NASASpaceFlight.com Forum
Commercial and US Government Launch Vehicles => NGIS (Formerly Orbital ATK) - Antares/Cygnus Section => Topic started by: Kim Keller on 03/31/2014 07:09 pm
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http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/releases/2014/release-20140328.html#.Uzmxb_ldWAh
Excellent! I enjoy working with Pegasus.
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Very cool.
The NASA Science Mission Directorate/Earth Science Division's (SMD/ESD) Earth Venture is a Program element within the Earth System Science Pathfinder Program (ESSP) consisting of a series of new science-driven, competitively selected, low cost missions that will provide opportunity for investment in innovative Earth science to enhance our capability to better understand the current state of the Earth system and to enable continual improvement in the prediction of future changes.
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/releases/2014/release-20140328.html
The other mission mentioned in this class is Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO). Is it too possibly destined for launch on Pegasus XL?
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The other mission mentioned in this class is Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO). Is it too possibly destined for launch on Pegasus XL?
The links I see related to this mission point to it being a hosted payload aboard a commercial satellite at GEO altitude. That means Pegasus is out of the running for it. However, there is another mission, ICON (early 2017), which I think Orbital could bid on with a Pegasus.
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Congratulations, Orbital!
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I'm not sure if this should be called irony or poetry.
When I first saw the thread title, my reaction was "duh!". Then I got it.
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I'm not sure if this should be called irony or poetry.
When I first saw the thread title, my reaction was "duh!". Then I got it.
I had exactly the same experience. It really does look a lot like the word CYGNUS.
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Agreed, for me it wasn't "Duh!", but a bit of confusion till I reread real slow and figured out it was not CYGNUS.
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Great to hear that Pegasus, and Orbital's L-1011, will fly on.
I'm wondering how this meshes with the recent "Minotaur C" announcement, which seemed to indicate that Orbital was updating and standardizing its launch vehicle avionics, moving from the older Pegasus set up to the newer Minotaur-based design. Will future Pegasus vehicles use the updated avionics?
- Ed Kyle
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NASA Selects Orbital's Pegasus Rocket to Launch 8 CYGNSS Science Satellites
-- Company's Small Launch Vehicle to Carry Out Earth Science Mission in 2016 --
DULLES, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 1, 2014-- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world’s leading space technology companies, today announced that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has awarded the company a contract to launch the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) multi-satellite mission aboard a Pegasus XL rocket carried aloft by Orbital’s “Stargazer” L-1011 aircraft. The CYGNSS mission is scheduled to launch in October 2016 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
“Pegasus has been the workhorse of the small-class launch market for reliable missions to orbit for over two decades, with its last 28 consecutive missions fully successful over a 16-year period,” said Mr. Ron Grabe, Orbital’s Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Launch Systems Group. “With this new Pegasus contract, Orbital will continue its long-standing support of NASA science missions, providing our flagship rocket to launch another important mission for the global science community.”
CYGNSS will produce measurements of ocean surface winds throughout the life cycle of tropical storms and hurricanes, which could help lead to better forecasting of severe weather on Earth. The mission, led by the University of Michigan, will use a constellation of eight small satellites that will be carried to orbit on the Pegasus launch vehicle. CYGNSS’s micro-satellite observatories will receive direct and reflected signals from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. CYGNSS is the first award for space-based investigations in the Earth Venture-class series of rapidly developed, cost-constrained projects for NASA’s Earth Science Division. NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, manages the Earth System Science Pathfinder program for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
About the Pegasus Rocket
Pegasus is the world’s leading launch system for the deployment of small satellites into low-Earth orbit. Its patented air-launch system, in which the rocket is launched from beneath Orbital’s “Stargazer” L-1011 carrier aircraft over the ocean, reduces cost and provides customers with unparalleled flexibility to operate from virtually anywhere on Earth with minimal ground support requirements. The CYGNSS mission will be the 43rd Pegasus space launch since its introduction in 1990, and will mark a total of 93 satellites launched by the rocket. It remains the world’s only small space launch vehicle that is certified to NASA’s Payload Risk Category 3, which the space agency reserves for its highest-value space missions.
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Great to hear that Pegasus, and Orbital's L-1011, will fly on.
I'm wondering how this meshes with the recent "Minotaur C" announcement, which seemed to indicate that Orbital was updating and standardizing its launch vehicle avionics, moving from the older Pegasus set up to the newer Minotaur-based design. Will future Pegasus vehicles use the updated avionics?
- Ed Kyle
Orbital would like to, but it depends on whether NASA LSP wants to pay for it.
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Good news for OSC. They should get any mission that sounds like cygnus from now on, that should be a law.
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BUMP:
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TITLE: CYGNSS Overview
DESCRIPTION: Published on Sep 11, 2014 - Dr. Chris Ruf, Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite Systems (CYGNSS) Principal Investigator talks about the mission.
VIDEO LINK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-id3oqrs_pc&list=UUSv7zzf9wjmqMnk6zzN5gYQ
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{snip}
The other mission mentioned in this class is Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO). Is it too possibly destined for launch on Pegasus XL?
Negative
TEMPO will be a hosted payload in geosynchronous orbit. The host satellite has not been selected.
It will not ride on Pegasus.
Now back to Orbital and CYGNSS......
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Congratulations! This means we'll still have Pegasus in 2016!
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bump
NASA Begins to Build Satellite Mission to Improve Hurricane Forecasting
http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-begins-to-build-satellite-mission-to-improve-hurricane-forecasting
The mission is scheduled to launch in late 2016 on an Orbital ATK Pegasus XL expendable rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida, with science operations beginning in the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season.
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Cross-posting from NASA - CYGNSS - updates
Shaken Up: CYGNSS Undergoes Vibration Testing
https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/shaken-up-cygnss-undergoes-vibration-testing
Engineers prepare NASA’s eight Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) microsatellites, mounted on the deployment module, for vibration testing at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. CYGNSS will probe the inner core of hurricanes to better understand their rapid intensification.
Vibration testing will simulate the conditions that systems will undergo while attached to the Orbital-ATK “Stargazer” L-1011 carrier aircraft and subsequent launch on a Pegasus rocket. Vibration testing will wrap up in the next two weeks and be followed by preparations to ship the microsatellites and deployment module to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for integration with the launch vehicle.
The mission is scheduled to launch Nov. 21 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
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This is the last NASA news on CYGNSS that I could find. We're less than 1 month from launch.
Any "new news"--particularly launch preparations at Vandenberg? Did the Vandenberg wildfires delay Pegasus preparations, and therefore the launch?
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Cross-posting from NASA - CYGNSS - updates
Shaken Up: CYGNSS Undergoes Vibration Testing
https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/shaken-up-cygnss-undergoes-vibration-testing
Engineers prepare NASA’s eight Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) microsatellites, mounted on the deployment module, for vibration testing at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. CYGNSS will probe the inner core of hurricanes to better understand their rapid intensification.
Vibration testing will simulate the conditions that systems will undergo while attached to the Orbital-ATK “Stargazer” L-1011 carrier aircraft and subsequent launch on a Pegasus rocket. Vibration testing will wrap up in the next two weeks and be followed by preparations to ship the microsatellites and deployment module to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for integration with the launch vehicle.
The mission is scheduled to launch Nov. 21 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
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This is the last NASA news on CYGNSS that I could find. We're less than 1 month from launch.
Any "new news"--particularly launch preparations at Vandenberg? Did the Vandenberg wildfires delay Pegasus preparations, and therefore the launch?
On their web page, the countdown timer changed from Novermber 21 to "being reviewed" last week.
http://clasp-research.engin.umich.edu/missions/cygnss/
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December 12 is the new launch date.
Tweet from Stephen Clark (https://twitter.com/StephenClark1/status/791390174496198656)
Michael Freilich/NASA’s Earth science division: Pegasus/CYGNSS launch from Cape now Dec. 12. Next SpaceX station cargo flight around Jan. 15
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November 03, 2016
MEDIA ADVISORY M16-121
NASA Announces Media Briefing on New Hurricane Mission
NASA will hold a media briefing at 1 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 10, to discuss the upcoming Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) mission, a constellation of eight microsatellites that will gather never-before-seen details on the formation and intensity of tropical cyclones and hurricanes.
The briefing will be held in the James E. Webb Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, located at 300 E St. SW in Washington, and will air live on NASA Television and stream on the agency's website.
The briefing participants are:
•Christine Bonniksen, CYGNSS program executive with the Science Mission Directorate's Earth Science Division at NASA Headquarters
•John Scherrer, CYGNSS project manager at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio
•Chris Ruf, CYGNSS principal investigator at the Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
•Mary Morris, doctoral student in the Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering
Media may ask questions from participating agency centers or by telephone. To participate by phone, reporters must send an email providing their name, affiliation and telephone number to Dwayne Brown at [email protected] by noon Nov. 10. Media and the public also may ask questions during the briefing on Twitter using the hashtag #askNASA.
CYGNSS, targeted for a Dec. 12 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, is the first mission competitively selected by NASA’s Earth Venture program. This program focuses on low-cost, science-driven missions to enhance our understanding of the current state of Earth and its complex, dynamic system and enable continual improvement in the prediction of future changes.
The Space Physics Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan College of Engineering in Ann Arbor leads overall mission execution, and its Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering department leads the science investigation. The Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate oversees the mission.
For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and updated scheduling information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv
For more information about NASA's Earth science activities, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/earth
For more information about NASA’s CYGNSS mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/cygnss
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November 10, 2016
RELEASE 16-106
NASA Set to Launch New Fleet of Hurricane-Tracking Small Satellites
NASA is set to launch its first Earth science small satellite constellation, which will help improve hurricane intensity, track, and storm surge forecasts, on Dec. 12 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) hurricane mission will measure previously unknown details crucial to accurately understanding the formation and intensity of tropical cyclones and hurricanes.
“This is a first-of-its-kind mission,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. “As a constellation of eight spacecraft, CYGNSS will do what a single craft can’t in terms of measuring surface wind speeds inside hurricanes and tropical cyclones at high time-resolution, to improve our ability to understand and predict how these deadly storms develop.”
The CYGNSS mission is expected to lead to more accurate weather forecasts of wind speeds and storm surges -- the walls of water that do the most damage when hurricanes make landfall.
Utilizing the same GPS technology that allows drivers to navigate streets, CYGNSS will use a constellation of eight microsatellite observatories to measure the surface roughness of the world’s oceans. Mission scientists will use the data collected to calculate surface wind speeds, providing a better picture of a storm’s strength and intensity.
Unlike existing operational weather satellites, CYGNSS can penetrate the heavy rain of a hurricane’s eyewall to gather data about a storm’s intense inner core. The eyewall is the thick ring of thunderstorm clouds and rain that surrounds the calm eye of a hurricane. The inner core region acts like the engine of the storm by extracting energy from the warm surface water via evaporation into the atmosphere. The latent heat contained in the water vapor is then released into the atmosphere by condensation and precipitation. The intense rain in eyewalls blocks the view of the inner core by conventional satellites, however, preventing scientists from gathering much information about this key region of a developing hurricane.
“Today, we can’t see what’s happening under the rain,” said Chris Ruf, professor in the University of Michigan’s Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering and principal investigator for the CYGNSS mission. “We can measure the wind outside of the storm cell with present systems. But there’s a gap in our knowledge of cyclone processes in the critical eyewall region of the storm – a gap that will be filled by the CYGNSS data. The models try to predict what is happening under the rain, but they are much less accurate without continuous experimental validation.”
The CYGNSS small satellite observatories will continuously monitor surface winds over the oceans across Earth’s tropical hurricane-belt latitudes. Each satellite is capable of capturing four wind measurements per second, adding as much as 32 wind measurements per second for the entire constellation.
CYGNSS is the first complete orbital mission competitively selected by NASA’s Earth Venture program. Earth Venture focuses on low-cost, rapidly developed, science-driven missions to enhance our understanding of the current state of Earth and its complex, dynamic system and enable continual improvement in the prediction of future changes.
The Space Physics Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan College of Engineering in Ann Arbor leads overall mission execution in partnership with the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, and its Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering department leads the science investigation. The Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate oversees the mission.
For more information about NASA’s CYGNSS mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/cygnss
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The inclination is given as 35°, but when will we know the launch profile? Local media is covering this as one of 3 CCAFS launches next month, but how far out will Stargazer be at release?
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November 28, 2016
MEDIA ADVISORY M16-137
NASA Opens Media Accreditation for Hurricane Microsatellites Launch
Media accreditation now is open for the launch of NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) mission, currently scheduled for Monday, Dec. 12.
CYGNSS will launch aboard an Orbital ATK Pegasus XL rocket to be deployed from Orbital’s “Stargazer” L-1011 carrier aircraft, which will take off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida. Once airborne, the Pegasus rocket will launch over the Atlantic Ocean, about 126 miles east of Daytona Beach, Florida. The 90-minute launch window opens at 8:19 a.m. EST.
The CYGNSS constellation consists of eight microsatellite observatories that will measure the surface winds in and near a hurricane’s inner core, including regions beneath the eye wall and intense inner rain bands that previously could not be measured from space.
Media prelaunch and launch activities will take place at CCAFS and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, adjacent to Cape Canaveral. The deadline for U.S. news media to apply for access is 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1. The deadline for international news media has passed.
All media accreditation requests should be submitted online at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov
Media representatives must present two forms of unexpired government identification to receive their media credentials. One form must include a photo, such as a passport or driver’s license. Questions about accreditation may be addressed to Jennifer Horner at [email protected] or 321-867-6598. For other questions or additional information, you may contact Kennedy’s newsroom at 321-867-2468.
The NASA Launch Services Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is responsible for spacecraft integration and launch management. Orbital ATK of Dulles, Virginia, provides the Pegasus XL launch service to NASA. The agency’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is responsible for the mission management of CYGNSS in collaboration with Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
For more information about the CYGNSS Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/cygnss
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The L-1011 should be heading to VAFB soon for launcher integration ahead of the launchers ferry flight to CCAFS for its launch from the L-1011.
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At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, an Orbital ATK Pegasus XL rocket is transported from the hangar at Building 1555 to be mated to L-1011 carrier aircraft near Vandenberg's runway. On board Pegasus are eight NASA Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, or CYGNSS, spacecraft. When preparations are competed at Vandenberg, the L-1011/Pegasus XL combination will be flown to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On Dec. 12, 2016, the carrier aircraft is scheduled to take off from the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and CYGNSS will launch on the Pegasus XL rocket with the L-1011 flying off shore. CYGNSS satellites will make frequent and accurate measurements of ocean surface winds throughout the life cycle of tropical storms and hurricanes. The data that CYGNSS provides will enable scientists to probe key air-sea interaction processes that take place near the core of storms, which are rapidly changing and play a critical role in the beginning and intensification of hurricanes.
Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin
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Orbital ATK's Stargazer L-1011 and Pegasus rocket begin ferry flight from Vandenberg ahead of Dec 12 mission. https://www.facebook.com/OrbitalATK/
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Track the flight here: http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N140SC/history/20161202/1445Z/KVBG/KXMR
Estimated landing at Cape Canaveral is 3:16 PM EST
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Two more photos from facebook
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NASA:
The launch of NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) spacecraft is scheduled for 8:24 a.m. EST Monday, Dec. 12. News briefings, live launch commentary, photo opportunities and other media events will be held at nearby NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and carried live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
During the one-hour window, which opens at 8:19 a.m., CYGNSS will take off aboard an Orbital Sciences ATK air-launched Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The rocket is scheduled for deployment over the Atlantic Ocean from Orbital’s L-1011 carrier aircraft.
CYGNSS will make frequent and accurate measurements of ocean surface winds throughout the lifecycle of tropical storms and hurricanes. The CYGNSS constellation consists of eight microsatellite observatories that will measure surface winds in and near a hurricane’s inner core, including regions beneath the eyewall and intense inner rainbands that previously could not be measured from space.
Saturday, Dec. 10
Social Media Event:
Kennedy will be hosting a Facebook Live event at noon from the Skid Strip runway at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Briefers will highlight both the science involved in the CYGNSS mission, as well as the L-1011 aircraft and the Pegasus rocket, and participants will get a view inside the airplane. The event will stream live on Kennedy’s Facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/NASAKennedy
NASA TV:
For all media briefings, reporters may ask questions by calling the Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468 no later than 15 minutes before briefings begin. Media also can ask questions via Twitter by using the hashtag #askNASA.
1 p.m. – Prelaunch news conference at the Kennedy Press Site
Briefing participants are:
Christine Bonniksen, CYGNSS program executive in the Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate
Tim Dunn, launch director at Kennedy
Bryan Baldwin, Pegasus launch vehicle program manager with Orbital ATK
John Scherrer, CYGNSS project manager at the Southwest Research Institute
Mike Rehbein, launch weather officer with the 45th Weather Squadron at Cape Canaveral
1:45 p.m. – CYGNSS Mission Science Briefing
Briefing participants include:
Chris Ruf, CYGNSS principal investigator with the Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan
Aaron Ridley, CYGNSS constellation scientist with the Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan
Mary Morris, doctoral student with the Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan
Monday, Dec. 12
NASA TV:
5:45 a.m. – Prelaunch program by NASA EDGE
6:45 a.m. – Launch coverage and commentary begins
Live coverage also will be available on social media at:
http://www.twitter.com/NASAKennedy
https://www.facebook.com/NASAKennedy
Live countdown coverage on NASA's Launch Blog begins at 6:30 a.m. Dec. 12. Coverage features live updates as countdown milestones occur, as well as video clips highlighting launch preparations and the flight. For NASA’s Launch Blog, visit:
http://blogs.nasa.gov/cygnss
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Track the flight here: http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N140SC/history/20161202/1445Z/KVBG/KXMR
Sorry for the naive question but ... what was the pilot doing before landing? Testing wind conditions?
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Sorry for the naive question but ... what was the pilot doing before landing? Testing wind conditions?
Practiced the launch flight pattern
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XF037 - is it some kind of serial number of Pegasus-XL rocket?
Launched in June 2013 had XF036, in June 2012 - XF035.
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XF037 - is it some kind of serial number of Pegasus-XL rocket?
Launched in June 2013 had XF036, in June 2012 - XF035.
I believe that its the XL flight tail number pertaining to this version of the launcher which includes the Pegasus hybrids and if it includes the suborbital flights it matches this flights number.
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The second stage for CYGNSS mission has a number XS050. So probably XF037 is a number of the first stage. I.e. X = XL, F = first stage, S = second stage.
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The second stage for CYGNSS mission has a number XS050. So probably XF037 is a number of the first stage. I.e. X = XL, F = first stage, S = second stage.
yes as I've now forund XTxxx serial on the third stage integration picture on a previous flight
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The second stage for CYGNSS mission has a number XS050. So probably XF037 is a number of the first stage. I.e. X = XL, F = first stage, S = second stage.
on the last Standard flight the First Stage had SF before the number
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on the last Standard flight the First Stage had SF before the number
The earliest Pegasus flight that had s/n onboard was C/NOFS. There were not s/n on stages before C/NOFS. At least, I have not seen s/n on them.
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NASA Edge and Discovery channel Mighty planes are doing documentary for this launch
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A sign just inside the gate to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida notes that in seven days a Pegasus XL rocket is scheduled to launch with eight agency Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, or CYGNSS, spacecraft. On Dec. 12, 2016, the Orbital ATK L-1011 Stargazer, with a Pegasus XL rocket mated to the underside of the aircraft, will take off from the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. CYGNSS will launch on the Pegasus XL rocket with the L-1011 flying off shore. CYGNSS satellites will make frequent and accurate measurements of ocean surface winds throughout the life cycle of tropical storms and hurricanes. The data that CYGNSS provides will help scientists to probe key air-sea interaction processes that take place near the core of storms, which are rapidly changing and play a crucial role in the beginning and intensification of hurricanes.
Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky
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Short video of arrival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69K1MK_R9s8
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Forecast Worsens to 40 Percent ‘Go’
Posted on December 9, 2016 at 9:24 am by Steven Siceloff.
A revised forecast from the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron predicts deteriorating conditions and a 40 percent chance of favorable weather for the launch of NASA’s CYGNSS spacecraft. Launch is scheduled for 8:24 a.m. EST Monday, Dec. 12 aboard an Orbital Sciences ATK air-launched Pegasus XL launch vhicle, seen on the right beneath the L-1011 aircraft called “Stargazer” that will carry the rocket to a deployment altitude about 39,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.
The primary concerns are for precipitation, lightning and Cumulus clouds. The rocket is scheduled for deployment over the Atlantic Ocean from Orbital’s L-1011 carrier aircraft, seen above with the Pegasus underneath.
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center will host a Facebook Live event at noon on Saturday from the Skid Strip runway at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Briefers will highlight the science involved in the CYGNSS mission, the L-1011 aircraft and the Pegasus rocket, and participants will get a view inside the airplane. The event will stream live on Kennedy’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NASAKennedy
Managers from NASA and Orbital ATK will hold a final Launch Readiness Review Saturday morning, followed by two news conferences. The Prelaunch News Conference will be at 1 p.m., followed by the CYGNSS Mission Science Briefing at 1:45 p.m. Both will be carried live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
CYGNSS will make frequent and accurate measurements of ocean surface winds throughout the lifecycle of tropical storms and hurricanes. The CYGNSS constellation consists of eight microsatellite observatories that will measure surface winds in and near a hurricane’s inner core, including regions beneath the eyewall and intense inner rainbands that previously could not be measured from space. For more information about NASA’s CYGNSS mission, visit http://www.nasa.gov/cygnss
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Got a tour of the L-1011. Interesting to see the main cabin gutted. There is a lot more room without overhead compartments. The cockpit is still early 1970's with steam gauges. GPS has been added but it still drives mechanical instruments. The crew uses iPads for flight path visualization.
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CYGNSS Mission Previewed during Briefing
NASA
Published on Dec 10, 2016
On Dec. 10, a news briefing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida previewed the science of NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) spacecraft. CYGNSS, which is scheduled to take off aboard an Orbital Sciences ATK air-launched Pegasus XL launch vehicle Dec. 12, for deployment over the Atlantic Ocean, will make frequent and accurate measurements of ocean surface winds throughout the lifecycle of tropical storms and hurricanes. The CYGNSS constellation consists of eight microsatellite observatories that will measure surface winds in and near a hurricane’s inner core, including regions beneath the eyewall and intense inner rainbands that previously could not be measured from space.
https://youtu.be/lXDBaQJI7-8?t=001
https://youtu.be/lXDBaQJI7-8
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CYGNSS From Mission to Launch Processing
NASAKennedy
Published on Dec 10, 2016
NASA's CYGNSS mission will see eight microsatellites deploy from a single Pegasus rocket to study hurricane winds.
https://youtu.be/tLWrZFA_wtY?t=001
https://youtu.be/tLWrZFA_wtY
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CYGNSS Mission to Probe Hurricanes
NASAKennedy
Published on Dec 10, 2016
NASA's CYGNSS mission will use eight small satellites - all deploying from the same rocket - to measure wind speeds and take other readings to help decipher hurricane strength from space. The mission will start with an air-launch aboard an Orbital ATK Pegasus rocket.
https://youtu.be/pbKl1P_qnp8?t=001
https://youtu.be/pbKl1P_qnp8
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Got a tour of the L-1011. Interesting to see the main cabin gutted. There is a lot more room without overhead compartments. The cockpit is still early 1970's with steam gauges. GPS has been added but it still drives mechanical instruments. The crew uses iPads for flight path visualization.
AIUI the L-1011 internal fittings not required for pressurization and control runs are remove to reduce the empty weight of the aircraft.
As for the instrumentation. An upgraded will needed hardware development and re-certification for one of the last flight worthy L-1011. So don't expect any upgrades before they retire the Stargrazer and move on to the Birdzilla Stratolaunch Roc.
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Moved for live coverage.
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Building the Pegasus XL Rocket SFI Interview with Orbital ATK's Eric Denbrook
SpaceFlight Insider - Official Page
Published on Dec 11, 2016
SpaceFlight Insider spoke with Orbital ATK's Director of Operations at Vandenberg, Eric Denbrook, about what is involved in constructing the Pegasus XL rocket. The interview was conducted on Dec. 10, 2016 and took place in front of the booster, and the Lockheed-Martin L-1011 aircraft that will carry it aloft during a planned Monday, Dec. 12, 2016 launch.
https://youtu.be/Le9b75IOV_w?t=001
https://youtu.be/Le9b75IOV_w
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William Graham's preview article!
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/12/pegasus-cygnss-constellation-deployment/
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A0401/16 = Lime
N0054/16 = Red
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Orbital ATK Set to Launch Pegasus Rocket Carrying NASA's CYGNSS Spacecraft
Pegasus Launch will be 43rd Flight for World’s First Commercial Rocket Aboard the Company’s Stargazer L-1011 Airplane
Dulles, Virginia 11 December 2016 – Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, announced it is prepared to launch the company’s air-launched Pegasus rocket aboard its Stargazer L-1011 airplane from Cape Canaveral on Monday, December 12 at approximately 8:24 a.m. EST. Pegasus will be carrying NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) to study the inner core of tropical cyclones. The data provided will help scientists and meteorologists better understand and predict the path of a hurricane.
Live coverage of the mission will be available on NASA Television starting two hours prior to launch at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv. Details about the mission can be viewed at Orbital ATK’s mission page.
Pegasus is the world’s first privately developed commercial rocket and the leading launch system for the deployment of small satellites into Low-Earth orbit. The Pegasus rocket is launched from beneath Orbital ATK's Stargazer L-1011 carrier airplane, providing customers with unparalleled flexibility to operate from virtually anywhere on Earth with minimal ground support requirements.
As a NASA Category 3 certified launch vehicle, Pegasus is able to launch NASA’s most valuable satellites. The launch was provided through NASA Launch Services Program (LSP) who acts as a broker, matching spacecraft with launch vehicles. This will be the first Pegasus mission in 13 years to launch from Cape Canaveral. The previous 42 Pegasus missions have been conducted from six separate sites in the U.S., Europe and the Marshall Islands.
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Launching Pegasus Orbital ATK's Chief Pilot for Pegasus talks upcoming CYGNSS flight
SpaceFlight Insider - Official Page
Published on Dec 11, 2016
Orbital ATK's Chief Pilot for the company's Pegasus Air Launch Program, Don Walter talked with SpaceFlight Insider on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016 about what is involved in launching a rocket attached to Lockheed-Martin's L-1011 aircraft.
https://youtu.be/bdeIKuj8hGY?t=001
https://youtu.be/bdeIKuj8hGY
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So, they are launching into a descending node of 35 degrees by flying slightly south of east from around 28 degrees? Does that provide the same rotation advantage as flying due east at 35 degrees?
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My guess is that the performance hit is trivial and the drop zones and overall iip trace look better. Is there a mission booklet or something that shows when and where they cross Africa?
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There they are!
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Not sure if the departure time right now.
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Visibility an issue for Pegasus...based on Stargazer heading back with Pegasus still under her belly.
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Fog situation is improving.
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7:40 take off. 20 mins time.
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Engines are starting up.
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Stargazer polling.
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Engines are starting up.
Engine #3 has started. #1 & 2 have been running for quite a while.
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7:37am seems to be the refined time.
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7:37am
That's 12:37 UTC for take-off.
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What a lovely, English-like, misty dawn.
Ready for taxi.
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Drop time will be 8:40 am Eastern.
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It's moving and starting to turn!
Drop time will be 8:40 am Eastern.
13:40 UTC.
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Taxi!
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On the ramp.
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Chase plane departure first. (Nope, second. George telling us porkies there).
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The control centers.
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Polling...go for take off.
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Take off!
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Racetrack...
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I love the "ritual" aspect of these launches; that was a beautiful take-off for the ol' 1011 ! Thanks for the coverage, and here's to a great mission.
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Chase plane airborne.
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Apparently the Skid Strip is runway 13/31. I thought it used to be 12/30? Was there a redesignation at some point?
(and did the swamp rotate slightly?)
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Apparently the Skid Strip is runway 13/31. I thought it used to be 12/30? Was there a redesignation at some point?
(and did the swamp rotate slightly?)
Dunno about the first part, but I think the change is due to the magnetic poles moving such that the magnetic declination moves around as well.
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Stargazer is also "trackable" on flightradar:
https://www.flightradar24.com/bde932f
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Apparently the Skid Strip is runway 13/31. I thought it used to be 12/30? Was there a redesignation at some point?
(and did the swamp rotate slightly?)
Magnetic North is always changing. At the airports I work on our headings do not align with the runway markings. Our 1-19 is really 2-20 and 10-28 is really 11-29. Changing all of the airfield signage, pavement markings, approach plates and engineering documents is usually cost prohibitive so the markings remain the same and the approach plates state the deviation.
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What decision points call for choosing a launch vehicle like this? Why not go with a "traditional" vertical launch? Why are launches like this more popular?
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What decision points call for choosing a launch vehicle like this? Why not go with a "traditional" vertical launch? Why are launches like this more popular?
Operational flexibility - not tied to fixed launch infrastructure.
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What decision points call for choosing a launch vehicle like this? Why not go with a "traditional" vertical launch? Why are launches like this more popular?
Also, keeping a diverse array of launch vehicles in business.
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"Magnetic North is always changing. "
Right... but True North, tied to the latitude-longitude grid, does not. I'm astonished to learn (from this thread) that people use magnetic north for runway directions. Not only does it slowly change with time, but also its relation to True North is different from place to place, often very significantly different. Do we really do this?
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Problem with hydraulics.
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The voice on the loop sounded really down about that issue being reported.
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Is that a problem with Pegasus hydraulics or Stargazer hydraulics?
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Range is red. Think they have a solution.
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Is that a problem with Pegasus hydraulics or Stargazer hydraulics?
Stargazer carries a hydraulic system dedicated to the release mechanism. Peg doesn't use hydraulics, and the L1011 system is ok.
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Abort, going to recycle for another attempt
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Troubleshooting step: Send someone into the galley and pull a plug. They've already tried that, apparently.
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Pump worked when it was on the ground.
Typical! Problems like that are very frustrating.
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Troubleshooting step: Send someone into the galley and pull a plug. They've already tried that, apparently.
"We also beat the pump a couple of times but it is not starting" :D
Apparently they have to find a failed relay - the pump worked on the ground.
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Next launch attempt is 9:05 ET
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ROC is go for recycle.
Pump issue believed to be intermittent.
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Polling for recycle. Still trying to fix the pump.
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FYI, Stargazer can be tracked here: https://www.flightradar24.com/bdea266 (https://www.flightradar24.com/bdea266)
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Right... but True North, tied to the latitude-longitude grid, does not. I'm astonished to learn (from this thread) that people use magnetic north for runway directions. Not only does it slowly change with time, but also its relation to True North is different from place to place, often very significantly different. Do we really do this?
Yes, because naming runway directions dates back to the early days when the compass was the only navigation instrument.
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What decision points call for choosing a launch vehicle like this? Why not go with a "traditional" vertical launch? Why are launches like this more popular?
It is a small class mission. No need for much performance
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Mission recycle, Pegasus on external power and go for another launch run. If they can't get the hydraulic pump running for the release mechanism Major Kong will climb down and release Pegasus manually...
(https://hillnholler.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/slim-pickens-on-bomb.jpg)
Sorry, no party thread to post this to.
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Green on weather, for the next 15-20 mins.
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GYGNSS on internal power.
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FTS internal.
Waiting for release mechanism arm.
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Launch team "GO" for FTS internal power.
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"No power to the pump."
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Negative pump power still.
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FTS is armed.
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Cooling is back on.
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FTS arm checks complete.
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Any adjustment to target drop time? No, still a "firm 14:05:50" GMT. (09:05:50 EST)
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FTS is armed.
Not yet; that was a momentary 'arm' command check to verify the FTS will respond to MFCO actions.
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8 mins to drop if they can fix the pump.
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DMAU power is off.
Launch window "continues to be GO at this time."
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Hear relay clicking, question is if they are able to physically locate it.
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Weather status currently NO GO. Looking at additional cumulous rule violation. Will be able to get out of that rule "if we take flight path 2 miles to the left and 5 miles downrange." That will get us to GREEN situation.
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OCE wants to get onto power, but we'll stay RED at the next poll.
EDIT: "In other words, push it until we have to say that WORD."
Avionics are GO for internal power.
Avionics internal.
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Range status: "Range status is PROCEEDING."
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L-4min call delayed by 1min.
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Final poll: NO GO due to pump issue.
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Abort number 2.
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Aborted. Everyone proceeding to abort checklist.
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Plane turning around to vector back to CCAFS. That's it for today.
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Well they gave it a real good go. Launch Director was amazing keeping that all together.
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Running through post-abort checklist with a bunch of step "not required."
Pegasus back on external power.
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DMAU power on.
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Nitrogen cooling turned off to preserve nitrogen.
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CYGNSS battery charging in work at this time.
Comm issues between ground and plane about weather at Cape Control.
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Cape Control gives GO to begin initial descent "as required" toward the strip.
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L-1011 performing RTB (Return To Base) w/ Pegasus. Launch team is proceeding to that checklist.
Weather at CCAFS is good for landing.
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Pegasus teams polled and confirm that rocket is good to go for RTB landing.
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17 mins to landing.
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Estimated RTB landing at CCAFS is 14:27 GMT (09:27 EST)
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"Magnetic North is always changing. "
Right... but True North, tied to the latitude-longitude grid, does not. I'm astonished to learn (from this thread) that people use magnetic north for runway directions. Not only does it slowly change with time, but also its relation to True North is different from place to place, often very significantly different. Do we really do this?
\
Magnetic variation is used to plot course during flight planning... Runways have been renumbered from time to time...
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There's a boat in the exclusion zone as reported by the L-1011 pilots.
"I'm sure there's not supposed to be a big boat underneath us, but there is."
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Launch time tomorrow is same as today ... if they are clear to proceed with another attempt tomorrow.
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24 hour scrub reported via commmentator
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There's a boat in the exclusion zone as reported by the L-1011 pilots.
"I'm sure there's not supposed to be a big boat underneath us, but there is."
Not "the boat" again... :o ;D
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There's a boat in the exclusion zone as reported by the L-1011 pilots.
"I'm sure there's not supposed to be a big boat underneath us, but there is."
Not "the boat" again... :o ;D
Well its not my family's Yacht so probably a cruise or cargo ship.
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Hydraulic release repairs for today L-1011 and try again tomorrow...
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There's a boat in the exclusion zone as reported by the L-1011 pilots.
"I'm sure there's not supposed to be a big boat underneath us, but there is."
Not "the boat" again... :o ;D
Yay! Nice big targe ... [ahem] ... "boat" ... ;)
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There's a boat in the exclusion zone as reported by the L-1011 pilots.
"I'm sure there's not supposed to be a big boat underneath us, but there is."
Not "the boat" again... :o ;D
Do such infringing boats get a visit from the US coastguard for their trouble?
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There's a boat in the exclusion zone as reported by the L-1011 pilots.
"I'm sure there's not supposed to be a big boat underneath us, but there is."
Not "the boat" again... :o ;D
Do such infringing boats get a visit from the US coastguard for their trouble?
There are limits to U.S. Coast Guard authority. This launch zone is outside U.S. territorial waters, for example.
http://www.uscg.mil/international/affairs/Publications/MMSCode/english/Chap3.htm
- Ed Kyle
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Right... but True North, tied to the latitude-longitude grid, does not. I'm astonished to learn (from this thread) that people use magnetic north for runway directions. Not only does it slowly change with time, but also its relation to True North is different from place to place, often very significantly different. Do we really do this?
Yes, because naming runway directions dates back to the early days when the compass was the only navigation instrument.
And the magnetic compass is still the most reliable instrument on board, since it's not powered by the aircraft.
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Mr. Allan Stern posted this around 6 hours ago on to many mailing lists:
The Stargazer L-1011 "N140SC" and its chase plane F/A-18 "NASA 846" just landed at Cape Canaveral AFS. In comms with CCAFS Tower on 118.625, N140SC informed that they has a hydraulic failure while landing, and they will have to be towed off the runway. The CCAFS Fire Department reports smoke coming from the landing gear.
I suppose this could possibly delay tomorrows scheduled CYGNSS launch.
Al Stern
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Right... but True North, tied to the latitude-longitude grid, does not. I'm astonished to learn (from this thread) that people use magnetic north for runway directions. Not only does it slowly change with time, but also its relation to True North is different from place to place, often very significantly different. Do we really do this?
Yes, because naming runway directions dates back to the early days when the compass was the only navigation instrument.
And the magnetic compass is still the most reliable instrument on board, since it's not powered by the aircraft.
Correct, until you are flying at high latitudes near poles then oh, oh,... :o ;D
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Mr. Allan Stern posted this around 6 hours ago on to many mailing lists:
The Stargazer L-1011 "N140SC" and its chase plane F/A-18 "NASA 846" just landed at Cape Canaveral AFS. In comms with CCAFS Tower on 118.625, N140SC informed that they has a hydraulic failure while landing, and they will have to be towed off the runway. The CCAFS Fire Department reports smoke coming from the landing gear.
I suppose this could possibly delay tomorrows scheduled CYGNSS launch.
Al Stern
Hopefully no major fire damage... That could have been bad with a loaded rocket...
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"Magnetic North is always changing. "
Right... but True North, tied to the latitude-longitude grid, does not. I'm astonished to learn (from this thread) that people use magnetic north for runway directions. Not only does it slowly change with time, but also its relation to True North is different from place to place, often very significantly different. Do we really do this?
Magnetic north is what's used for navigation headings, so it makes sense to use it on runways as well (since the main point of numbering runways is the 'sanity check' that you're landing in the right place). Runways are renamed when the magnetic declination changes. But the difference is published on sectionals anyway, if you need true headings for some reason.
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Latest from OATK:
Mission Update - December 12, 2016
Orbital ATK and NASA announced today that the next launch attempt of the Pegasus rocket will be scheduled no earlier than December 14, with a launch window from 8:20 to 9:20 a.m. EST. This additional time will allow for a replacement L-1011 carrier aircraft component to arrive from Mojave, California, and be installed, as well as support the required crew rest requirements.
Today’s launch was aborted due to an issue with the launch vehicle release system on the L-1011 Stargazer. The hydraulic release system operates the mechanism that releases the Pegasus rocket from the carrier aircraft. The hydraulic system had functioned properly during the pre-flight checks of the airplane.
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Mr. Allan Stern posted this around 6 hours ago on to many mailing lists:
The Stargazer L-1011 "N140SC" and its chase plane F/A-18 "NASA 846" just landed at Cape Canaveral AFS. In comms with CCAFS Tower on 118.625, N140SC informed that they has a hydraulic failure while landing, and they will have to be towed off the runway. The CCAFS Fire Department reports smoke coming from the landing gear.
I suppose this could possibly delay tomorrows scheduled CYGNSS launch.
Al Stern
Sound like flaps/slats/speed brake failure (then nose gear steering) I.e main hydraulic system resulting in a fast, flaps up landing, then standing on the brakes causing them to overheat. Might be tied to the release mechanism issue. Which I would expect to be on the same system, or one of the main aircraft hydraulic systems.
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Sound like flaps/slats/speed brake failure (then nose gear steering) I.e main hydraulic system resulting in a fast, flaps up landing, then standing on the brakes causing them to overheat. Might be tied to the release mechanism issue. Which I would expect to be on the same system, or one of the main aircraft hydraulic systems.
The release mechanism hydraulics are different from the aircraft hydraulics.
‘Valiant Troubleshooting in the Air’
Posted on December 12, 2016 at 9:32 am by Anna Heiney.
NASA Launch Manager Tim Dunn of the Launch Services Program recapped today’s launch attempt. The hydraulic system problem developed en route, after takeoff, in the last 25 minutes prior to the initial 8:30 a.m. launch time. The hydraulic system in question was not for the L-1011 aircraft itself, but for the system that allows the Pegasus XL rocket to release from the aircraft. That system was not meeting its prescribed pressures, indicating a problem with the hydraulic pump.
“The team did a lot of valiant troubleshooting in the air,” Dunn said. “Everyone wanted to have another launch attempt today, so we continued right up until the L-4 minute point.”
Weather also posed problems at times during the countdown, Dunn pointed out.
“The pilots flew around, under and over a lot of precipitation and bad clouds,” he said.
Should the team resolve the hydraulic pump issue in time for a Tuesday morning launch attempt, the launch window is the same as today’s, and weather is improved, with an 80 percent “go” forecast.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/cygnss/2016/12/12/valiant-troubleshooting-in-the-air/
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Two unrelated hydraulic system failures on the same flight? Yikes.
- Ed Kyle
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Two unrelated hydraulic system failures on the same flight? Yikes.
- Ed Kyle
yes. very likely a patial hydraulic system failure during Stargazers landing not resulting in a landing without flaps and speed brake assist given what little info available.
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Per OA: http://www.orbitalatk.com/news-room/feature-stories/Pegasus43_MissionPage/default.aspx?prid=180
Mission Update - December 12, 2016
Orbital ATK and NASA announced today that the next launch attempt of the Pegasus rocket will be scheduled no earlier than December 14, with a launch window from 8:20 to 9:20 a.m. EST. This additional time will allow for a replacement L-1011 carrier aircraft component to arrive from Mojave, California, and be installed, as well as support the required crew rest requirements.
Today’s launch was aborted due to an issue with the launch vehicle release system on the L-1011 Stargazer. The hydraulic release system operates the mechanism that releases the Pegasus rocket from the carrier aircraft. The hydraulic system had functioned properly during the pre-flight checks of the airplane.
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Two unrelated hydraulic system failures on the same flight? Yikes.
- Ed Kyle
yes. very likely a hydraulic system failure during Stargazers landing resulting in a landing without flaps and speed brake assist which indicates that max brake had to be applied resulting in tire deflations and wheel smoke given info available.
Doesn't seem like there's a lot of evidence of deflations. Smoke from the gear could be from the brakes and the request for a tow likely indicates the tires were still intact.
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Two unrelated hydraulic system failures on the same flight? Yikes.
do both systems use the same kind of hydraulic fluid?
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Two unrelated hydraulic system failures on the same flight? Yikes.
- Ed Kyle
yes. very likely a hydraulic system failure during Stargazers landing resulting in a landing without flaps and speed brake assist which indicates that max brake had to be applied resulting in tire deflations and wheel smoke given info available.
Doesn't seem like there's a lot of evidence of deflations. Smoke from the gear could be from the brakes and the request for a tow likely indicates the tires were still intact.
well as a pilot in the United States Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol (CAP-USAF) smoke from the landing gear is highly indicative of MAX Auto Brake or Emergency Brake setting be applied upon landing and it is typically standard practice on aircraft such as the L-1011 for the plane to auto deflate tyres upon Emergency Brake application and Aborted Takeoff to avoid the tyres from exploding from overpressurization from brake heat and friction..
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Two unrelated hydraulic system failures on the same flight? Yikes.
do both systems use the same kind of hydraulic fluid?
potentially but The Pegasus User's Guide doesnt provide that information.
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Mr. Allan Stern posted this around 6 hours ago on to many mailing lists:
The Stargazer L-1011 "N140SC" and its chase plane F/A-18 "NASA 846" just landed at Cape Canaveral AFS. In comms with CCAFS Tower on 118.625, N140SC informed that they has a hydraulic failure while landing, and they will have to be towed off the runway. The CCAFS Fire Department reports smoke coming from the landing gear.
I suppose this could possibly delay tomorrows scheduled CYGNSS launch.
Al Stern
Sound like flaps/slats/speed brake failure (then nose gear steering) I.e main hydraulic system resulting in a fast, flaps up landing, then standing on the brakes causing them to overheat. Might be tied to the release mechanism issue. Which I would expect to be on the same system, or one of the main aircraft hydraulic systems.
That did not happen and the only hydraulic failure was related to the release mechanism, which is separate from the basic aircraft hydraulic system
-
Mr. Allan Stern posted this around 6 hours ago on to many mailing lists:
The Stargazer L-1011 "N140SC" and its chase plane F/A-18 "NASA 846" just landed at Cape Canaveral AFS. In comms with CCAFS Tower on 118.625, N140SC informed that they has a hydraulic failure while landing, and they will have to be towed off the runway. The CCAFS Fire Department reports smoke coming from the landing gear.
I suppose this could possibly delay tomorrows scheduled CYGNSS launch.
Al Stern
Sound like flaps/slats/speed brake failure (then nose gear steering) I.e main hydraulic system resulting in a fast, flaps up landing, then standing on the brakes causing them to overheat. Might be tied to the release mechanism issue. Which I would expect to be on the same system, or one of the main aircraft hydraulic systems.
That did not happen and the only hydraulic failure was related to the release mechanism, which is separate from the basic aircraft hydraulic system
Partially correct. There is a hydraulics pallet dedicated to the Peg release mechanism. That, of course, failed. Then, after landing gear deploy, one of three aircraft hydraulic circuits developed a leak which was responsible for the smoke observation. Flaps/spoilers/ailerons were functional. Components are being flown in now to do an R & R.
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In this situation would Stargazer be powered up to keep the payloads in good shape or is an entirely seperate system brought in and hooked up to the LV to serve the functions usually done by pad GSE?
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In this situation would Stargazer be powered up to keep the payloads in good shape or is an entirely seperate system brought in and hooked up to the LV to serve the functions usually done by pad GSE?
Some of the rocket GSE is shown in first pic here: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=34361.msg1617841#msg1617841
Ground GSE Interfaces with the rocket are provided to the plane via the first cargo hold door in front of the wing.
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In this situation would Stargazer be powered up to keep the payloads in good shape or is an entirely seperate system brought in and hooked up to the LV to serve the functions usually done by pad GSE?
The aircraft gets ground power just as if it were at airport. Also, power can be provided directly to the spacecraft.
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Am I correct to suppose that the likelyhood of incidents like the release and brake failure have been increased by not having a Pegasus launch for a long time?
If so, launching about once a year seems a good way to keep the systems up to date.
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Am I correct to suppose that the likelyhood of incidents like the release and brake failure have been increased by not having a Pegasus launch for a long time?
If so, launching about once a year seems a good way to keep the systems up to date.
Perhaps, although the aircraft doesn't just sit untended or unflown between launches. I'm sure OATK would love to launch once a year, but there have to be mission awards for that. There just aren't that many "Pegasus-size" mission designs out there these days.
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In this situation would Stargazer be powered up to keep the payloads in good shape or is an entirely seperate system brought in and hooked up to the LV to serve the functions usually done by pad GSE?
Some of the rocket GSE is shown in first pic here: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=34361.msg1617841#msg1617841
Ground GSE Interfaces with the rocket are provided to the plane via the first cargo hold door in front of the wing.
Pegasus requires very little in the way of GSE. Conditioned air is flowed into the payload fairing. Pegasus and spacecraft batteries are charged as needed through the umbilical connections embedded in the upper wing surface. Usually, the rocket is not even powered unless a test is required.
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In this situation would Stargazer be powered up to keep the payloads in good shape or is an entirely seperate system brought in and hooked up to the LV to serve the functions usually done by pad GSE?
Some of the rocket GSE is shown in first pic here: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=34361.msg1617841#msg1617841
Ground GSE Interfaces with the rocket are provided to the plane via the first cargo hold door in front of the wing.
Pegasus requires very little in the way of GSE. Conditioned air is flowed into the payload fairing. Pegasus and spacecraft batteries are charged as needed through the umbilical connections embedded in the upper wing surface. Usually, the rocket is not even powered unless a test is required.
yep, Im aware how plane GSE works.
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What's the latest day they could launch before coming into range conflict with the Echostar launch?
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What's the latest day they could launch before coming into range conflict with the Echostar launch?
Currently till Christmas then shortly after that the Range goes into a mutliday shut down to switch system over to year 2017. Jim and others can explain more and the process is listed somewhere on this forum in the mid 2000s.
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Orbital ATK:
We are go for launch of our #Pegasus rocket tomorrow, Dec. 14 with the launch window opening at 8:20 a.m. EST!
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Orbital ATK:
We are go for launch of our #Pegasus rocket tomorrow, Dec. 14 with the launch window opening at 8:20 a.m. EST!
No attempt on Wednesday.
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What's the latest day they could launch before coming into range conflict with the Echostar launch?
Currently till Christmas then shortly after that the Range goes into a mutliday shut down to switch system over to year 2017. Jim and others can explain more and the process is listed somewhere on this forum in the mid 2000s.
Thursday.
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Why Thursday? Is the L-1011 component not at the Cape yet?
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Why Thursday? Is the L-1011 component not at the Cape yet?
crew rest requirements is listed in the OA mission update
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So NASA and Orbital ATK's websites, Twitters, etc. still all show this as tomorrow -- Wednesday, 14 December. When are we anticipating confirmation that there will NOT be an attempt Wednesday?
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Why Thursday? Is the L-1011 component not at the Cape yet?
Thursday is the theoretical last day they can attempt to launch before running into range reconfiguration conflicts with Atlas V.
I say theoretical because the Range technically says they need roughly 48 hours to reconfigure from rocket to rocket, but they have done it in far less time.
Edit: I believe the current record is something like 30hrs to reconfig -- which occurred during one of the more troublesome GUCP issues while trying to launch Endeavour on STS-127 in June 2009... which ran up against an Atlas V launch, IIRC.
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Multiple sources saying moved to Thursday. I assume PAOs with the relevant bodies aren't around (it is late).
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Why Thursday? Is the L-1011 component not at the Cape yet?
L1011 is ready. Peg is ready. S/C found something.
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NASA Kennedy /
@NASAKennedy
The Dec 14 #CYGNSS launch has been delayed due to a flight parameter data issue. Next launch attempt will be determined pending testing.
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...flight parameter data issue...
Try as I might, I can't parse that one. Is this an orbit problem (flight), a software problem (flight parameter), a telemetry problem (data issue), or what?
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...flight parameter data issue...
Try as I might, I can't parse that one. Is this an orbit problem (flight), a software problem (flight parameter), a telemetry problem (data issue), or what?
seems to be a spacecraft flight software issue as far as I can tell
Orbital ATK @OrbitalATK
9m
Tomorrow's #Pegasus launch delayed due to an issue with flight parameter data used by spacecraft software. ow.ly/rmYY3072WSI #CYGNSS
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The payload wasn't expecting to see flight parameters like those with which it was provided?
Hmm.
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The payload wasn't expecting to see flight parameters like those with which it was provided?
Hmm.
It doesn't have to do with the launch
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The payload wasn't expecting to see flight parameters like those with which it was provided?
Hmm.
It doesn't have to do with the launch
Are you saying that, if the hydraulic failure on the release mechanism hadn't occurred, that the spacecraft could have been launched with some parameter so out-of-whack that it's worth delaying the launch to fix? In other words, it couldn't have been fixed on orbit because the payloads might have been out-of-service because of it?
I'm not really following.
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Are you saying that, if the hydraulic failure on the release mechanism hadn't occurred, that the spacecraft could have been launched with some parameter so out-of-whack that it's worth delaying the launch to fix? In other words, it couldn't have been fixed on orbit because the payloads might have been out-of-service because of it?
I'm not really following.
That's what I think. The spacecraft have no propulsion or thrusters, so attitude control is done by reaction wheels.
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Wow...so it's possible that a stubborn piece of electrical equipment saved the mission. How, umm..., scary.
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Wow...so it's possible that a stubborn piece of electrical equipment saved the mission. How, umm..., scary.
Would not be the first time. Something similar happened to a Scout launch in the 1970's. I need to look up in my archives what mission. But basically this is what happened: First launch attempt went bust because of a failed sequencer at the launch pad (at WTR), resulting in a delay of several days due to R&R of launchpad equipment. Enough of a delay for the Scout and payload to be lowered again. S/C condition was checked via the "peepholes" in the fairing. Much to the surprise of the S/C engineers they found a "remove before flight" cover that had not been removed. That triggered removal of the fairing and full re-inspection of the S/C, full re-do of final pre-launch close-outs, re-install of the fairing, etc. etc. By the way, the second launch attempt was successful with the S/C operating operating just fine after launch.
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Or could it just be that the launch delay means a slightly different launch profile and that required a change to the internal guidance software of the SC.
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Or could it just be that the launch delay means a slightly different launch profile and that required a change to the internal guidance software of the SC.
No, that isn't the issue
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Or could it just be that the launch delay means a slightly different launch profile and that required a change to the internal guidance software of the SC.
No, that isn't the issue
If you don't mind me asking, (just trying to understand things), is that your interpretation of the tweet or do you have additional unpublished info?
Mod: is there a separate discussion thread of this mission?
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I don't think we have a separate discussion thread but I am sure someone will PM me if I'm wrong... :)
I'll confess I'm interested in what the anomaly was too, I don't know how much Jim can reveal, or if we have to play 20 questions to figure it out or what :)
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An issue was found with a parameter in a flight software table. Each microsat has received an update.
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An issue was found with a parameter in a flight software table. Each microsat has received an update.
Wow, Phantom! Thank you, NSF forum contributor of mystery!
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An issue was found with a parameter in a flight software table. Each microsat has received an update.
Does the past tense indicate a "go" for tomorrow?
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http://www.patrick.af.mil/Portals/14/documents/Weather/Pegasus%20CYGNESS%20L-1%20Forecast%20for%2015%20Dec%20Launch.pdf?ver=2016-12-14-082704-137
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An issue was found with a parameter in a flight software table. Each microsat has received an update.
Does the past tense indicate a "go" for tomorrow?
Yes
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Orbital ATK @OrbitalATK 10m10 minutes ago
Our #CYGNSS launch has been rescheduled for Dec 15 at 8:26am EST.
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15:26 UTC. I meant 13:26 of course. Stupid me translated directly to EET at the time of writing...
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Being a daytime ignition, is there any realistic chance of viewing this launch from the shore?
And where would be a good place/time to watch the L-1011 take off from?
I would guess about 60-70 minutes before the planned ignition, and if it is likely to be heading initially SE out of the CCAFS Skid Strip, then Jetty Park would be as good a place to watch from as anywhere, right?
-MG.
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During the pre-launcher presser, Florida Today's James Dean asked that question, about launch viewability from shore, and the answer was basically that you won't be able to see it. It's 100 miles offshore and you would need perfectly clear conditions, which you don't have. Also I think the timing means it will be backlit so harder to see.
Direct time jump to that point in the presser :) (https://youtube.com/watch?v=9y86GAOmhC0#t=32m09s)
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Thanks to a COLA, new T-0 will be 1335Z.
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There they are:
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30 mins to departure.
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Chase plane:
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Taxi.
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Polling for departure.
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ready
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Chase plane.
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Go for take off.
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Showing off in the third shot.... ;)
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go, oh what memories this brings back :P
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There they go.
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Did anyone else see a real short take off of the L10-11 vs the NASA plane
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great shots
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This never gets old.
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This never gets old.
she's once of the best flying jets, miss it.
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T-48 mins.
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This never gets old.
It's already 22 years old: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stargazer_(aircraft)
But it doesn't show, does it?
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This never gets old.
It's already 22 years old: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stargazer_(aircraft (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stargazer_(aircraft))
But it doesn't show, does it?
would be interesting to check this aircraft history. Vegas had many used for tourists, I could have flown this plane, never know.
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This never gets old.
It's already 22 years old: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stargazer_(aircraft (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stargazer_(aircraft))
But it doesn't show, does it?
would be interesting to check this aircraft history. Vegas had many used for tourists, I could have flown this plane, never know.
http://www.air-and-space.com/L-1011%20N140SC%20Stargazer.htm
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Let's have a look see
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little grainy but...
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FTS internal.
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FTS is armed.
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FTS is armed.
No, just a check of the 'ARM' command.
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Great view with the inside of the chaseplane's cockpit visible
Now if only we could get that backlit view from the mothership with the chase plane in view again...
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Five minutes.
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.
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Changed the T-0 slight. Now at T-6 mins.
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T-5 mins, mark.
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Go to proceed with final countdown at L-4 mins.
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T-3 mins.
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What‘s the meaning of MARK?
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Fin sweep test.
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drop and launch
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What‘s the meaning of MARK?
A mark in time. Like a line (mark) on a timeline
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LAUNCH!
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Fairing sep
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stage 2
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Staging 1-2.
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Stage 2 burn out
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Fairing sep!
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coast period
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Stage 2 burnout. Coast.
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stage 2 sep and stage 3 ignition
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The Stargazer on Flightradar24
https://www.flightradar24.com/N140SC/be5deb5
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Stage 3 ignition!
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Stage 3 burnout
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Shutdown
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First two spacecraft sep
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S/C Sep. First spacecraft deployed. Great orbit, within one sigma of predictions.
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next two
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final S/C sep
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mission over
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mission over
No deorbit burn?
EDIT: No. Third stage is solid, as told in a reply. Should google before asking...
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All deployed! "Good hunting".
Congrats to all involved. That was a lot of fun!
Thanks also to all those who chipped in with coverage help.
William's article updated:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/12/pegasus-cygnss-constellation-deployment/
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mission over
Correction: launch over, mission starting!
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mission over
No deorbit burn?
Stage 3 is a solid, I think there's a small RCS system but not enough to change the orbit significantly
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on her way home
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Hugs all round. Loop wants people to pipe down until both planes are safe on the ground.
15 mins to wheels down.
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mission over
No deorbit burn?
No. RCS will blow down now and the stage will be inert, awaiting orbital decay.
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Into the HAC. On at the 180 ;)
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gear down
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home
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Stargazer is home.
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mission over
Correction: launch over, mission starting!
Congratulations on another successful launch! :)
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Wheels Stop Houston. ;)
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Chase plane is down. That's job done for this one!
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mission over
Correction: launch over, mission starting!
Congratulations on another successful launch! :)
Thanks. This one wore me out over the last three months. Now we do a post-launch review, and look ahead to starting it all over again in a few months on our first back-to-back Pegasus mission.
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end ;)
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Stargazer and chase plane
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Congrats to all the teams for a job well done! :) This one was a bit of a dramatic miniseries brought to you by NSF! 8)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1c1P3emUEo
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Congrats to NASA, OrbitalATK, and all concerned. Thanks to the fine NSFers for their great coverage, this was a bit of a nailbiter.
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The telemetry screen said 16,125mph at sep. That's not orbital velocity. Is this referenced to something unusual?
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The telemetry screen said 16,125mph at sep. That's not orbital velocity. Is this referenced to something unusual?
inertial velocity?
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The telemetry screen said 16,125mph at sep. That's not orbital velocity. Is this referenced to something unusual?
inertial velocity?
I'm guessing it's relative to the drop. In other words, it may have started at 0 at the drop so it doesn't include Earth's rotation or Stargazer's ground speed. But it's odd.
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The telemetry screen said 16,125mph at sep. That's not orbital velocity. Is this referenced to something unusual?
inertial velocity?
I'm guessing it's relative to the drop. In other words, it may have started at 0 at the drop so it doesn't include Earth's rotation or Stargazer's ground speed. But it's odd.
That read-out could be from it's inertial reference frame. If you add in the other two velocities you would have an orbital velocity... Anyone else please feel free to chime in....
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Congratulations to all concerned. Pegasus & Stargazer are always a fun combination to see in action.
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Congrats to Orbital ATK and NASA on a successful launch of the next-to-last Pegasus rocket.
Hopefully, CYGNSS will provide us with intense data of hurricanes.
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5 of the 8 satellites have so far checked in healthy. Looking good so far!
https://blogs.nasa.gov/cygnss/
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All eight...
https://blogs.nasa.gov/cygnss/2016/12/15/eight-for-eight-all-satellites-contacted/ (https://blogs.nasa.gov/cygnss/2016/12/15/eight-for-eight-all-satellites-contacted/)
"The eighth CYGNSS satellite was contacted at 3:30 p.m. EST through the Chile ground station — 100-percent success! Full constellation redundancy achieved."
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Could someone please explain the coast phase then separation for stage two and three? It seems counterproductive to carry the dead engine during the coast.
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Could someone please explain the coast phase then separation for stage two and three? It seems counterproductive to carry the dead engine during the coast.
It's in vacuum and freefall - it doesn't cost anything to coast with the spent stage still attached.
There is a risk in staging too early. If there's any residual thrust in the nominally burned-out stage at the time you separate, the lower stage can end up re-contacting the rest of the vehicle. See Falcon 1 flight 3 for an example of this causing loss of mission...
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Could someone please explain the coast phase then separation for stage two and three? It seems counterproductive to carry the dead engine during the coast.
My understanding is, because the upper stage can't be "cut off" that waiting for the long coast to cost the stack gravity losses allows the rocket to time the ignition of the third stage so that it's burn out is as close as possible to the targeted orbit. Antares does the same thing (a long coast before ignition of the upper stage) because it also has a solid upper stage. This way, if the first stage (or first two in the case of Pegasus) under-performs, the upper stage can light earlier to make up the loss.
If this is way off base, I hope one of our resident experts will correct me.
This doesn't explain why 2 and 3 have to remain connected during the coast, but there could be another reason, such as attitude control that explains that part of it. I don't know.
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2016-078A/41884 in 516 x 537 km x 35°
2016-078B/41885 in 516 x 535 km x 35°
2016-078C/41886 in 517 x 535 km x 35°
2016-078D/41887 in 516 x 537 km x 35°
2016-078E/41888 in 517 x 538 km x 35°
2016-078F/41889 in 513 x 529 km x 35°
2016-078G/41890 in 495 x 566 km x 35°
2016-078H/41891 in 477 x 575 km x 35°
2016-078J/41892 in 514 x 531 km x 35°
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Could someone please explain the coast phase then separation for stage two and three? It seems counterproductive to carry the dead engine during the coast.
Here's my take. The Pegasus solid motors each burn for about 68-69 seconds. It takes longer than 3.5 minutes to reach the planned orbital altitude (510 km), because physics, so there has to be a coast to apogee before the third stage burns to perform the insertion. Even liquid stages do this on some missions by performing two burns with a coast between.
Why does the second stage remain attached to Stage 3 during the coast? It only costs a bit of extra 3-axis control gas, since it is a coast (so no delta-v losses). My guess is that it is done to prevent re-contact since two separated stages would both be coasting on essentially the same trajectory during the coast.
- Ed Kyle
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A cool clip of Pegasus XL - CYGNSS is now stabilized.
https://youtu.be/3T9RVSqg3H8
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December 15, 2016
RELEASE #121516
45th SW supports successful Pegasus CYGNSS launch
By 45th Space Wing Public Affairs
CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. – The 45th Space Wing supported
Orbital ATK’s successful Pegasus XL rocket launch carrying NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System Dec. 15 at 8:37 a.m. from Orbital’s “Stargazer” L-1011 carrier aircraft which took off from the Skid Strip here.
Once the L-1011 carrier aircraft reached launch altitude, the Pegasus rocket launched over the Atlantic Ocean about 126 miles east of Daytona Beach, Fla.
The CYGNSS constellation consists of eight microsatellite observatories that will produce measurements of ocean surface winds throughout the life cycle of tropical storms and hurricanes, which could help lead to better forecasting of severe weather on Earth. The CYGNSS mission is the 43rd Pegasus space launch since its introduction in 1990, and marks a total of 93 satellites launched by the rocket, according to an Orbital ATK fact sheet. The last Pegasus mission originating from CCAFS occurred more than 13 years ago.
According to Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, 45th Space Wing commander and mission Launch Decision Authority, today's launch once again clearly demonstrates the collaborative efforts required for mission success.
“I am proud of the entire professional team here on the Space Coast who worked together flawlessly to make our twenty-second major launch operation of the year a success,” he said. “It’s been 13 years since we last supported a Pegasus launch and our collective team for this unique mission didn’t miss a beat. It's an honor to work alongside this entire team as we shape the future of America's launch and range operations, and continue to be the ‘World's Premier Gateway to Space.’”
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Congratulations to Orbital ATK and NASA for the successful launch!
The video above says "This video is private".
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Orbital ATK Successfully Launches NASA's CYGNSS Spacecraft Aboard Pegasus Rocket
Launch Marks the 43rd Flight of the World’s First Commercial Rocket
Air-Launched Pegasus Rocket Deployed from Company’s “Stargazer” L-1011 Carrier Aircraft
Dulles, Virginia 15 December 2016 – Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, today announced that its Pegasus® rocket successfully launched the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) satellite for NASA. The successful launch was the 29th consecutive successful mission for the Pegasus rocket since 1997 and the 43rd overall flight of the world’s first privately developed commercial rocket.
“We are proud to provide another successful Pegasus launch for our NASA customer,” said Rich Straka, Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATK’s Launch Vehicles Division. “Congratulations to the NASA CYGNSS and Orbital ATK teams on another great mission.”
Pegasus is the leading launch system for the deployment of small satellites into low-Earth orbit. As the only NASA Launch Services Category 3 vehicle in the small-launch class, Pegasus is certified to launch NASA’s most valuable satellites.
The CYGNSS constellation of eight satellites is a NASA Earth System Science Pathfinder Mission that will collect space‐based measurements of the inner core of tropical cyclones. The CYGNSS constellation will provide scientists and meteorologists with the data necessary to improve tropical cyclone forecasting and tracking methods.
For the first phase of the launch, CYGNSS and the Pegasus rocket were carried into the atmosphere beneath Orbital ATK's "Stargazer" L-1011 carrier aircraft. They were released from the plane at approximately 39,000 feet, and then the Pegasus motors ignited, carrying CYGNSS to its intended 35 degree orbit so the constellation will be able to survey the mid latitudes where most cyclones form.
Orbital ATK Successfully Launches NASA’s CYGNSS Spacecraft Aboard Pegasus Rocket - Page 2
As an air-launched system, Pegasus has unparalleled flexibility to operate from virtually anywhere on Earth with minimal ground support requirements. This was the first Pegasus mission in 12 years to launch from Cape Canaveral. Pegasus missions have been conducted from six separate sites in the U.S., Europe and the Marshall Islands.
“As a vertically integrated launch system, Pegasus combines key Orbital ATK strengths from multiple locations across the company,” said Scott Lehr, President of Orbital ATK’s Flight Systems Group.
The vehicle’s avionics and control systems, solid rocket motors, and composite structures are manufactured at Orbital ATK facilities in Chandler, Arizona; Dulles, Virginia; Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; and Bacchus and Clearfield, Utah.
The solid rocket motors used on Pegasus have also been used in more than 110 other Orbital ATK-built launch vehicles. These include the company’s Orbital Boost Vehicle (OBV) missile defense interceptors, IRBM- and ICBM-class target vehicles, Minotaur space launch vehicles and Hyper-X hypersonic test boosters.
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Stargazer departs CCAFS with Pegasus XL rocket
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Stargazer departs CCAFS with Pegasus XL rocket
What is the chase plane carrying underneath? Is it a drop tank? Is it needed for that distance?
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Stargazer departs CCAFS with Pegasus XL rocket
What is the chase plane carrying underneath? Is it a drop tank? Is it needed for that distance?
Since the A/C deployed from Armstrong FRC, it probably is a fuel tank. That would make the transcontinental hop a bit easier.
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A really terrific NASA image by Bill White of Stargazer and Pegasus taking off from the Skid Strip on launch day.
I've also added a nice airborne NASA image taken by Lori Losey in the chase F-18 during the aborted attempt on December 12.
These and many more are up on NASA Kennedy Flickr.
- Ed Kyle
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The view of Orbital ATK’s L-1011 Stargazer and Pegasus XL rocket (underneath), as seen from the F/A-18B jet used to provide live coverage of the launch carrying NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS). Flying the F-18 was NASA Test Pilot Troy Asher, with NASA Videographer Lori Losey backseat. Photo Credit: NASA / Lori Losey
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There's definitely something cool about this way of launching ... 8)
Could somebody explain what the red ("POS") and green ("CMD") lines in the telemetry screens meant? At first I thought it was the actual value vs. the value aimed for by the guidance system, but that cannot be it, since there were huge differences at times, especially on the pitch channel ...
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NASA finally posted Lori Losey's chase images of the launch itself.
- Ed Kyle
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{snip}
The other mission mentioned in this class is Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO). Is it too possibly destined for launch on Pegasus XL?
Negative
TEMPO will be a hosted payload in geosynchronous orbit. The host satellite has not been selected.
It will not ride on Pegasus.
Now back to Orbital and CYGNSS......
Cross-posting to Maxar Technologies who will be flying this.
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=48630.msg1969335#msg1969335