The Official Space Flight Thread - The Space Station and Beyond

Cosimo · 21 Oct 2011 at 09:31

Yesterday’s postponed Galileo launch will now take place this morning at around 11:30 BST. You can watch it live here:

http://www.videocorner.tv/index.htm

Cosimo · 21 Oct 2011 at 11:28

Don't miss it. Two minutes to go.

Cosimo · 21 Oct 2011 at 11:34

Away we go!

Cosimo · 21 Oct 2011 at 12:03

Launch has been successful. The upper stage is now in orbit and after another engine burn in around three hours’ time we will have the two Galileo satellite separation.

Cosimo · 21 Oct 2011 at 14:02

VaderDSL said:
So daft question time.

In terms of GPS systems, we will have :

GPS (U.S version) with 30ish? satellites
GLONASS (Russian version) with 24 satellites? I read it's more suited to the higher latitudes than GPS?
Galileo (European version) will have 30 satellites as well?

That's going to be amazing, especially if they co-operate and develop a receiver that can pickup all 3 types of satellites.

US 24:

http://www.af.mil/information/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=119
http://www.gps.gov/

USSR: 24 (27 in orbit):

http://www.glonass-center.ru/en/

Galileo 30:

http://www.esa.int/esaNA/ESAAZZ6708D_galileo_0.html

I thought that GLONASS was good at high latitudes. The Galileo system will be interoperable with the US system.

Cosimo · 21 Oct 2011 at 15:29

Galileo launch:

Update:

Second burn completed. Separation has occurred and the two Galileo navigation satellites have been deployed. It will take two weeks to park them in their orbits.

Cosimo · 25 Oct 2011 at 10:13

A slection of videos taken by the crew of Expedition 29 aboard the International Space Station:

Cosimo · 26 Oct 2011 at 11:45

The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) spacecraft is due for launch on Friday (28th). It will be launched on a ULA Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California at 10:48 - 10:57 BST (02:48 – 02:57 PDT).

The NNP spacecraft aboard the Delta II rocket:

Mission home:

http://npp.gsfc.nasa.gov/spacecraft_inst.html

Cosimo · 26 Oct 2011 at 17:04

A quick look at the 5 instruments (VIIRS, CERES, CrIS, ATMS, OMPS) on board the NPP spacecraft:

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2011 at 08:44

NPP waits for launch (10:48 - 10:57 BST):

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2011 at 08:52

Weather is looking good for launch:

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2011 at 09:44

Delta 2 rocket has now been fuelled and all systems looking good.

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2011 at 10:09

Tomcat825 said:
Those videos look almost simulated, but they're real aren't they?

They are real. An orbit takes 90 minutes on average and they've been speeded up.

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2011 at 10:36

Now in the last hold, T-minus 4 minutes. Launch remains set at 10:48:01 BST. Upper level winds are now green.

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2011 at 10:40

Teams polled and we are GO. You can watch it here:

http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2011 at 10:50

Away we go:

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2011 at 10:56

The ascent timeline:

T-00:00 Liftoff

T+01:04.0 Ground SRB Burnout

T+01:05.5 Air-Lit SRM Ignition

T+01:26.0 Jettison SRBs

T+02:11.5 Jettison Air-Lit SRMs

T+04:23.4 Main Engine Cutoff

T+04:31.4 Stage Separation

T+04:36.9 Second Stage Ignition

T+04:41.0 Jettison Payload Fairing

T+10:23.7 Second Stage Cutoff 1

T+52:05.0 Second Stage Restart

T+52:26.7 Second Stage Cutoff 2

T+58:45.0 NPP Separation

T+92:30.0 Second Stage Restart

T+98:20.0 CubeSat Deploys

T+114:58.6 Second Stage Restart

Into T+8 and looking good.

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2011 at 11:40

Cosimo · 28 Oct 2011 at 11:52

Spectacular:

We have now had successful separation.

It's worth having a read of the NPP press kit.

Cosimo · 29 Oct 2011 at 09:27

Another spectacular view of yesterday’s successful NPP launch:

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

The Official Space Flight Thread - The Space Station and Beyond