Author Topic: LIVE: Wallops Island Minotaur - TacSat 2 - Dec 16  (Read 45009 times)

Offline edkyle99

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Minotaur to launch from Wallops Island in November

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-04-2006/0004410554&EDATE=

"Wallops Flight Facility Selected as Launch Site for Air Force Satellite

    WALLOPS ISLAND, Va., Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The NASA Wallops Flight
Facility, Wallops Island, Va., has been selected by the Space and Missile
Systems Center's Detachment 12 as the launch site for the Air Force
Research Laboratory's TacSat 2 satellite. The launch is scheduled for
November 2006.
    The satellite will be launched on an Air Force four-stage Minotaur I
space launch vehicle contracted through Orbital Sciences Corporation's
Launch Systems Group. The mission will be conducted from the Mid-Atlantic
Regional Spaceport launch pad on the south end of Wallops Island.
    "The Wallops Flight Facility has a 61-year heritage of providing fast
response launch services to government, academia and commercial
organizations. We are very pleased to be able to support this Air Force
mission," said Jay Pittman, chief of the Range and Mission Management
Office.
    In addition to supporting the TacSat 2 launch, Wallops also will be the
launch site for a Minotaur I rocket carrying the Near-Field Infrared
Experiment (NFIRE) satellite.


SOURCE NASA"

 - Ed Kyle

Offline MKremer

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Re: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #1 on: 08/06/2006 04:47 am »
I wonder if they had to go throught additional studies to get EPA approval to launch those larger solid-fuel boosters in that area?

Offline Jim

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Re: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #2 on: 08/06/2006 08:32 am »
they have launched bigger vehicle from there

Offline aero313

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Re: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #3 on: 08/06/2006 02:21 pm »
Quote
Jim - 6/8/2006  4:19 AM

they have launched bigger vehicle from there

What, Conestoga?  I'm not sure how that compares to a Minuteman II from an environmental standpoint.  Prior to that, Scout had been the largest vehicle launched from WFF.  On the other hand, WFF and the Virginia Spaceport (now the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport - MARS - as a concession to Barbara Mukulski) have already done the environmental assessments required to launch a Castor 120 sized vehicle from the island.  The limiting factor is actually the weight limit on the bridge connecting the island to the mainland.  I'm not sure if the MMII motors are being brought in by road or barge, actually.

Offline Jim

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Re: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #4 on: 08/06/2006 03:40 pm »
exactly.

Offline antonioe

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Re: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #5 on: 08/26/2006 09:22 pm »
Quote
aero313 - 6/8/2006  9:08 AM

Quote
Jim - 6/8/2006  4:19 AM

they have launched bigger vehicle from there

What, Conestoga?  I'm not sure how that compares to a Minuteman II from an environmental standpoint.  Prior to that, Scout had been the largest vehicle launched from WFF.  On the other hand, WFF and the Virginia Spaceport (now the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport - MARS - as a concession to Barbara Mukulski) have already done the environmental assessments required to launch a Castor 120 sized vehicle from the island.  The limiting factor is actually the weight limit on the bridge connecting the island to the mainland.  I'm not sure if the MMII motors are being brought in by road or barge, actually.

Actually, there have been six Pegasus launches from WFF for which we had to file an Environmental Impact Statement.  I think we also did the homework to launch a Taurus from WWF and that the C120 was transported by road from the assembly building at the base to the Virginia Spaceport pad (I can check).
ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS...

Offline MWDog

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RE: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #6 on: 09/03/2006 03:06 pm »
I'm from Pennsylvania, so it's not that long of a drive to Wallops. I'm thinking of viewing the November launch. Does anyone have suggestions for the best viewing location?

Offline TitanFan

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Re: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #7 on: 09/14/2006 06:29 am »
Were these launches transferred from VAFB, or were they always scheduled from there?  I remember hearing that there was more launches booked on Minotaur from Vandy.
TITAN...assured access to space.

Offline Jim

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Re: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #8 on: 09/14/2006 11:36 am »
Quote
TitanFan - 14/9/2006  2:16 AM

Were these launches transferred from VAFB, or were they always scheduled from there?  I remember hearing that there was more launches booked on Minotaur from Vandy.

Not transfers.  There are still more scheduled at VAFB

PS.  It is not "Vandy"

Offline aero313

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Re: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #9 on: 09/14/2006 10:26 pm »
Quote
Jim - 14/9/2006  7:23 AM

Quote
TitanFan - 14/9/2006  2:16 AM

Were these launches transferred from VAFB, or were they always scheduled from there?  I remember hearing that there was more launches booked on Minotaur from Vandy.

Not transfers.  There are still more scheduled at VAFB

The final orbital inclination requires launch from Wallops.  You can't get there from VAFB

Quote
PS.  It is not "Vandy"

Sadly, I've actually been in meetings at VAFB where Air Force personnel called it "Vandyland"...


Offline Jim

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Re: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #10 on: 09/14/2006 10:29 pm »
That is acceptable

Offline BFRC

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Re: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #11 on: 10/20/2006 04:45 am »
No AF personnel from VAFB will refer to it as "Vandyland" just the tourists.

Offline shuttlepilot

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Re: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #12 on: 11/12/2006 05:35 pm »
Is there any live webcast of that launch?

Offline edkyle99

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RE: Another Wallops Island Minotaur
« Reply #13 on: 11/25/2006 04:23 pm »
Here are a couple of informative reports about the upcoming December 11 Wallops Island Minotaur launch.

"Sky-high hopes for future of Wallops
Va., Md. officials foresee busy niche for launch facility
By Frank D. Roylance
Sun reporter
Originally published November 25, 2006
The Dec. 11 blastoff of one of the most powerful rockets ever launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia could also boost the region's ambition to become a commercial spaceport."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.wallops25nov25,0,1183433.story?coll=bal-home-headlines


"Wallops looking to grow
Spaceflight facility already is huge economic boost
By Ceri Larson Danes
WALLOPS - It is rocket science.
NASA's Wallops Flight Facility - part of their Goddard Space Flight Center -- is the only launch range that the space agency owns, and its mission is growing. "

http://www.delmarvanow.com/easternshore/stories/20061125/2349275.html

 - Ed Kyle

Offline gocamels

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Wallops Island launch is test of the quick, small
« Reply #14 on: 12/09/2006 12:02 pm »
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=115751&ran=112334

"TacSat-2"http://media.hamptonroads.com/media/content/pilotonline/2006/12/sat450x316.jpg" width="450" border="0" />

Offline dwmzmm

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Re: Wallops Island launch is test of the quick, small
« Reply #15 on: 12/09/2006 12:25 pm »
One of my all time favorites, as far as rocket launches from Wallops is concerned, is the Canadian Black Brant - II sounding rocket.  The Black Brant - II is
a popular subject of those rocketeers who love to build and fly scale models.
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

Offline Radioheaded

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RE: Wallops Island launch is test of the quick, small
« Reply #16 on: 12/09/2006 12:45 pm »
I am getting up very early to go catch this launch monday.  Is anyone (Jim, ect) familiar with launch requirements wrt weather for the minotaur I? Just don't want to drive 3 hrs for a weather delay  :)
I know only enough to know that I don't know....

Offline Jim

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Re: Wallops Island launch is test of the quick, small
« Reply #17 on: 12/09/2006 01:27 pm »
Shuttle may interfere with this launch.   Not really familar with the Minotaur

Offline sammie

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Re: Wallops Island launch is test of the quick, small
« Reply #18 on: 12/09/2006 01:30 pm »
You better keep track of the Shuttle launch indeed, this article says that the Minotaur won't fly if the Shuttle is still on the ground by monday.
"The dreams ain't broken downhere, they're just walking with a limp"

Offline Radioheaded

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Re: Wallops Island launch is test of the quick, small
« Reply #19 on: 12/09/2006 01:36 pm »
Quote
sammie - 9/12/2006  9:13 AM

You better keep track of the Shuttle launch indeed, this article says that the Minotaur won't fly if the Shuttle is still on the ground by monday.

Chris just mentioned that.  Said Wallops people are supporting shuttle for 2 days after launch, and they can only work so many hours.  That had never occured to me.  Just another reason that this site is great  :)  :)  :)
I know only enough to know that I don't know....

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