Author Topic: LIVE: Electron 2nd Test Flight "Still Testing" - 3 Cubesats - January 21, 2018  (Read 185695 times)

Offline harry2680

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Hi there, just making a thread for the next Electron rocket test flight, dubbed "Still Testing" by Rocket Lab.

They announced the new name and post flight analysis of the first launch on their website:
https://www.rocketlabusa.com/latest/rocket-lab-completes-post-flight-analysis/

On their twitter they indicated they hoped to launch the next test flight around October:
https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/894466730059104256

I haven't been able to found out if there are going to be any commercial satellites aboard but Spaceflightnow seems to indicate there might be:
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Several commercial CubeSats are expected to be aboard the Electron’s second mission.
https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/



« Last Edit: 01/29/2018 08:05 pm by gongora »

Offline jpo234

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Rocket Lab's rocket is launching again soon — and this time it'll carry satellites to space

Quote
The rocket will carry two of Planet’s Dove satellites, designed to image Earth, as well as two of Spire’s Lemur-2 satellites that track weather and ship traffic.
« Last Edit: 09/26/2017 03:09 pm by jpo234 »
You want to be inspired by things. You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great. That's what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It's about believing in the future and believing the future will be better than the past. And I can't think of anything more exciting than being out there among the stars.

Offline harry2680

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« Last Edit: 10/03/2017 09:21 am by harry2680 »

Offline SmallKing

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Some are bound for happiness, some are bound to glory, some are bound to live with less, who can tell your story?

Offline SmallKing

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Looks like they are behind the schedule a lot...
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Test flight 2, called Still Testing, is going out and we're about a month away from rolling that out to the pad
https://www.reddit.com/r/RocketLab/comments/77ohp5/still_testing_launch_a_month_from_late_october/
Some are bound for happiness, some are bound to glory, some are bound to live with less, who can tell your story?

Offline Mike Jones

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THat's already a great achievement if they manage to launch once successfully this year as this would position RocketLab as the leading microlauncher company. However they were supposed to launch at least 6 times in 2017 and delays are significant so I would not be surprise if most of their large manifest announced last year are already lost to rideshare launch service providers like Spaceflight and ISIS.

Offline whatever11235

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Almost two months passed from stage 1 stack test ( https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/902713171407806464 ). I wonder what is keeping them from flying.

Offline saliva_sweet

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I wonder what is keeping them from flying.

Implementation of lessons learned I would guess. One must remember that the first flight was a very good test and provided way more data and lessons than "enable FEC next time".

Offline Svetoslav

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Launch gaps are quite reviled, not only in this discussion forum, but this is a characteristic of most spaceflight communities. Fans are impatient - that never changes.

I think that part of the current impatience trend is that we saw a lot of spaceflight companies emerging covering all kind of activities. They all conducted a lot of test flights last year and during the first half of 2017.

The problem is that literally all of the interesting companies we follow - Electron, Vector, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin are in a period of lull. Sure, they say they're implementing lessons from previous flights. But when it takes really that long - for example, month-long lull, people are wondering what's wrong.

I'd like to ask people who're in the field of building hardware here (after all, there are a lot of engineers here) to be patient with those of us who're impatient :) It's quite easy to assume that if the previous flight was successful, the next launch is imminent. I mean - some of us work in different branches of science, or a different area in general. I don't have any idea what it takes to implement flight lessons and what modifications are needed. In this case, I'm ignorant and I rely on experts who can explain to me wht's happening.



Offline Sam Ho

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Press release from Alaska Aerospace seems to point to the December/January time frame:
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AAC will also provide support for another Rocket Lab launch in New Zealand in December or January, and Campbell said he hopes the company will be ready to launch from Alaska in 2019.
http://akaerospace.com/news/commercial-rocket-launches-coming-kodiak-island

Offline SmallKing

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Some are bound for happiness, some are bound to glory, some are bound to live with less, who can tell your story?

Offline Andy Bandy

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Offline russianhalo117

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New NTOTAM issued for Dec. 7 to Feb. 28
https://www.reddit.com/r/RocketLab/comments/79q8l8/new_dates_including_launch_debris_return_7th/

Do you know how you look the NOTAMs up?
Learning/Getting Started Method:
https://www.icao.int/safety/iStars/Pages/notams.aspx
https://pilotweb.nas.faa.gov/PilotWeb/

Advanced methods:
http://www.aip.net.nz/Home.aspx
http://www.caa.govt.nz/airspace/

Quote
AIP New Zealand
The Aeronautical Information Publication
New Zealand (AIP) is a collective name given to a number of publications relating to airspace and aerodromes. These documents define the regulatory and airspace requirements to fly in New Zealand.
The AIP includes:
» AIP New Zealand Vols 1 to 4 (available online, www.aip.net.nz)
» AIP Supplements
» Air Navigation Register
» Visual Navigation and Planning Charts
» Enroute Charts (for IFR).
NOTAMs (stands for Notices to Airmen) are notices issued about any change to airspace, aerodromes, or hazards, that require immediate notification. The AIP is published for the CAA by GroupEAD (a joint venture between Airways and GroupEAD Europe) under a Part 175 certificate.
« Last Edit: 11/07/2017 11:01 pm by russianhalo117 »

Offline jebbo

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Quote
Looks like we might get another Electron flight soon -- @RocketLab says the next test vehicle just arrived at the New Zealand launch site. Test window dates will be announced in the coming weeks

https://twitter.com/lorengrush/status/930156389087014912

--- Tony

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Quote
Electron Arrives at Launch Site For Rocket Lab's Second Test Flight
Press Release - Source: Rocket LabPosted November 13, 2017 2:41 PM

Rocket Lab's second Electron orbital launch vehicle has arrived at Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula, signalling the beginning of pre-flight checks ahead of Rocket Lab's second test flight.

The test window dates are expected to be announced in coming weeks.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck says the rocket is performing well through rigorous acceptance tests and the team is focused on final flight preparations.

"It's a great feeling to have another rocket on the pad. To be preparing for a second flight just months after an inaugural test is unprecedented for a new launch vehicle. It's a testament to Electron's robust design and the hard-working team behind it," Beck says.

"The Still Testing flight is a significant milestone in opening access to space and unlocking the potential that holds in improving the everyday lives of millions of people," Beck says.

Improved weather and natural disaster prediction, internet from space and real-time crop monitoring are just a fraction of the benefits of more frequent and cost-effective access to low Earth orbit.

'Still Testing' will carry an Earth-imaging Dove satellite for Planet and Lemur-2 satellites for Spire for weather mapping and ship traffic tracking. Carrying payloads is a significant step for the Electron program, enabling Rocket Lab to gather crucial data and test systems for the deployment stage of a mission. Electron will go through a series of final checks and tests in the coming weeks before a yet-to-be-announced launch window opens.

As the flight is still a test, Rocket Lab anticipates several scrubs, or 'postponements', during the second test flight attempt.

For real-time updates throughout the launch window, follow Rocket Lab on Twitter @RocketLab

http://spaceref.biz/company/electron-arrives-at-launch-site-for-rocket-labs-second-test-flight.html

Offline Olaf

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'Still Testing' will carry an Earth-imaging Dove satellite for Planet and Lemur-2 satellites for Spire for weather mapping and ship traffic tracking.

It seems, that now only one Flock/Dove will be flying.

Offline Olaf

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Confirmed.
http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/rocket-lab/rocket-lab-prepares-electron-second-test-flight/
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“Still Testing” will ferry at least three small satellites to a highly inclined elliptical orbit.

Riding to orbit on this flight are at least two Lemur-2 satellites as well as a single Dove satellite.
« Last Edit: 11/17/2017 05:27 pm by Olaf »

Offline QuantumG

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Human spaceflight is basically just LARPing now.

Offline ringsider

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Confirmed.
http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/rocket-lab/rocket-lab-prepares-electron-second-test-flight/
Quote
“Still Testing” will ferry at least three small satellites to a highly inclined elliptical orbit.

Riding to orbit on this flight are at least two Lemur-2 satellites as well as a single Dove satellite.

I think this is very intelligent. They are basically doing demo flights for key customers with a small number of sats, to minimize risk, and not guaranteeing to circularize. Honestly it's hard to fault the way Rocket Lab thinks and works. They are are really a good example. I wish more people followed their approach.
« Last Edit: 11/18/2017 09:18 am by ringsider »

Offline AncientU

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'Still Testing' indicates they also have a sense of humor... and anticipate failure as one of the possible outcomes of each early launch.  Attitude seems vaguely familiar.

My bet is that they succeed soon and start building a base for technology growth.
"If we shared everything [we are working on] people would think we are insane!"
-- SpaceX friend of mlindner

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