Author Topic: Pegasus-XL - ICON - Cape Canaveral - October 10/11, 2019  (Read 126439 times)

Online ZachS09

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #20 on: 03/09/2015 03:00 am »
For this final Pegasus rocket launch, I would like it if a rocketcam was positioned on the rocket's second stage to capture liftoff video as seen on the ALEXIS and Minisat 01 missions. Lately, Ecliptic Enterprises only put rocketcams on where viewers can see the spacecraft separation.
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Offline edkyle99

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #21 on: 03/09/2015 03:22 am »
For this final Pegasus rocket launch, I would like it if a rocketcam was positioned on the rocket's second stage to capture liftoff video as seen on the ALEXIS and Minisat 01 missions. Lately, Ecliptic Enterprises only put rocketcams on where viewers can see the spacecraft separation.
"Final"?

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Online ZachS09

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #22 on: 03/09/2015 02:50 pm »
Well, there are only two more Pegasus rockets scheduled and ICON seems to be the last one. What do you think about my rocketcam idea?
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Offline edkyle99

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #23 on: 03/09/2015 04:11 pm »
Well, there are only two more Pegasus rockets scheduled and ICON seems to be the last one. What do you think about my rocketcam idea?
Rocketcam would be fun, but I'm not sure they would be set up to handle the downrange downlinking needed from the Marshall Islands.  A lot of blue water and little else out there.

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Offline Jim

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #24 on: 03/09/2015 06:11 pm »
For this final Pegasus rocket launch, I would like it if a rocketcam was positioned on the rocket's second stage to capture liftoff video as seen on the ALEXIS and Minisat 01 missions. Lately, Ecliptic Enterprises only put rocketcams on where viewers can see the spacecraft separation.

No, Ecliptic Enterprises does not put them on rockets.  ULA and Spacex do it.  Also, Spacex has their own cams and I believe ULA does too.

Online ZachS09

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #25 on: 03/09/2015 07:00 pm »
For this final Pegasus rocket launch, I would like it if a rocketcam was positioned on the rocket's second stage to capture liftoff video as seen on the ALEXIS and Minisat 01 missions. Lately, Ecliptic Enterprises only put rocketcams on where viewers can see the spacecraft separation.

No, Ecliptic Enterprises does not put them on rockets.  ULA and Spacex do it.  Also, Spacex has their own cams and I believe ULA does too.

I thought Ecliptic Enterprises used to do rocketcams since 1997. Didn't they quit doing them?
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Offline Jim

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #26 on: 03/09/2015 07:14 pm »

I thought Ecliptic Enterprises used to do rocketcams since 1997. Didn't they quit doing them?

They were a supplier for them.   But it is not up to them to add them to vehicles, it is up to the launch vehicle contractor and some, if not all, are producing the cams themselves.
« Last Edit: 03/09/2015 07:16 pm by Jim »

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #27 on: 03/09/2015 08:54 pm »
I apologize; I was convinced the wrong way.
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Offline starchasercowboy

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #28 on: 03/10/2015 03:24 pm »
There are plenty of camera angles in this IRIS/Pegasus video. Cockpit, fin sweep, drop from the plane and first stage ignition (from NASA F-18).  More on youtube.

Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #29 on: 12/17/2016 04:52 am »
NASA’s ICON and GOLD missions will take complementary observations of Earth’s ionosphere and upper atmosphere. NASA image.


Offline eeergo

This launch has been delayed to November 14th, according to SFN's schedule.
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Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON November 14, 2017 from Kwajalein
« Reply #31 on: 06/10/2017 12:37 am »
Funny, some how the An-124 and An-225 manage to still fly cargo through out the US. Not only do they deliver spacecraft, rocket stages, but Boeing uses them from time to time to deliver aircraft parts. Some how I suspect they are louder than a TriStar.

Honestly, if it came down to it, it would be cheaper to find a replacement than to re-engine.

If memory serves, the last profitable re-engine program was the DC-8 Super 70 conversions in the late seventies, early 80's. You could include the mid 90's re-engining of the U-2 with General Electric F118-GE-101's. Every now and then re-engining the B-52 comes up. I think some 707's have been re-engined over the years, but that is about it.

It is not a very common practice. 

The Airbus and Boeing programs to re-engine the a320's and 737's center around new builds, not retro fits.

That said, there are several programs to improve fuel burn by adding wing tips to existing planes. There are always the freighter conversion programs for passenger jets. Yet in all the current refit programs, no one offers an option to replace the engines.

IIRC you need a jumbo jet of some type without a center fuselage landing gear under the wings to carry & launch the Pegasus. So not too many alternates to the L-1011, maybe some early models of the DC-10/MD-11.
An-124, An-225 and IL-76 are in different phases of planning for re-engining with PD18R engine but geo-political fallout has slowed the effort since the aircraft were built primarily in Ukraine so Ilyushin IL-106 project revival is considered to replace both fleets. Chinese versions have already been re-engined.
« Last Edit: 06/10/2017 12:48 am by russianhalo117 »

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON November 14, 2017 from Kwajalein
« Reply #32 on: 06/10/2017 09:51 pm »
Funny, some how the An-124 and An-225 manage to still fly cargo through out the US. Not only do they deliver spacecraft, rocket stages, but Boeing uses them from time to time to deliver aircraft parts. Some how I suspect they are louder than a TriStar.

Honestly, if it came down to it, it would be cheaper to find a replacement than to re-engine.

If memory serves, the last profitable re-engine program was the DC-8 Super 70 conversions in the late seventies, early 80's. You could include the mid 90's re-engining of the U-2 with General Electric F118-GE-101's. Every now and then re-engining the B-52 comes up. I think some 707's have been re-engined over the years, but that is about it.

It is not a very common practice. 

The Airbus and Boeing programs to re-engine the a320's and 737's center around new builds, not retro fits.

That said, there are several programs to improve fuel burn by adding wing tips to existing planes. There are always the freighter conversion programs for passenger jets. Yet in all the current refit programs, no one offers an option to replace the engines.

IIRC you need a jumbo jet of some type without a center fuselage landing gear under the wings to carry & launch the Pegasus. So not too many alternates to the L-1011, maybe some early models of the DC-10/MD-11.
An-124, An-225 and IL-76 are in different phases of planning for re-engining with PD18R engine but geo-political fallout has slowed the effort since the aircraft were built primarily in Ukraine so Ilyushin IL-106 project revival is considered to replace both fleets. Chinese versions have already been re-engined.

Just have a quick at some under body illustrations of the An-124 & Il-76 online. The Il-76 does have main landing gears retracted inwards toward the center line of the fuselage, so no room to mounted something like the Pegasus underneath. Seems the An-124 also have the inward retracting main landing feature from their military rough field operating requirements. So the An-124 & Il-76 does not appears to be variable candidates for conversion to be a Pegasus launching aircraft.

Offline Jim

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #33 on: 06/11/2017 04:08 pm »
Funny, some how the An-124 and An-225 manage to still fly cargo through out the US. Not only do they deliver spacecraft, rocket stages, but Boeing uses them from time to time to deliver aircraft parts. Some how I suspect they are louder than a TriStar.

Honestly, if it came down to it, it would be cheaper to find a replacement than to re-engine.

If memory serves, the last profitable re-engine program was the DC-8 Super 70 conversions in the late seventies, early 80's. You could include the mid 90's re-engining of the U-2 with General Electric F118-GE-101's. Every now and then re-engining the B-52 comes up. I think some 707's have been re-engined over the years, but that is about it.

It is not a very common practice. 

The Airbus and Boeing programs to re-engine the a320's and 737's center around new builds, not retro fits.

That said, there are several programs to improve fuel burn by adding wing tips to existing planes. There are always the freighter conversion programs for passenger jets. Yet in all the current refit programs, no one offers an option to replace the engines.

IIRC you need a jumbo jet of some type without a center fuselage landing gear under the wings to carry & launch the Pegasus. So not too many alternates to the L-1011, maybe some early models of the DC-10/MD-11.

The L1011 was chosen over the DC-10 because the fuselage had twin spars and the Pegasus vertical fin could go between them.

Offline starchasercowboy

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON November 14, 2017 from Kwajalein
« Reply #34 on: 06/11/2017 04:34 pm »
The vertical fin is about 6 feet tall from the aft skirt.  The hydraulic service center for the L1011 is in the right spot for this.  No other aircraft has this in the right place. The placement of the main hooks also connects from the bottom of the center wingbox and the wing of Pegasus. This first stage holds 52k lbs in the right place for the CG to be in MAC for all the flight conditions designed for the L1011 with cargo for ferry.  Fitting Pegasus close to the bottom of the fuselage and having the fairings close off the airflow helps with less buffeting and flutter.  All the support,  like nitrogen,  clean air conditioning, satellite monitoring equipment, battery monitoring, rocket monitoring,  fin sweep, and hook hydraulics have all been modified over the years to get it right.  I bring this up to inform you that not many airplanes are designed to carry a Rocket.  The L1011, passenger/cargo, just happened to work out for Orbital when they made the switch from B52. To reach the specific orbits that the satellite customers want means the place where you launch from, altitude,  rocket performance, and speed at launch from the type of aircraft you are using has to be very flexable. By this I mean, the aircraft might have to be able to land on short thin runways, like Kwaj, reach 40k feet altitude, and 250kts airspeed to reach the customers required orbit. Virgin and Strato have many hours of flight test to get their platforms right. IMHO liquid rockets will take more time to develop than the already proven chemical rocket for airlaunch.

Offline StevenV

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON in June '17 from Kwajalein
« Reply #35 on: 06/14/2017 09:34 pm »
The L1011 was chosen over the DC-10 because the fuselage had twin spars and the Pegasus vertical fin could go between them.

It was chosen because it was cheap, as you noted almost 10 years ago. ;) The twin spars was a lucky coincidence.
It's in the stickied Q&A.

What we did NOT know when we chose the L-1011 is how PERFECT the L-1011 was going to be for that application!

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON November 14, 2017 from Kwajalein
« Reply #36 on: 09/09/2017 06:56 am »
https://www.nasa.gov/launchschedule/#.U0NkJ6L-6c4
Quote
Date: December 8, 2017
Mission: ICON (Ionospheric Connection Explorer)

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON Dec. 8, 2017 from Kwajalein
« Reply #37 on: 10/04/2017 08:20 pm »
Quote
🚀We're preparing for an ICONic launch! This Pegasus rocket will launch our Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON): go.nasa.gov/2hOm5Ec

https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150

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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON Dec. 8, 2017 from Kwajalein
« Reply #38 on: 10/05/2017 01:29 am »
Quote
🚀We're preparing for an ICONic launch! This Pegasus rocket will launch our Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON): go.nasa.gov/2hOm5Ec

https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150

Does anyone know where these photos were taken?
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Re: Pegasus to launch ICON Dec. 8, 2017 from Kwajalein
« Reply #39 on: 10/05/2017 02:51 am »
Quote
🚀We're preparing for an ICONic launch! This Pegasus rocket will launch our Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON): go.nasa.gov/2hOm5Ec

https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/915637769078235150

Does anyone know where these photos were taken?

Jim is the definitive person to answer this, but I think it's at VAFB:  Source : https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2017/10/04/pegasus-rocket-prepared-for-nasas-icon-mission/

Quote
Orbital ATK’s Pegasus XL rocket is being prepared to launch NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON mission. The rocket is being prepared in a facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) in California.
« Last Edit: 10/05/2017 02:51 am by catdlr »
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