Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : PAZ & Microsat 2a/2b : SLC-4E Vandy - UPDATES - Feb 22, 2018  (Read 113271 times)

Online catdlr

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SpaceX Falcon 9 launch 2/22/18, CDM, Newport Beach, CA



Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline WheelsStop

Here are a few still shots from Oxnard this morning.  Some nice plumes at staging and later on some steering jets on the fairings.  At 15 minutes before local sunrise, the sky was already bright enough to wash out an attempted time exposure.

Online catdlr

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The following is a news release from Vandenberg AFB:


From: 30th Space Wing Public Affairs, www.vandenberg.af.mil


FALCON 9 PAZ LAUNCHED FROM VANDENBERG

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Team Vandenberg successfully launched a
Falcon 9 rocket carrying a PAZ payload from Space Launch Complex-4 here,
Thursday, Feb. 22, at 6:17 a.m. PST.

Col. Greg Wood, 30th Space Wing vice commander, was the space launch
commander.

"This launch was a testament to the hard work of Team Vandenberg, SpaceX and
Spain," said Wood. "I am proud of everyone involved that continues to pave
the way for our nation's access to space."

-----

LAUNCH OBSERVATION
by Brian Webb

I viewed this morning's launch from a hill approximately 100 miles
east-southeast of the launch pad. Most of my observing during the first stage
burn and the early portion of the second stage burn was done using 10x tripod-
mounted binoculars.

During the first stage burn, the binoculars revealed structure within the rocket's
flame. Through the binoculars, I very clearly saw the actual rocket and noted the
surface of the vehicle appeared to be illuminated by the sun.

After stage 1/2 separation, the binoculars allowed me to see the rocket
appear to break in half and I could see the shape of the spent first stage and
two bright points of light (the halves of the payload fairing) trailing behind second
stage.

Using the unaided eye, I could see multiple points of light. These were the second stage,
first stage, and payload fairing halves. I could also see a tenuous exhaust
plume behind the second stage.
Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline Helodriver

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Still images of liftoff through fairing halves disappearing from view. Shot from Harris Grade Road overlook, about 10 miles NE of the pad. I could have been closer but wanted to be a little offset from looking straight up the exhaust after liftoff.  Trajectory was very steep compared to the Iridium launch and led to the exhaust cloud becoming faint rapidly after staging. High altitude lighting illuminated the first stage and fairing halves for many minutes after separation. Puffing jets could be seen from BOTH fairing halves, but more from one than the other. The spent first stage performed a strong venting after separation but I saw no RCS or engine ignitions afterwards.

A video will be uploaded separately.

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Germany's @DLR_de, which is managing early ops for Paz radar sat, said all good after separation from @SpaceX Falcon 9; ground station received telemetry 75 mins after liftoff.

https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/966738328207941632

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Remote camera has been retrieved, wet with morning dew...and WITH images! Awesome launch by SpaceX. @teslarati #SpaceX #Paz #Starlink

https://twitter.com/w00ki33/status/966744328495251456

Offline vaporcobra

Quote
Remote camera has been retrieved, wet with morning dew...and WITH images! Awesome launch by SpaceX. @teslarati #SpaceX #Paz #Starlink

https://twitter.com/w00ki33/status/966744328495251456

My favorite from Pauline.

Offline Helodriver

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Link below for video of liftoff through fairing disappearance into the distance and brightening sky.

Manually tracked handheld in 30 degrees F conditions, so a little shaky. Shot from 10mi NE of the launch site for offset from the launch azimuth.

After fairing separation, both halves can be seen emitting gas bursts, while the 1st stage vents and falls away inactive.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/downloads/l2/PAZ%20Launch.mp4
« Last Edit: 02/22/2018 08:00 pm by Helodriver »


Offline vaporcobra

SpaceX's official launch photos. The liftoff long exposure is an insta-wallpaper...

Offline jacqmans

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DLR German Aerospace Center, Corporate Communications, Linder Hoehe, 51147 Koeln, Germany -

Press release, 22 February 2018

PAZ Earth observation satellite successfully launched

The Spanish Earth observation satellite PAZ was successfully launched on 22 February 2018 at 15:17 CET from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, United States, on board a Falcon 9 rocket. Interestingly, PAZ is being positioned on the same orbit as the German TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X radar satellites. In addition, the PAZ ground segment builds on technologies developed by the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) for the twin satellites. A constellation of three satellites will make images available faster in the future. PAZ is owned by the Spanish aerospace company Hisdesat and was built by Airbus Defence and Space in Madrid, Spain.

Approximately 75 minutes after lift-off, the DLR ground station at Weilheim received the first telemetry data from PAZ, allowing the next phase of the mission to start. During the first five days, DLR's German Space Operations Center (GSOC) will assume control of PAZ and put the satellite through its paces. GSOC will use DLR ground stations in Germany and at the North and South poles to receive data and send commands. Following completion of this Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), control of the satellite will be handed over to the Spanish space agency (Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Aeroespacial; INTA), which has been tasked with the construction and operation of the ground segment. Regular operations of PAZ will be run from Torrejón de Ardoz, near Madrid.

Ultra-high-resolution images available faster

Drawing upon the technology of the TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X radar satellites, experts at the DLR site in Oberpfaffenhofen have also developed not only the LEOP operation, but also essential elements of the ground segment for regular flight operations.

For example, the DLR Microwaves and Radar Institute has developed specialised software for operation and calibration of the radar equipment. The system automatically calculates which commands must be sent to the satellite to ensure that the recorded data is of the highest quality according to user requirements. The radar antenna and recordings are calibrated with the help of special algorithms, so that accurate information can be derived from the data. Finally, for quality control purposes, the software verifies whether the resulting images meet the user requirements and permanently monitors the 'health' of the radar instrument.

Another core element of the ground segment is the processor, which generates highly accurate images based on the radar data. The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processor was developed at the DLR Remote Sensing Technology Institute. PAZ will use it to deliver the same radar products as TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X, with resolutions ranging from 18 metres to approximately one metre, regardless of the time of day or cloud cover.

Together with the two formation flying satellites TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X, PAZ can record almost any region of Earth's surface within three days. On average, the satellites can capture a location or repeat a recording within 24 hours. They fly over the same point on the ground with exactly the same geometry every 11 days. With PAZ it will be possible to achieve a higher recording capacity and shorter repetition rates in future – recordings will thus be made available more quickly. During the commissioning phase, which will take place during the first few months of the satellite's life, the developers from Oberpfaffenhofen will be responsible for commissioning the SAR processor, as well as the software for operating and calibrating the instruments.

The PAZ mission is planned to last five and a half years. Designed as a dual-use satellite, it addresses both commercial and government requirements, particularly in terms of civil surveillance tasks and defence and security applications. Hisdesat will use the constellation in conjunction with Airbus Defence and Space.

The future Tandem-L mission

With TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X, Germany has achieved globally recognised expertise and a unique selling point over decades. To maintain this leadership role in the future, DLR researchers are already working on Tandem-L, a proposal for a highly innovative
radar mission for environmental observation and climate research. The imaging technology of the Tandem-L satellite will set new standards in Earth observation and thus make an effective contribution to addressing major societal challenges – both nationally  and internationally. The research policy evaluation of the mission proposal is currently taking place. The decision regarding the realisation of Tandem-L is expected in mid-2018.
Jacques :-)

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A couple more shots from SpaceX
« Last Edit: 02/23/2018 07:36 am by jacqmans »

Offline Lewis007

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Paz launch patch

Offline cscott

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That's the patch from the Paz team. We've got a picture of the SpaceX patch for this mission as well.

The Paz patch has the flag of Spain as it's background, with a white peace symbol superimposed: "Paz" is the Spanish word for "peace".  The motto at the bottom reads, "Everything appears impossible until it is done."

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Quote
Mr. Steven just pulled into the port. Both fairings aboard. #spacex #paz

https://twitter.com/w00ki33/status/967070575603564544

Quote
Or at least one, and part of another it appears?

https://twitter.com/w00ki33/status/967071340883722240

Quote
Pics to come.

https://twitter.com/w00ki33/status/967076201427693568

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welcome home #mrsteven and #paz #faring #spacex #falcon9

https://twitter.com/shorealonefilms/status/967071937817075712

Offline eeergo


Quote
welcome home #mrsteven and #paz #faring #spacex #falcon9


https://twitter.com/shorealonefilms/status/967071937817075712


Quote from: @ShorealoneFilms
and there’s what’s left of the other fairing #mrsteven and #paz #faring #spacex #falcon9

Offline vaporcobra

And from Pauline Acalin, to one-up the above... ;)

https://twitter.com/w00ki33
« Last Edit: 02/23/2018 05:49 pm by vaporcobra »

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Article with some more pictures:

Quote
SpaceX’s recovered fairing spotted sailing into port on Mr Steven

ByEric Ralph
Posted on February 23, 2018

Just 24 hours after gently landing in the ocean, SpaceX recovery technicians have successfully recovered one half of an intact Falcon payload fairing for the first time ever. Photos of the return to Port of San Pedro in Southern California, captured by Teslarati photographer Pauline Acalin, show that the halve recovered is in amazing condition ...

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-recovered-fairing-spotted-mr-steven-boat/

Offline vaporcobra

Oh my, have to share a few more. She found a different perspective, and I'm in love with the well-worn fairing ;D

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