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Commercial and US Government Launch Vehicles => NGIS (Formerly Orbital ATK) - Antares/Cygnus Section => Topic started by: William Graham on 04/14/2007 02:08 pm

Title: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: William Graham on 04/14/2007 02:08 pm

According to a number of sources, a Minotaur rocket is to launch the MDA's Near Field Infrared Experiment from Wallops Island, on 21 April 2007.

Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 21 April 2007
Post by: shuttlepilot on 04/15/2007 01:29 pm
Will NASA provide live video feed on WFF site like durning previous launch? I mean this feed: http://sites.wff.nasa.gov/webcast/
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: anik on 04/17/2007 02:34 pm
According to http://msdb.honeywell-tsi.com/launches.asp NFIRE launch is postponed to April 23...
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: William Graham on 04/17/2007 08:21 pm
Hmm, http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/ (Updated today) states that it is going on 21/04/07. Seems like a bit of confusion to me. If it is delayed until 23/04, can Orbital manage two launches about 48 hours apart? (AIM) Also, is there any indication of launch window?


 I correct myself, the Wallops Island page ( http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/missions/nfire.html ) now says 23rd April. Launch is at 07:11 GMT. There will not be a webcast.
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: Satori on 04/18/2007 10:44 am
Quote
GW_Simulations - 17/4/2007  3:21 PM

(...)

 There will not be a webcast.

...buuuu!!!!
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: shuttlepilot on 04/18/2007 06:12 pm
What a pity :( I watched previous launch and the webcast was without commentary, but it was very good.
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: eeergo on 04/18/2007 09:29 pm
Will the satellite finally be carrying the so controversial interceptor spacecraft?
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: Satori on 04/18/2007 10:08 pm
"Second rocket launch at Wallops delayed" from The Daily Times

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070417/NEWS01/70417051/1002
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: Skyrocket on 04/19/2007 06:07 am
Quote
eeergo - 18/4/2007  11:29 PM

Will the satellite finally be carrying the so controversial interceptor spacecraft?

No, it has been replaced with a laser communication device

Title: RE: LIVE: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/21/2007 10:34 pm
Moved for live coverage
Title: RE: LIVE: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: edkyle99 on 04/23/2007 01:16 am
From:   http://sites.wff.nasa.gov/webcast/

"Posted by RCC on 2007-04-22 at 21:14:53 EST
9:13 p.m. T-6 hours and counting. During the last hour radar and telemetry links have been checked. This will continue for the next hour as well as systems for range safety. The NASA weather officer has reported that the weather is acceptable to continue with the count. Current weather at Wallops is 61 degrees, clear skies and grond winds around 10 mph out of the south.

Posted by RCC on 2007-04-22 at 20:33:10 EST
The last report should have been 8:12 p.m., Sunday, Arpil 22.

Posted by RCC on 2007-04-22 at 20:26:25 EST
At 8:12 a.m. EDT. The countdown has started for the launch of an Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket carrying the Missile Defense Agency's Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) satellite. The support stations at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility have reported for duty. During the next hour radar and telemetry systems will be checked including links with our downrange supporting stations at Coquina, NC, and Antiqua. Also, personnel with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport are making final preparations at the launch pad. Targeted launch time is 3:13 a.m. EDT. The launch window extends to 3:27 a.m."

 - Ed Kyle
Title: RE: LIVE: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/23/2007 05:13 am
Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 00:13:02 EST
12:13 a.m. T-3 hours and counting. Launch vehicle tests have been completed. During the next hour final arming of the vehicle will be conducted.
Title: Re: LIVE: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: yuri_doma on 04/23/2007 06:07 am
Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 01:13:06 EST
1:13 a.m. T-2 hours and counting. Final arming of the Minotaur vehicle is continuing. During the next hour arming of the vehicle is scheduled to be completed,the launch pad will be cleared and the range radar and telemetry will go through pre-launch calibration.
Title: Re: LIVE: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/23/2007 06:15 am
Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 02:13:01 EST
2:13 a.m. T-60 minutes and counting. Vehicle has been armed. The range shortly will conduct a readiness poll to proceed with the final countdown. The launch vehicle team is making their final preparations for launch.
Title: Re: LIVE: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: yuri_doma on 04/23/2007 06:41 am
Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 02:31:59 EST
T-54 minutes Range poll has been completed. New launch time is at 3:26 a.m.
Title: Re: LIVE: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: JimO on 04/23/2007 06:42 am
Re the NFIRE controversy, here's my MSNBC pre-launch story, moved midday Sunday:

(msnbc.com – Oberg) Long-debated military satellite set for launch
NFIRE has sparked years of controversy over missile-watching technology
April 22, 2007 // 10:57 am // http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18248896/
By James Oberg, NBC News space analyst // Special to MSNBC
   The U.S. military is about to launch a small missile-watching satellite after years of quiet preparation — and years of alarming reports from critics about its purpose. The NFIRE satellite is due to be sent into space early Monday from a Virginia launch pad.
   To the Defense Department, which owns and will operate the satellite, NFIRE stands for "Near Field Infrared Experiment." That encapsulates the mission's goal of observing the rocket plumes of military missiles to be launched past it later this year. NFIRE will map and characterize the brightness of the rocket plumes to help the Pentagon design future guidance systems for anti-missile weapons now under consideration.
   But to its critics, NFIRE could well be spelled “Fire!” — as in, “launch the weapon!” Some have branded the project as an irrevocable step toward the weaponization of outer space. The spacecraft's launch atop a commercial Minotaur booster, scheduled for 3:11 a.m. ET from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia's Wallops Island, could light a new fire under the debate.
Title: Re: LIVE: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/23/2007 07:05 am
SCRUB
Title: RE: SCRUB: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/23/2007 07:07 am
Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 03:02:27 EST
3:01 a.m. T-25 minutes. We have scrubbed the launch for this morning
Title: Minotaur NFIRE launch - NASA Wallops Island
Post by: Alpha Control on 04/23/2007 07:14 pm
Hi everyone,

I drove to Chincoteague Island, Virginia on Friday Apr. 20, to watch the Minotaur NFIRE launch. It was originally scheduled for Sat. morning Apr. 21, then shifted to today, Apr. 23, with a 3:11am (local) opening to the launch window.

As of 2:30am it was still on schedule, so I hopped in the car, and at 3:00am I joined a small group of hardy souls out on the Asseteague beach, which gave a clear view across the bay to the launch site.

Sadly, as you know, the launch was scrubbed at 3:05, and the park ranger ordered us all off the beach (it's part of a national park).

But there was a special bonus:  a glorious view of the Milky Way across a beautiful dark sky!  The beach facility has no lighting of any kind and is far removed any development, so once you turned your car off it was completely dark as you faced the Atlantic Ocean.  As a city dweller I'd forgotten how spectacular the "true" night sky is.  And this was spectacular indeed. The moon had set; there were zero clouds, and the stars were wondrous.

So even a scrub may have its good moments! :)

David
Title: Re: SCRUB: Minotaur/NFIRE - 23 April 2007
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/23/2007 11:17 pm
Previous attempt was scrubbed due to ground support issues. This could not be fixed in time for the window.
Title: RE: Minotaur NFIRE launch - NASA Wallops Island
Post by: Alpha Control on 04/24/2007 01:26 am
[Sorry to reply to my own post - I wanted to update it but wasn't able to edit it.]

I hope that someone here gets to see it live tonight.  I had to leave and so won't be there for this attempt.

David
Title: Re: Minotaur NFIRE launch - NASA Wallops Island
Post by: TJL on 04/24/2007 02:24 am
I hope to see it from Long Island (NY)...was able to see the December launch from here.
Title: RE: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/24/2007 03:44 am
Not sure what's going on with this. No updates for some time now.
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/24/2007 04:01 am
Oh, nevermind, still proceeding:

Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 23:48:32 EST
11:48 a.m. T-3 hours and counting. Launch vehicle checkout is complete. During the next hour the launch team will begin final vehicle arming and closeout.
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: yuri_doma on 04/24/2007 05:49 am
Posted by RCC on 2007-04-24 at 01:48:00 EST
1:48 a.m. T-60 minutes and counting. Arming and vehicle closeout is complete. Telemetry and radar systems have been calibrated. Range is ready to proceed. The initiation of the final launch checklist has started.
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/24/2007 06:19 am
Posted by RCC on 2007-04-24 at 02:18:06 EST
2:18 a.m. T-30 minutes and counting.
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: yuri_doma on 04/24/2007 06:38 am
Posted by RCC on 2007-04-24 at 02:38:02 EST
2:38 a.m. T-10 minutes and counting
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/24/2007 06:39 am
Thanks Yuri. Looks like they'll sorted yesterday's ground support problems...
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/24/2007 06:48 am
Launch. Person at Wallops saying it launched.
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: Skyrocket on 04/24/2007 08:23 am
Any news on the results of the launch?
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: Olaf on 04/24/2007 08:40 am
Quote
Skyrocket - 24/4/2007  3:23 AM

Any news on the results of the launch?

According to Novosti Kosmonavtiki the launch was at 06.48 UTC.
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: Satori on 04/24/2007 10:24 am
Quote
Olaf - 24/4/2007  3:40 AM

Quote
Skyrocket - 24/4/2007  3:23 AM

Any news on the results of the launch?

According to Novosti Kosmonavtiki the launch was at 06.48 UTC.

Nothing more at this time? Did it get into orbit? Launch images? I can't find anything about this one on the net!...
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: Skyrocket on 04/24/2007 10:46 am
Apparently the launch was successful:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/doc/174887main_NFIRE%20post%20launch.doc

Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: edkyle99 on 04/24/2007 03:56 pm
Hi-res launch photo at:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/images/content/174890main_NFIRE3.jpg

Looks like the same 1.5 meter payload fairing used for the TacSat 2 launch.

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: Satori on 04/24/2007 04:00 pm
Quote
edkyle99 - 24/4/2007  10:56 AM

Hi-res launch photo at:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/images/content/174890main_NFIRE3.jpg

 - Ed Kyle

Thanks to point that Ed!
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: eeergo on 04/24/2007 04:15 pm
There are two other images in this page, although the best is the one Ed posted: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/missions/nfire.html

Also, they've posted a video on YouTube with the launch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJAjsLjz6yI (quite amateur, but better than nothing)

Info by NasaWatch: http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/2007/04/nfire_mission_i.html#more
Title: Re: Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007
Post by: jacqmans on 04/26/2007 07:32 pm
Apr 24, 2007

ATK Propulsion and Composite Technologies Support Minotaur Launch of the NFIRE

MINNEAPOLIS, April 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) solid propulsion and composite technologies supported the successful launch yesterday of an Orbital Sciences Corporation Minotaur launch vehicle from Wallops Island, Virginia. The launch placed the Missile Defense Agency's experimental Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) spacecraft in orbit.

ATK supplied the Orion 50XL and Orion 38 motors that served as Minotaur's third and fourth stages, respectively. These stages are manufactured in its Salt Lake City facility. In addition to being used on Minotaur space launch vehicles that Orbital produces under the U.S. Air Force's Orbital/Suborbital program, Orion motors are used on their highly successful, Taurus XL® and air-launched Pegasus XL® vehicle.

ATK's Clearfield, Utah facility produced the 50" and 38" diameter composite cases for the second and third stage motors, and the composite interstage that joins the two. ATK's Flexseal assemblies also allow the rocket motor nozzle to change the angle of thrust for steering control while providing a critical seal between the rocket motor and the nozzle.