Author Topic: Delta IV-H - Parker Solar Probe - SLC-37 - Aug 12, 2018  (Read 194400 times)

Offline Rondaz

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 27059
  • Liked: 5301
  • Likes Given: 169
Parker Solar Probe Launch Window Extended to August 23

NASA and its mission partners have analyzed and approved an extended launch window for Parker Solar Probe until Aug. 23, 2018 (previously Aug. 19). The spacecraft is scheduled to launch no earlier than Aug. 11, 2018, at 3:48 a.m. with a window of 45 minutes.

Parker Solar Probe will launch from Space Launch Complex 37 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard on a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket.

Offline zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11186
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7405
  • Likes Given: 72501
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline jcm

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3622
  • Jonathan McDowell
  • Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
    • Jonathan's Space Report
  • Liked: 1290
  • Likes Given: 775
When the Delta 4 second stage completes its second burn, will Parker Solar Probe/Star 48BV be heliocentric, or will it take the Star 48BV burn to put PSP into actual solar orbit?  In other words, what orbit will the Delta stage be in after its second burn?

I seem to recall C3 was > 50.
This seems reasonable.   The rough calculation above yields LEO+5.3 km/sec.   Using this chart of C3 vs dV from LEO gives a C3 slightly over 50 km2/sec2 for the second stage,  as opposed to 154 km2/sec2 for PSP itself.

Also, PSP plus the Star 48 mass is about 2700 kg together.   Then this plot of Delta IV Heavy performance shows about 55 km2/sec2.   So all is consistent.

EDIT:  Added another way to get the same conclusion.


I happened to ask Tory Bruno this on twitter  yesterday - his answer was C3= 59.9 at the start of the Star 48BV burn which I estimate puts the Delta stage in a 0.37AU perihelion orbit
-----------------------------

Jonathan McDowell
http://planet4589.org

Offline Lupi

  • Member
  • Posts: 16
  • they/them/moo where "moo" = "you" or it's funny
  • United States
  • Liked: 42
  • Likes Given: 23
I'm not sure if it's pertinent here, but I've been accepted to the NASA Social for the Parker Solar Probe launch. Is there anything I should look out for? If I get the chance to ask any questions, are there any questions I should ask? I can't think of one of my own so far.

They just yesterday sent us the finalized schedule, as the slip to the 11th threw their scheduling off.

Offline eeergo

I'm not sure if it's pertinent here, but I've been accepted to the NASA Social for the Parker Solar Probe launch. Is there anything I should look out for? If I get the chance to ask any questions, are there any questions I should ask? I can't think of one of my own so far.

They just yesterday sent us the finalized schedule, as the slip to the 11th threw their scheduling off.

Hi Lupi, great that you were selected, such an experience you'll be able to live! Last civil launch of the most powerful rocket in service on the planet, no less!

What about some of these questions, based on the schedule you've posted:

- Solar Probe itself:
How often will comms be difficult / blocked by spacecraft eclipses (both by the Sun's bulk and by the corona itself once the probe is over its "horizon")? Techniques for that?
What measures have been taken to account for dust/MMOD pitting in the lightweight, honeycomb sandwich CC heatshield, and how do heat rejection (and mission) capabilities degrade with it?

- SLC-37: any concepts/perspectives for after Delta IV is retired?
What particular measures have been taken to reduce ignition sequence flame propagation and/or CBC insulation charring? (we know it's been reduced, some valve tweaking and TPS work has taken place, but if they could give details it'd be cool)

- Crawler Transporter/39B: latest on SLS MT move to 39B - when? objectives? what information will they get to assess tower's structural problems?

Offline AncientU

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6257
  • Liked: 4164
  • Likes Given: 6078
...Last civil launch of the most powerful rocket in service on the planet, no less!
...
Former most powerful rocket.
"If we shared everything [we are working on] people would think we are insane!"
-- SpaceX friend of mlindner

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37442
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
...Last civil launch of the most powerful rocket in service on the planet, no less!
...
Former most powerful rocket.

Wrong, this one is.  FH can't meet the C3 capabilities

Offline abaddon

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3051
  • Liked: 3900
  • Likes Given: 5274
...Last civil launch of the most powerful rocket in service on the planet, no less!
...
Former most powerful rocket.

Wrong, this one is.  FH can't meet the C3 capabilities
Gag, do we really have to do this?  They're both great and "most powerful" depending on how you slice it.

Offline Lupi

  • Member
  • Posts: 16
  • they/them/moo where "moo" = "you" or it's funny
  • United States
  • Liked: 42
  • Likes Given: 23
They're both big triple rockets, and if everything goes well I'll have seen both of them launch.

Frankly, i don't care which one's bigger!

And, I'd like to edit and add:
I'll have seen them both up close.
I took KSC's Explore Tour the day before Falcon Heavy launched, and they let us off at the camera emplacement between 39A and 39B.
Best gamble I ever took, aside from applying for the NASA Social in the first place.
That trip was amazing, and I can't believe I'm getting a chance to top it in the very same year.
« Last Edit: 08/03/2018 08:34 pm by Lupi »

Offline Grandpa to Two

...Last civil launch of the most powerful rocket in service on the planet, no less!
...
Former most powerful rocket.

Wrong, this one is.  FH can't meet the C3 capabilities
Jim is this due to the fact that the Delta IV Heavy has a third stage and Falcon Heavy doesn’t?
"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them" Galileo Galilei

Offline Grandpa to Two

Can someone explain why on the Delta IV Heavy the starboard booster ignites 2 seconds after the centre/port boosters?
Screen shot from yesterdays ULA Mission PDF.
"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them" Galileo Galilei

Online ZachS09

  • Space Savant
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8407
  • Roanoke, TX
  • Liked: 2345
  • Likes Given: 2060
Can someone explain why on the Delta IV Heavy the starboard booster ignites 2 seconds after the centre/port boosters?
Screen shot from yesterdays ULA Mission PDF.

The main reason why the starboard side core ignites before the other two is to reduce the hydrogen fireball that occurs when LH2 rises upward and burns the orange insulation due to the ROFI sparks igniting the fuel.
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Offline Lupi

  • Member
  • Posts: 16
  • they/them/moo where "moo" = "you" or it's funny
  • United States
  • Liked: 42
  • Likes Given: 23
Can someone explain why on the Delta IV Heavy the starboard booster ignites 2 seconds after the centre/port boosters?
Screen shot from yesterdays ULA Mission PDF.

The main reason why the starboard side core ignites before the other two is to reduce the hydrogen fireball that occurs when LH2 rises upward and burns the orange insulation due to the ROFI sparks igniting the fuel.

Yeah, I remember seeing that on one of the docs I was reading recently, and it caught me by surprise. I thought it would've been outer/center, or center/outer, like falcon heavy was.
But it's just more of Delta IV being a wonderful monster of a rocket that sets itself on fire.

Offline Kim Keller

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 970
  • Not OldSpace, Not NewSpace - I'm ALLSpace
  • Location: Wherever the rockets are
  • Liked: 2419
  • Likes Given: 125
Yeah, I remember seeing that on one of the docs I was reading recently, and it caught me by surprise. I thought it would've been outer/center, or center/outer, like falcon heavy was.
But it's just more of Delta IV being a wonderful monster of a rocket that sets itself on fire.

Drop the adjective "wonderful" and you'll capture my feelings about this "monster"! This is my fourth mission of the year as prime NASA Electrical, and this "monster" is putting the finishing touches on wearing me down.

And I've still got Pegasus/ICON to finish off! I'm so glad I'll have all of next year to rest up!
« Last Edit: 08/04/2018 12:42 am by Kim Keller »

Offline zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11186
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7405
  • Likes Given: 72501
Yeah, I remember seeing that on one of the docs I was reading recently, and it caught me by surprise. I thought it would've been outer/center, or center/outer, like falcon heavy was.
But it's just more of Delta IV being a wonderful monster of a rocket that sets itself on fire.

Drop the adjective "wonderful" and you'll capture my feelings about this "monster"! This is my fourth mission of the year as prime NASA Electrical, and this "monster" is putting the finishing touches on wearing me down.

And I've still got Pegasus/ICON to finish off! I'm so glad I'll have all of next year to rest up!

The "rest period" is due to the fact that there are no LSP launches in 2019?
<snip>
There are no LSP launches next year.
<snip>
Thank you, Kim, for all your hard work!
***

Thinking of Jim, have you been working this mission?

Are any of the other NSF members working this mission/launch campaign?
***

FYI: One of the astronomy educators here at the museum has been performing a wonderful live, live-render, digital planetarium show about PSP recently!
« Last Edit: 08/04/2018 02:05 am by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline Lupi

  • Member
  • Posts: 16
  • they/them/moo where "moo" = "you" or it's funny
  • United States
  • Liked: 42
  • Likes Given: 23
Drop the adjective "wonderful" and you'll capture my feelings about this "monster"! This is my fourth mission of the year as prime NASA Electrical, and this "monster" is putting the finishing touches on wearing me down.

And I've still got Pegasus/ICON to finish off! I'm so glad I'll have all of next year to rest up!

Yeowch, seems rough! Tough line of work, I imagine?

Perhaps awesome (in the proper sense of inspiring awe) or marvelous would fit. Either way, your break is certainly going to be a well-earned one!

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 48174
  • UK
    • Plan 28
  • Liked: 81684
  • Likes Given: 36941

Offline Lupi

  • Member
  • Posts: 16
  • they/them/moo where "moo" = "you" or it's funny
  • United States
  • Liked: 42
  • Likes Given: 23
Also, I got a few messages about my Social attendance for Parker Solar Probe.

my Twitter handle is @awildlupidragon (though I think that's linked to my profile) if you want to follow that. I'll try to port things i learn from it to here, but idk how much i'll be able to in the moment.

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37442
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428

Thinking of Jim, have you been working this mission?


Worked yesterday

Offline Newton_V

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
  • United States
  • Liked: 822
  • Likes Given: 129
...Last civil launch of the most powerful rocket in service on the planet, no less!
...
Former most powerful rocket.

Wrong, this one is.  FH can't meet the C3 capabilities
Jim is this due to the fact that the Delta IV Heavy has a third stage and Falcon Heavy doesn’t?
I believe with the same 3rd stage, and no payload, it cannot get to a C3 of 154.

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
1