Author Topic: LIVE: Atlas V - NROL-34 - April 14, 2011 (Read 55706 times)

TitanFan · « **Reply #100 on:** 04/15/2011 07:41 am »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 04/15/2011 06:42 am

Quote from: Seattle Dave on 04/15/2011 05:58 am
That's great how it lights up the condensation and ice falling off it. Needs one of those MaxQ videos

There's an idea. Atlas V needs a Shuttle-style MaxQ rock video and another of Chris' "OMG, that's hardly my taste in music" suggestions

Lyrics work, excuse the title (not literal, obviously - Lady Gaga's done far worse)

"The city sleeps beneath me
Unrested, the longest night drives
The city sleeps tonight

A thousand miles by night, straight as the crow flies

Chasing right and wrong, countless miles from home
Without an end in sight, this is a battle song"

A "soundtrack" to this launch? Gotta be "Heaven's On Fire" by KISS

"Feel my heat takin' you higher,
burn with me, Heaven's on fire
Paint the sky with desire,
angel fly, Heaven's on fire"

DaveJes1979 · « **Reply #101 on:** 04/15/2011 06:59 pm »

Here is what it looked like from the South Base gate:

robertross · « **Reply #102 on:** 04/15/2011 07:29 pm »

Quote from: DaveJes1979 on 04/15/2011 06:59 pm

Here is what it looked like from the South Base gate:

Nice!

sdsds · « **Reply #103 on:** 04/17/2011 03:59 am »

Adam Ince captured a time-lapse photo of the launch from "approximately 200 miles away."
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamince/5621283708

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #104 on:** 04/17/2011 05:44 am »

Interesting. The payload may turn out to be an NOSS pair, instead of a HEO ELINT sat as some guessed before...
http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2011/0202.html

Skyrocket · « **Reply #105 on:** 04/18/2011 06:11 am »

Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 04/17/2011 05:44 am

Interesting. The payload may turn out to be an NOSS pair, instead of a HEO ELINT sat as some guessed before...
http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2011/0202.html

That is a very interesting development. Observations have confirmed two NOSS satellites:
http://satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2011/0202.html

NOSS pairs were put into orbit using a two burn profile for Centaur with a rather long coast phase . The second burn failed during the NROL-30 mission. Now it seems, they have added a booster so that the mission can be conducted with a single burn of Centaur to avoid a second burn after a longer coast phase.

I wonder, if this change has cosequences for other future LEO missions like the NROL-41 type (FIA-Radar ?) satellites.

William Graham · « **Reply #106 on:** 04/22/2011 03:57 pm »

I think FIA used a direct ascent anyway, so it probably wouldn't be affected.

This also means that the two upcoming 401 launches are probably SDS.

jcm · « **Reply #107 on:** 04/23/2011 01:27 am »

The second USA 229 payload has now been cataloged by the US as 37391,
and named "USA 229 DEB" (i.e. "debris"- hello JSPOCchio, did I just see your nose get longer by another couple of inches??)

It is being tracked by hobbyists in a 1017 x 1205 km x 63.4 deg orbit.