Payloads deployed, perfect mission.
Mission success for @capellaspace with our second launch from Launch Complex 2, Virginia! We've now launched 34 Electron missions total, deploying 157 satellites to space.📸: @TheFavoritist
Makes Electron only the fourth launch vehicle to fly at least twice this year, both flights from Wallops Launch Area 0C. - Ed Kyle
Quote from: edkyle99 on 03/17/2023 12:14 amMakes Electron only the fourth launch vehicle to fly at least twice this year, both flights from Wallops Launch Area 0C. - Ed KyleIt still annoys me that NASA Wallops consistently calls it "Launch Area 0C," and Rocket Lab consistently calls it "Launch Complex 2." But it doesn't seem like either side is going to change.Edit: And I think Virginia Space prefers "Launch Pad-0C". Not 100% sure if the distinction between "Area" and "Pad" is consistent, there.
Quote from: trimeta on 03/17/2023 12:23 amQuote from: edkyle99 on 03/17/2023 12:14 amMakes Electron only the fourth launch vehicle to fly at least twice this year, both flights from Wallops Launch Area 0C. - Ed KyleIt still annoys me that NASA Wallops consistently calls it "Launch Area 0C," and Rocket Lab consistently calls it "Launch Complex 2." But it doesn't seem like either side is going to change.Edit: And I think Virginia Space prefers "Launch Pad-0C". Not 100% sure if the distinction between "Area" and "Pad" is consistent, there.NASA referring to land area. RL to facilities they have on that land.
Quote from: TrevorMonty on 03/17/2023 12:47 amQuote from: trimeta on 03/17/2023 12:23 amQuote from: edkyle99 on 03/17/2023 12:14 amMakes Electron only the fourth launch vehicle to fly at least twice this year, both flights from Wallops Launch Area 0C. - Ed KyleIt still annoys me that NASA Wallops consistently calls it "Launch Area 0C," and Rocket Lab consistently calls it "Launch Complex 2." But it doesn't seem like either side is going to change.Edit: And I think Virginia Space prefers "Launch Pad-0C". Not 100% sure if the distinction between "Area" and "Pad" is consistent, there.NASA referring to land area. RL to facilities they have on that land.Are there any other launch complexes/pads which draw this distinction? For example, Virginia Space (which operates MARS) describes "Launch Pad-0C" with "This launch complex handles fuels, oxidizers, and pneumatic supplies required to load small-class launch vehicles," which seems like it would be part of what Rocket Lab means by "Launch Complex 2." Unless we're saying that Launch Complex 2 is just the Transporter-Erector and launch mount (maybe the rainbirds too), everything else is Launch Pad-0C?
Quote from: trimeta on 03/17/2023 12:57 amQuote from: TrevorMonty on 03/17/2023 12:47 amQuote from: trimeta on 03/17/2023 12:23 amQuote from: edkyle99 on 03/17/2023 12:14 amMakes Electron only the fourth launch vehicle to fly at least twice this year, both flights from Wallops Launch Area 0C. - Ed KyleIt still annoys me that NASA Wallops consistently calls it "Launch Area 0C," and Rocket Lab consistently calls it "Launch Complex 2." But it doesn't seem like either side is going to change.Edit: And I think Virginia Space prefers "Launch Pad-0C". Not 100% sure if the distinction between "Area" and "Pad" is consistent, there.NASA referring to land area. RL to facilities they have on that land.Are there any other launch complexes/pads which draw this distinction? For example, Virginia Space (which operates MARS) describes "Launch Pad-0C" with "This launch complex handles fuels, oxidizers, and pneumatic supplies required to load small-class launch vehicles," which seems like it would be part of what Rocket Lab means by "Launch Complex 2." Unless we're saying that Launch Complex 2 is just the Transporter-Erector and launch mount (maybe the rainbirds too), everything else is Launch Pad-0C?SpaceX calls its landing pads at the Cape LZ-1 and LZ-2. The Space Force still calls it SLC-13.
Quote from: whitelancer64 on 03/17/2023 01:28 amQuote from: trimeta on 03/17/2023 12:57 amQuote from: TrevorMonty on 03/17/2023 12:47 amQuote from: trimeta on 03/17/2023 12:23 amQuote from: edkyle99 on 03/17/2023 12:14 amMakes Electron only the fourth launch vehicle to fly at least twice this year, both flights from Wallops Launch Area 0C. - Ed KyleIt still annoys me that NASA Wallops consistently calls it "Launch Area 0C," and Rocket Lab consistently calls it "Launch Complex 2." But it doesn't seem like either side is going to change.Edit: And I think Virginia Space prefers "Launch Pad-0C". Not 100% sure if the distinction between "Area" and "Pad" is consistent, there.NASA referring to land area. RL to facilities they have on that land.Are there any other launch complexes/pads which draw this distinction? For example, Virginia Space (which operates MARS) describes "Launch Pad-0C" with "This launch complex handles fuels, oxidizers, and pneumatic supplies required to load small-class launch vehicles," which seems like it would be part of what Rocket Lab means by "Launch Complex 2." Unless we're saying that Launch Complex 2 is just the Transporter-Erector and launch mount (maybe the rainbirds too), everything else is Launch Pad-0C?SpaceX calls its landing pads at the Cape LZ-1 and LZ-2. The Space Force still calls it SLC-13.Sure, but is this a case where "the land is SLC-13; the concrete that SpaceX poured is LZ-1 and LZ-2; the two are distinct entities and consistently referred to separately," or do SLC-13 and LZ-1/2 refer to the same thing?
Quote from: trimeta on 03/17/2023 01:34 amQuote from: whitelancer64 on 03/17/2023 01:28 amQuote from: trimeta on 03/17/2023 12:57 amQuote from: TrevorMonty on 03/17/2023 12:47 amQuote from: trimeta on 03/17/2023 12:23 amQuote from: edkyle99 on 03/17/2023 12:14 amMakes Electron only the fourth launch vehicle to fly at least twice this year, both flights from Wallops Launch Area 0C. - Ed KyleIt still annoys me that NASA Wallops consistently calls it "Launch Area 0C," and Rocket Lab consistently calls it "Launch Complex 2." But it doesn't seem like either side is going to change.Edit: And I think Virginia Space prefers "Launch Pad-0C". Not 100% sure if the distinction between "Area" and "Pad" is consistent, there.NASA referring to land area. RL to facilities they have on that land.Are there any other launch complexes/pads which draw this distinction? For example, Virginia Space (which operates MARS) describes "Launch Pad-0C" with "This launch complex handles fuels, oxidizers, and pneumatic supplies required to load small-class launch vehicles," which seems like it would be part of what Rocket Lab means by "Launch Complex 2." Unless we're saying that Launch Complex 2 is just the Transporter-Erector and launch mount (maybe the rainbirds too), everything else is Launch Pad-0C?SpaceX calls its landing pads at the Cape LZ-1 and LZ-2. The Space Force still calls it SLC-13.Sure, but is this a case where "the land is SLC-13; the concrete that SpaceX poured is LZ-1 and LZ-2; the two are distinct entities and consistently referred to separately," or do SLC-13 and LZ-1/2 refer to the same thing?I think they are effectively referring to the same thing. Virtually all the news reports about the Space Force leasing the site to Phantom and Vaya call it SLC-13
CelesTrak has GP data for 4 objects from the launch (2023-035) of 2 Capella Space synthetic aperture radar satellites atop an Electron rocket from Wallops Island on Mar 16 at 2239 UTC: spaceflightnow.com/2023/03/16/roc…. Data for the launch can be found at: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/table.php?INTDES=2023-035
So pretty! 📸 @TheFavoritist
This camera was clamped 80 feet up on @NASA_Wallops’s massive water tower! My legs are still a bit jello from that lift ride up 😬
No hiding from you Jonathan. The kick stage did multiple planned burns today. 1 right after separation, 1 circularisation burn and a passavation burn. Hence a low stage 2 apogee. It’s the little stage that consistently over performs and enables us to do really cool stuff.
Is it a plane? Or is it Electron? A lot of you have asked!This launch was a bit trickier to spot. Our range photographers caught the Electron in the sky as it was traveling to space. The best indicator to know if it was Electron is a golden glow from Electron's engines.
