta II launches on the boards? According to twitter this one is prepping to launch NPP:

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It's the last one from Cap Canaveral. NPP is going from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

 

[Cosimo]

The space view of England at sunset.

This may help:

@Jakub Zizka You interpret this pic incorrectly. Taken on 20110428, 183806 GMT, from near Wroclaw in Poland, looking back onto England. Sunglint in the Sound of Bute, Firth of Forth and Edinburgh upper right corner. All the parts to the left are England and Wales. Ireland in the rear at the left. Southernmost point: Grimsby (in the foreground mist).

http://www.facebook.com/FragileOasi...71418848.42018.124983354211627&type=1&theater

 

[Cosimo]

LRO offers sharp views of the Apollo 12, 14, and 17 Sites:

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More here:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/news/apollo-sites.html

Yes, they did land on the moon.

 

[Cosimo]

Yesterday’s GRAIL prelaunch briefing:

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There are two launch opportunities tomorrow, 13:37:06 and 14:16:12 BST (8:37:06 and 9:16:12 EDT).

 

[Cosimo]

Awesome.

Book yourself a flight:

http://www.virgingalactic.com/

You just need a deposit of at least $20,000. Tickets are cheap.

 

[Cosimo]

When I'm older (and I hope it goes down in price a little ) I'd definitely do it. I'd remortgage the house to do it.

Ten years down the line OcUK will have the highest divorce rate in the country. “Sorry dear, I mortgaged the house”

 

[Cosimo]

Slightly off topic, just started reading this and thought some of you maybe interested, I have never heard of it before.

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/ben+mezrich/sex+on+the+moon/8014796/

Looks like a good holiday read. Looking forward to your review.

 

[Cosimo]

The weather forecast still looks iffy for tomorrow’s GRAIL launch with only a 40% chance of acceptable conditions. The forecast for Friday isn’t too favourable either.

 

[Cosimo]

Not long to go now. A brief overview:

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[Cosimo]

GRAIL from SLC-17B at Cape Canaveral:

There are two launch opportunities today, 13:37:06 and 14:16:12 BST (8:37:06 and 9:16:12 EDT).

Fingers crossed for the weather.

 

[Cosimo]

That's an almost Russian looking rocket, isnt it?

It looks similar to the Proton rocket and the Ariane 5 looks similar but not with so many boosters. It's just the progression of rocket design with boosters added around the main engine to increase thrust at launch. This one is the Delta II which has been in service since 1989.

More on the Delta II:

http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Products_DeltaII.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_II

 

[Cosimo]

Looking good:

 

[Cosimo]

We are GO.

 

[Cosimo]

No go for first window.

New time of 14:16:12 BST (9:16:12 EDT).

 

[Cosimo]

Can you post when there's about 5mins to go please.

New launch time of 14:16:12 BST (09:16:12 EDT).

Do you still want a warning?

 

[Cosimo]

What was that about the range?

 

[Cosimo]

No GO due to winds. SCRUBBED.

 

[Cosimo]

See you tomorrow at 13:33:25 or 14:12:31 BST (08:33:25 or 09:12:31 EDT).

 

[Cosimo]

So is the 24 hour recycle something to do with making sure they don't have to go through the whole countdown again tomorrow?

They will be detanking. I presume they will reset the countdown to where tanking starts again tomorrow.