Author Topic: LIVE: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 - Vandenberg - January 12, 2018  (Read 135240 times)

Offline Newton_V

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 December 13, 2017 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #20 on: 11/18/2017 04:33 pm »
... and better image of logo

Offline Targeteer

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 December 13, 2017 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #21 on: 11/24/2017 07:24 pm »
30th Space Wing (Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.)  16 mins · Facebook

FIRE ON NORTH BASE - Fire crews from Vandenberg Air Force Base and assets from Santa Barbara County and U.S. Forest Service are responding to a 100-acre vegetation fire on north Vandenberg, November 24.

No facilities have been damaged and all personnel in the area not fighting the fire have been evacuated.

More information to follow as the situation develops.
« Last Edit: 11/24/2017 07:24 pm by Targeteer »
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Offline Targeteer

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 December 13, 2017 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #22 on: 11/24/2017 10:55 pm »
30th Space Wing (Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.) 1 hr ·Facebook

ENCELADOS FIRE FINAL UPDATE

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Fire crews from Vandenberg Air Force Base and assets from Santa Barbara County and U.S. Forest Service are continuing to fight a 380-acre vegetation fire on north Vandenberg, Nov. 24.

The fire is 50% contained and forward progress has been stopped.

Mop up operations will continue overnight.

More information to follow as the situation develops.
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

Offline Newton_V

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 December 13, 2017 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #23 on: 11/26/2017 03:01 am »
"Booster" patch:

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 December 13, 2017 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #24 on: 11/26/2017 08:58 pm »
Notice the fire burned near TP-01, nowhere near SLC 6.  Test Pad 01 was used for a few Peacekeeper and Midgetman tests during the 1980s and early 1990s.  A support building is east of the pad.  I've heard some say that it and other nearby, former "Rail Garrison" sites are still in use for Minotaur and/or missile defense support.  Live solid motors on site could explain the full-on air tanker response.

 - Ed Kyle
Peacekeeper Rail Garrison testing was also done in the vicinity of TP-01 and when I was still a military dependent some of the Peacekeeper garrison equipment was still stored on-site in the early 2000's. I know that the railcars were moved to another installation for display or placed in storage.

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 December 13, 2017 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #25 on: 12/02/2017 11:13 pm »
Will the launch campaign be suspended if we enter a government shutdown at 12 am, Saturday, December 9?
(Is it 12 am EST, or is it 12 am for the time zone of the US Government facility in question?)

Or does work continue?  Would it continue, but with "non-excepted" employees furloughed?

What about the contractors?

(This is the first USA launch scheduled after the current funding legislation expires at end of day December 8.)
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #26 on: 12/06/2017 01:17 pm »
ULA:

(Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Dec. 6, 2017) The ULA Delta IV rocket carrying the NROL-47 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office is delayed in order to perform additional validation of the software and systems associated with Common Avionics. Common Avionics is a newly designed suite of avionics, flight software and ground systems that will fly on both Atlas V and Delta IV. This upgraded command and control system was designed to reduce cost and improve reliability. NROL-47 will be the first flight of the Common Avionics system on Delta IV. The vehicle and spacecraft remain stable. Launch of the NROL-47 mission is scheduled for no earlier than Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018.
« Last Edit: 12/06/2017 01:19 pm by Chris Bergin »
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Online ZachS09

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #27 on: 12/07/2017 12:17 am »
With NROL-47 now scheduled for January, this ends the year of 2017 with only 8 launches. Six Atlas Vs, one Delta IV, and one Delta II.

This is one of the slowest years for ULA, as I see it.
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Offline Star One

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Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #28 on: 12/07/2017 06:21 am »
With NROL-47 now scheduled for January, this ends the year of 2017 with only 8 launches. Six Atlas Vs, one Delta IV, and one Delta II.

This is one of the slowest years for ULA, as I see it.

But that’s not down to anything in particular that they’ve done just, pure blind fate.
« Last Edit: 12/07/2017 06:21 am by Star One »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #29 on: 12/21/2017 06:49 pm »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #30 on: 12/21/2017 06:55 pm »
Some photos published by ULA

Offline xcel102

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #31 on: 01/01/2018 05:26 am »
Google search for "NROL-47" returns this link as the first result:
http://www.ulalaunch.com/file-library.aspx

And it lists launch date as January 18, 2018. Maybe just a mistake.

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #32 on: 01/02/2018 08:35 pm »
Google search for "NROL-47" returns this link as the first result:
http://www.ulalaunch.com/file-library.aspx

And it lists launch date as January 18, 2018. Maybe just a mistake.

But, the home page/event page has January 10; see
http://www.ulalaunch.com/delta-iv-to-launch-nrol47.aspx?title=Delta+IV+to+launch+NROL-47 .
« Last Edit: 01/02/2018 08:35 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Targeteer

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #33 on: 01/02/2018 11:30 pm »
I think I'd take the NRO's word for the launch date  :)  Although their post does point to the ULA page, with the Jan 18 launch date...

National Reconnaissance Office 8 hrs · Facebook

We're kicking off 2018 with a rocket launch! #NROL47 -- the first of two NRO launches scheduled for this year -- is set to lift off Jan. 10 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on a United Launch Alliance #DeltaIV rocket with the help of the 30th Space Wing (Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.). This will be the 50th launch for NRO since 1996 and the 27th in partnership with ULA.
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Offline Alter Sachse

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #34 on: 01/03/2018 04:43 pm »
« Last Edit: 01/03/2018 04:47 pm by Alter Sachse »
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Offline Targeteer

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #35 on: 01/03/2018 11:43 pm »
National Reconnaissance Office Page Liked · 2 hrs · Facebook
 
Check out our mission patch for #NROL47! The patch design depicts a classic battle between good and evil and represents our dedication to mission, military expertise and camaraderie. The launch location (VAFB, SLC-6) and launch number (L-47) appear along the outer band of the design, along with the Latin phrase "Mali Nunquam Praevalebunt," which means "Evil will never prevail" and represents NRO's commitment to national security.

Launch date for #NROL47 is scheduled for next Wednesday, Jan. 10.
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Offline satwatcher

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 December 13, 2017 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #36 on: 01/04/2018 11:59 am »
Are there any articles or blog posts that analyze the Topaz constellation orbits?

There was a bit of discussion with the 3rd Topaz launch on the SeeSat mailing list.

Quote
The orbits are all approximately 1100 km x 1105 km x 123 deg.  However, the right ascension at ascending node (RAAN) elements are separated by approximately 90 degrees.
Indeed. Furthermore, all four satellites pass the equator at the same time, with the two in the 0 and 180 deg plans at the ascending node, and those in the 90 and 270 deg planes at the descending node.

Quote
Will an intended RAAN be calculable once the approximate launch time is released?

Certainly. Already with the remark that the launch will be daytime in the PST timezone, is an important clue, as only the orbit of the first FIA Radar will pass the launch site with the correct launch azimuth and orbital direction. If we assume that NROL-47 is set to replace FIA Radar 1 [37162/10046A], then it's orbital plane will pass the launch site around 21:09 UT on January 10, 2018. Once the launch time is published we will know if this assumption is correct.

Offline Sknowball

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #37 on: 01/05/2018 06:55 pm »
Quote
Calendars ready? ULA’s #DeltaIV is slated to launch the #NROL47 mission for @NatRecOfc at 1 p.m. PST on Jan. 10; live broadcast at 12:40 p.m. PST. http://bit.ly/div_nrol47

https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/949351374893957120

21:00 UTC

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #38 on: 01/05/2018 10:19 pm »
SFN Launch Schedule has an update, dated today, for the launch period (as opposed to the actual launch window) of 2030-0115 UTC = 12:30-5:15 p.m. PST.  This matched the earlier statement that this would be a daylight launch at Vandenberg.

And the US Launch Schedule thread here, which I assume is using the Twitter link in the above post as reference, has 21:00 UTC.

Therefore, Topaz 5 appears destined to complement or replace Topaz 1, as a launch at the scheduled time will put the new satellite in a similar orbit (operational altitude, inclination, and RAAN) as Topaz 1.

Certainly. Already with the remark that the launch will be daytime in the PST timezone, is an important clue, as only the orbit of the first FIA Radar will pass the launch site with the correct launch azimuth and orbital direction. If we assume that NROL-47 is set to replace FIA Radar 1 [37162/10046A], then it's orbital plane will pass the launch site around 21:09 UT on January 10, 2018. Once the launch time is published we will know if this assumption is correct.
***

I suppose that our amateur satellite observers will continue to watch Topaz 1 over the next several months following this launch to see what happens to it.  The satellite has been on-orbit for over 6 years.

Will it: stay in or near to its current orbit,
move to a different orbit w.r.t. the rest of the constellation,
or disappear from orbit in a programmed re-entry?

(According to Heavens-above.com, Lacrosse 5 is still in orbit, with the latest orbital epoch, computed from amateur satellite observer observations, of December 29, 2017.  It has been on orbit for almost 13 full years.)
« Last Edit: 01/05/2018 11:22 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline catdlr

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Re: Delta IV-M+(5,2) - NROL-47 Jan 10, 2018 -VAFB SLC-6
« Reply #39 on: 01/08/2018 04:00 am »
DELTA IV NROL-47 TO LAUNCH FROM VANDENBERG
By 30th Space Wing Public Affairs, 30th Space Wing Public Affairs / Published January 07, 2018

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Team Vandenberg is scheduled to launch a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload from Space Launch Complex-6 here Wednesday, Jan. 10, with a launch window opening at 1:00 p.m. PST.

Col. Greg Wood, 30th Space Wing vice commander, is the space launch commander.

"We are ready and eager to take on this Delta launch," said Wood. "We are proud to provide this national defense capability and every Team V member involved has tirelessly worked to ensure the launch is safe and successful."

Vandenberg's 4th Space Launch Squadron is in final preparations for launch with Vandenberg's mission partners from ULA, and the NRO.

"The 4th Space Launch Squadron's mission assurance technicians, engineers, and program managers are laser-focused on ensuring that all flight hardware, infrastructure, and facilities are ready to go for launch," said Maj. Allen Varghese, 4th Space Launch Squadron director of operations. "Our squadron has worked side-by-side with ULA personnel over the past several months to ensure this mission's success."

The local community can view this launch from the Hawk's Nest on Hwy 1 just a half mile south of Vandenberg Air Force Base's main gate. The Hawk's Nest gates will open at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10.
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