Author Topic: LIVE: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 20, 2012  (Read 88589 times)

Offline Ronsmytheiii

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #40 on: 06/14/2012 09:02 pm »
« Last Edit: 06/14/2012 09:02 pm by Ronsmytheiii »

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #41 on: 06/14/2012 10:12 pm »
ULA:
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Offline robertross

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #42 on: 06/15/2012 11:03 pm »
IMPORTANT NOTE!!

For those looking to attend this launch, I just received this from KSC VC (which may or may not have been published before, I certainly didn't know about this):

Introducing the KSC Up-Close: Launch Control Center Tour

Are you go for Launch Control? Visitors can now enter inside the Launch Control Center. For the first time in more than 30 years, step inside Firing Room 4, one of the LCC's four firing rooms and the one in which all 21 shuttle launches since 2006 were controlled. Available for a limited time. Make your reservation today.


Offline ras391

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #43 on: 06/15/2012 11:28 pm »
This is the LCC for shuttle, not Atlas V.

Offline jkumpire

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #44 on: 06/15/2012 11:47 pm »
IMPORTANT NOTE!!

For those looking to attend this launch, I just received this from KSC VC (which may or may not have been published before, I certainly didn't know about this):

Introducing the KSC Up-Close: Launch Control Center Tour

Are you go for Launch Control? Visitors can now enter inside the Launch Control Center. For the first time in more than 30 years, step inside Firing Room 4, one of the LCC's four firing rooms and the one in which all 21 shuttle launches since 2006 were controlled. Available for a limited time. Make your reservation today.



I just got off the phone with the KSCVC, the LCC Close-up tour is for Firing Room 4, and unlike our good friend KSCEngineer, there are no closer tickets from the KSCVC than the visitor's complex, which opens at 7:00 A.M. on launch day for those wanting space there. Also, no tour starts until 10 A.M. so you get no closer to the launch than the Visitors Center...

... Unless you go to Playlinda beach. It's $5 a car to get in, the park opens at 6:00 A.M. and as of now there are no restrictions for access there! If anyone is going there to see the launch, let me know, I'd love to meet some of you who inhabit this forum!   ;D

     
« Last Edit: 06/16/2012 01:19 am by jkumpire »

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #45 on: 06/16/2012 09:01 am »
ULA:
The vehicle Launch Readiness Review was completed today and everything is moving forward for the Atlas V NROL-38 launch set for Monday, June 18 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The L-3 weather forecast continues to shows an 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for launch.
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Offline Mapperuo

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #46 on: 06/16/2012 02:10 pm »
Rollout has begun
- Aaron

Offline robertross

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #47 on: 06/16/2012 03:31 pm »
« Last Edit: 06/16/2012 03:32 pm by robertross »

Offline William Graham

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #48 on: 06/16/2012 04:35 pm »
Looks like the somewhat confusingly-named "long payload fairing" (which is actually the shortest of the three Atlas V 400-series fairings. That fits with previous SDS launches. Would appreciate if someone could check my analysis though.

Another thing, the rocket's tail number has been painted on (see the pictures Chris has posted below), so its absence on the last launch may not be the start of a trend as was suspected at the time. The other possibility is that they may have simply decided not to paint it on 500-series rockets; on the 400-series it is painted on the Centaur, which is encapsulated on the 500-series.
« Last Edit: 06/16/2012 05:24 pm by William Graham »

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #49 on: 06/16/2012 05:18 pm »
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. (June 16, 2012) - A United Launch Alliance Atlas V stands ready for launch at Space Launch Complex-41 with the NROL-38 satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. Launch is set for Monday, June 18 at 8:26 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

 

Photo by Pat Corkery, United Launch Alliance

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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #50 on: 06/16/2012 05:23 pm »
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Offline FinalFrontier

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #51 on: 06/16/2012 05:24 pm »
Still can't get over that mission symbol.
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Offline Skyrocket

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #52 on: 06/16/2012 05:34 pm »
Looks like the somewhat confusingly-named "long payload fairing" (which is actually the shortest of the three Atlas V 400-series fairings.
The LPF designation comes from the Atlas II program, when it was (initially) the largest available payload fairing.


That fits with previous SDS launches. Would appreciate if someone could check my analysis though.

Yes, this correct. It fits with previous SDS launches (and also with PAN)

Offline Prober

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #53 on: 06/16/2012 07:16 pm »
Looks like the somewhat confusingly-named "long payload fairing" (which is actually the shortest of the three Atlas V 400-series fairings. That fits with previous SDS launches. Would appreciate if someone could check my analysis though.


Is this the same type of fairing used on the Zenit launcher?
or is that a special design?
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Offline Jim

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #54 on: 06/16/2012 08:08 pm »
There is commonality between Zenit and Atlas, not even contractors

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 20, 2012
« Reply #55 on: 06/17/2012 01:01 pm »
Delayed a few days - via ULA PAO:

ULA statement regarding launch delay.

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. (June 17, 2012) – The launch of an Atlas V carrying a national security payload for the National Reconnaissance Office is delayed.  Following the vehicle roll to the launch pad yesterday, the team identified an issue with an environmental control system duct that failed near its connection to the Mobile Launch Platform. The vehicle will be rolled back to the Vertical Integration Facility for removal and replacement of the duct prior to launch. The launch is now planned for Wednesday, June 20 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

« Last Edit: 06/17/2012 01:04 pm by Chris Bergin »
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Offline input~2

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 20, 2012
« Reply #56 on: 06/17/2012 03:44 pm »
Navigational warning (applicable to June 20)
Quote
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
ROCKETS.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 181220Z TO 181413Z JUN,
ALTERNATE 191220Z TO 191430Z AND
201220Z TO 201413Z JUN IN AREAS BOUND BY:
A. 28-36N 080-36W, 28-37N 080-33W,
28-35N 080-26W, 28-31N 080-08W,
28-29N 080-08W, 28-34N 080-35W.
B. 24-33N 060-15W, 22-32N 054-34W,
20-59N 055-03W, 23-22N 060-55W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 201513Z JUN.
« Last Edit: 06/17/2012 04:18 pm by input~2 »

Offline edkyle99

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #57 on: 06/17/2012 06:14 pm »
Still can't get over that mission symbol.

Another rollout of another rocket with a payload that we can't see, or know anything about.  This is what a substantial percentage of U.S. launches look like now. 

It could be something monumental inside that fairing, something spectacular and impressive and really, really expensive, or it could be mundane, or it could be another Glomar Explorer waste of money, but we'll never know. 

We should know, at least something, in my opinion.  It's our money after all (speaking for U.S. citizens).  And this is pretty much our space program now.

 - Ed Kyle
« Last Edit: 06/17/2012 06:16 pm by edkyle99 »

Offline ChileVerde

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #58 on: 06/17/2012 07:29 pm »

There's an interesting set of messages concerning this launch and the disposal of the upper stage on SeeSat-L starting at http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Jun-2012/0115.html
"I can’t tell you which asteroid, but there will be one in 2025," Bolden asserted.

Offline Jim

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Re: Atlas V 401 - NROL-38 - June 18, 2012
« Reply #59 on: 06/17/2012 07:35 pm »
Still can't get over that mission symbol.

Another rollout of another rocket with a payload that we can't see, or know anything about.  This is what a substantial percentage of U.S. launches look like now. 

It could be something monumental inside that fairing, something spectacular and impressive and really, really expensive, or it could be mundane, or it could be another Glomar Explorer waste of money, but we'll never know. 

We should know, at least something, in my opinion.  It's our money after all (speaking for U.S. citizens).  And this is pretty much our space program now.

 - Ed Kyle

no different than the last 60 years.

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