Author Topic: ULA Rocketship sightings  (Read 13120 times)

Offline bajaleo

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ULA Rocketship sightings
« on: 07/13/2022 02:02 am »
Just came in.

Offline bajaleo

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #1 on: 07/13/2022 02:30 am »
Could this contain delta heavy en route to Vandenberg?

Online Craigles

Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #2 on: 07/13/2022 02:37 am »
Could this contain delta heavy en route to Vandenberg?
Or could this be the Atlas V 401 (en route to VSFB through the Panama Canal) for the JPSS-2 / LOFTID Demonstrator JPSS weather satellite and heat shield demonstrator?
I'd rather be here now

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #3 on: 07/13/2022 02:48 am »
Could this contain delta heavy en route to Vandenberg?
Per AIS timestamps it left the VSFB port running loaded at 12 JUL 2022 02:34:00 UTC and arrived at Port of San Diego at 13 JUL 2022 02:24:56 UTC. Before that it was servicing at Cristobal Anchorage, Panama on the 25th of June loaded and Bound for VSFB.
It doesn't just carry rockets all of the time so it typically stops along the coast to pick up cargo to pay for its return. Sometimes It will transport equipment or vehicles from/near VSFB down to other installations such as San Diego.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:401007/mmsi:338731000/imo:9198501/vessel:ROCKETSHIP
« Last Edit: 07/13/2022 02:49 am by russianhalo117 »

Online zubenelgenubi

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #4 on: 07/13/2022 08:10 pm »
Could this contain delta heavy en route to Vandenberg?
See the NROL-91 launch thread.  Entire launch vehicle delivered August 22, 2021.  Last Vandenberg Delta IV-Heavy launch.
« Last Edit: 07/13/2022 08:14 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #5 on: 07/14/2022 02:42 am »
Yeah, this had to be the Atlas V and Centaur for JPSS-2. Interestingly, this will likely be Rocketship's last trip to Vandenberg for a little while, as the next shipment there should be a Vulcan (after pad is converted)!

Offline Vahe231991

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #6 on: 07/16/2022 04:02 pm »
Yeah, this had to be the Atlas V and Centaur for JPSS-2. Interestingly, this will likely be Rocketship's last trip to Vandenberg for a little while, as the next shipment there should be a Vulcan (after pad is converted)!
The pad to be converted for the Vulcan rocket once the last Delta IV Heavy launch from Vandenberg SFB is conducted is the SLC-3E because the SLC-6 pad has been already earmarked for demolition.

Offline Newton_V

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #7 on: 07/16/2022 04:15 pm »
Yeah, this had to be the Atlas V and Centaur for JPSS-2. Interestingly, this will likely be Rocketship's last trip to Vandenberg for a little while, as the next shipment there should be a Vulcan (after pad is converted)!
SLC-6 pad has been already earmarked for demolition.
Where did you hear that?

Offline Jim

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #8 on: 07/16/2022 04:16 pm »
Yeah, this had to be the Atlas V and Centaur for JPSS-2. Interestingly, this will likely be Rocketship's last trip to Vandenberg for a little while, as the next shipment there should be a Vulcan (after pad is converted)!
The pad to be converted for the Vulcan rocket once the last Delta IV Heavy launch from Vandenberg SFB is conducted is the SLC-3E because the SLC-6 pad has been already earmarked for demolition.


No.   The Delta IV Heavy launch has no bearing on SLC-3 conversion.  JPSS launch will determine that.  Also, SLC-6 is has not been earmarked for demolition.

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #9 on: 07/22/2022 09:11 pm »
Yeah, this had to be the Atlas V and Centaur for JPSS-2. Interestingly, this will likely be Rocketship's last trip to Vandenberg for a little while, as the next shipment there should be a Vulcan (after pad is converted)!
Confirmed via KSC and ULA. Expect images approved for public release to start appearing from the respective entities.

Not the final use at VSFB before Vulcan just final planned use carrying EELV/NSSL1 (NSSL Phase 1) launchers.

Offline ClayJar

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #10 on: 08/10/2022 01:41 am »
I couldn't find a generic ULA Rocketship thread for reporting sightings and posting pics, so here's one, I suppose. Maybe we'll even use it? Anyway.

I was out on a little "It's finally not raining!" after work bike ride (44 miles worth after weeks of rain every... single... day here in Baton Rouge, LA). As I was heading downstream from LSU on the levee path, I noticed an oddly-shaped ship (compared to the usual barges, tankers, and bulk haulers). As I got closer, I suddenly noticed the ULA logo on the side.

ULA Rocketship, ahoy!

I took some photos on the way downstream on the levee path, and then some more about 20 bike-miles later.

Offline TimL

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #11 on: 04/09/2023 01:41 pm »
Kind of surprised, Rocketship has made two trips down from Decatur to Canaveral is the last couple weeks since delivering Vulcan Cert-1 and not a peep from ULA or anyone local on what was transported.
"Well if we get lost, we'll just pull in someplace and ask for directions"

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #12 on: 04/11/2023 12:14 am »
Kind of surprised, Rocketship has made two trips down from Decatur to Canaveral is the last couple weeks since delivering Vulcan Cert-1 and not a peep from ULA or anyone local on what was transported.
One of them was for Artemis-II hardware transport it returned retired rocket hardware and one of the trips might have returned Vulcan Pathfinder to Decatur to complete flight outfitting and remove test hardware:
https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1645421618351710209

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The second #ICPS, built by ULA under a collaborative partnership with @BoeingSpace, is beginning pre-flight testing and preparations to help launch four pioneering astronauts on @NASA's #Artemis II mission around the Moon!

Read more in the blog:

https://blog.ulalaunch.com/blog/icps-2-ula-begins-readying-upper-stage-for-artemis-ii-launch

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ICPS-2: ULA begins readying upper stage for Artemis II launch
April 10, 2023

The second Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS), derived from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy rocket, is beginning pre-flight testing and preparations to help launch four pioneering astronauts on NASA's Artemis II mission around the Moon.

ICPS serves as the upper stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to send the Orion spacecraft on lunar exploration missions. The fully integrated SLS, ICPS and Orion system successfully performed the uncrewed Artemis I test flight in 2022.

ULA has manufactured three ICPS stages in our factory in Decatur, Alabama, under a collaborative partnership with Boeing. The stages will be used for the initial three SLS rockets.

ICPS-2 was delivered to ULA facilities at Cape Canaveral in 2021. The stage recently came out of storage and moved into a test cell at the Delta Operation Center to begin undergoing checkouts and processing to support the Artemis II launch.

The ICPS is based on the five-meter-diameter version of ULA's Delta Cryogenic Second Stage (DCSS) that has flown on Delta IV missions since 2004 with 100 percent mission success. ICPS-1 performance for the Artemis I mission was nominal, delivering the push needed to send Orion out of Earth orbit to travel around the Moon.

ICPS features a slightly larger liquid hydrogen tank as compared to the Delta IV second stage, as well as electrical and mechanical interfaces specific to attaching and supporting the Orion spacecraft, and a second hydrazine bottle for additional attitude control propellant.

The ICPS for Artemis II also includes an Emergency Detection System (EDS) and other hardware changes specific to human safety.

The stage feeds liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to the Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-2 main engine to produce 24,750 pounds (110.1 kilo-Newtons) of highly efficient thrust.

The ICPS-2 stage on Artemis II will provide the boost for the Orion capsule and its four astronauts to reach the desired high Earth orbit stretching 68,000 miles (109,435 km) above the planet before separating from the Moon-bound spacecraft.

The stage will also be used as a target object for Orion to test rendezvous and proximity operations.

The approximately 10-day Artemis II flight will prove the Orion spacecraft's life-support systems and validate the capabilities and techniques needed for humans to live and work in deep space. 

NASA has assigned three Americans and one Canadian Space Agency astronaut to the mission: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen.

Photo captions:

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ICPS-2 is moved to the Delta Operations Center at Cape Canaveral for processing. Photo by United Launch Alliance

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ICPS-2 arrives at the Delta Operations Center to prepare for the Artemis II mission. Photo by United Launch Alliance

Offline joncz

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #13 on: 04/11/2023 01:28 pm »
Please don't post the image.  Post the link to the tweet.

https://twitter.com/Kyle_M_Photo/status/1644856972854931459

Offline TimL

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"Well if we get lost, we'll just pull in someplace and ask for directions"

Offline TimL

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"Well if we get lost, we'll just pull in someplace and ask for directions"

Offline TimL

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #16 on: 04/12/2023 12:07 pm »
"Well if we get lost, we'll just pull in someplace and ask for directions"

Offline TimL

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #17 on: 04/12/2023 12:37 pm »
Couple from last year, because I'm a retired sailor and ship's going to drydock are a natural cycle of life.
Credit of Tory Bruno

« Last Edit: 04/12/2023 12:38 pm by TimL »
"Well if we get lost, we'll just pull in someplace and ask for directions"

Offline TimL

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"Well if we get lost, we'll just pull in someplace and ask for directions"

Offline TimL

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Re: ULA Rocketship sightings
« Reply #19 on: 04/12/2023 12:54 pm »
Jumping way back to her launching December 16, 1999 Halter Maritime, Pascagoula, MS
"Well if we get lost, we'll just pull in someplace and ask for directions"

 

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