Author Topic: LIVE: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013 (23:14 PST)  (Read 104741 times)

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Update thread for Atlas V mission with NROL-39.

Hmmm...... octopus? Super-belle? 
« Last Edit: 12/06/2013 08:07 am by input~2 »
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Offline kevin-rf

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #1 on: 08/29/2013 11:55 am »
Light weight, large fairing, big antenna?

I was just thinking, someone could have a ton of fun designing random mission patches, printing them up on off those programmable embroidery machines, and tossing them on e-bay ... but I am off topic.
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Offline QuantumG

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #2 on: 08/29/2013 12:14 pm »
I was just thinking, someone could have a ton of fun designing random mission patches, printing them up on off those programmable embroidery machines, and tossing them on e-bay ... but I am off topic.

Profitable too.. *ring* *ring* .. Mum?
Human spaceflight is basically just LARPing now.

Offline Lurker Steve

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #3 on: 08/29/2013 01:29 pm »
Light weight, large fairing, big antenna?

I was just thinking, someone could have a ton of fun designing random mission patches, printing them up on off those programmable embroidery machines, and tossing them on e-bay ... but I am off topic.

I assume that's how these patches are made. They are all low-volume runs, right ? It's probably a couple of hours per patch, but not much actual human interaction required. Just a small room full of machines cranking these out one at a time.

Is there any history to "Belle" appearing on previous mission patches ?

Offline Jim

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #4 on: 08/29/2013 02:16 pm »
The patches associated with spacecraft program are provided by the program*.  The launch patches are done by the launch base USAF personnel and are part of the a fund raising group for morale activities.   Sometimes, there are multiple USAF groups producing patches at the launch site (launch squadron, range squadron, space wing, etc) and even the spacecraft control center groups.

For NASA missions, I help sell the USAF launch site patches to spacecraft project personnel.

* it is done for a similar reason like the launch site groups, to raise money for morale activities.

"Approved/sanctioned" patches are provided by project to its people as morale boosters.  They are not for sale in large qualities.  You will see 1  or 2 on sale on Ebay but that is individuals selling their own or somebody's who didn't want theirs (the latter is decreasing for NASA and the unwanted patches are used for outreach).   The exception is somebody who makes a copies of the official patch and sells them.

As for the current mission patches on ebay, those are from somebody who knows somebody with direct access to the morale patches.  The fund raising patches cost $5, the ebay ones are what the market can bear.
« Last Edit: 08/29/2013 02:30 pm by Jim »

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #5 on: 08/29/2013 06:42 pm »
I assume with morale activities you mean things like free pizza and coke.
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Offline Jim

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #6 on: 08/29/2013 07:27 pm »
I assume with morale activities you mean things like free pizza and coke.

picnics and Xmas parties.

Offline Targeteer

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #7 on: 08/30/2013 03:49 pm »
I assume with morale activities you mean things like free pizza and coke.

picnics and Xmas parties.

And departure tokens due to change of station or retirements--plaques, lithographs, figurines, etc.
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Offline Targeteer

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #8 on: 08/30/2013 04:09 pm »
The SBIRs HEO-3 payload was shipped to the "host space vehicle program" on June 13

http://www.afspc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123352888

Is it reasonable for it to be integrated onto a "host" 6 months before launch?

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Offline Antares

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #9 on: 08/30/2013 04:11 pm »
Yes, anywhere from 2-18 months depending on the level of integrated testing required and how risky the owner thinks it is to have hardware in someone else's control.
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Offline Jim

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #10 on: 08/30/2013 05:27 pm »
The SBIRs HEO-3 payload was shipped to the "host space vehicle program" on June 13

http://www.afspc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123352888

Is it reasonable for it to be integrated onto a "host" 6 months before launch?


Could be done at the launch site.  This only applies to a payload and host  that have flown together before.
« Last Edit: 08/30/2013 05:29 pm by Jim »

Offline William Graham

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #11 on: 09/18/2013 10:32 am »
The CubeSat mission on this launch is named GEMSat, and consists of eight three-unit PPODs. Two of the PPODs are dedicated to NASA's ELANA programme, designated ELANA-II (this designation was previously used for a cancelled secondary payload on an ORS launch).

From stickers on GEMSat's transport canister, the ELANA payloads are MCubed-2, IPEX, CUNYSAT-1 and FIREBIRD (x2)
http://exploration.engin.umich.edu/blog/?p=1745

The other identifiable patch is for ALICE, a 3U CubeSat for the US Air Force Institute of Technology, which is part of the NRO's Colony CubeSat programme.

This leaves five PPODs unaccounted for.
« Last Edit: 09/18/2013 10:36 am by William Graham »

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #12 on: 11/10/2013 03:57 pm »
Based on the analysis at http://www.klofas.com/papers/   Upcoming CubeSat Launches: The Flood Has Arrived
we have

 - PPOD with three 1U cubes:  Michigan M-Cubed 2, CalPoly CP8-IPEX,
City U. of New York's  CUNYSAT-1
 - PPOD with a two 1.5U cubes: Montana Space Grant Consortium
Firebird A and Firebird B,  space weather studies
 - PPOD with a 3U  USAF AFIT payload, ALICE for atmosphere studies and tech
 - PPOD with two 1.5U  Aerospace Corp. Aerocube-5a/5b
 - PPOD with 3U  SMDC-ONE 2.2  for USA SMDC
 - PPOD with 3U SMDC-ONE 2.3
 - PPOD with 3U TacSat-6  (unknown, AFRL/ORS?)
 - PPOD with 3U SNAP   (possibly SMDC NAnosatellite Program - Joint
Capabilities Tech Demo)

I haven't been able to find anything specific about the Tacsat-6 mission - any takers?
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Offline SpaceDave

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #13 on: 11/10/2013 07:15 pm »

Is there any history to "Belle" appearing on previous mission patches ?


I wouldn't read too much into it. I think the guys at VAFB typically name rockets after their wives/girlfriends.

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #14 on: 11/26/2013 03:52 pm »
Are there any launch window reported for this launch yet?  ::)
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Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #15 on: 11/26/2013 04:00 pm »
Are there any launch window reported for this launch yet?  ::)
Past email replies from ULA that i have received regarding launch times for previous NROL-xx launches tend to say that due the request of the customer the times for the launch window are not going to be made public until launch week/a day or two before launch. The NROL-39 launch is currently set to occur on Thursday, 05 December 2013.

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #16 on: 11/26/2013 04:02 pm »
Are there any launch window reported for this launch yet?  ::)
Past email replies from ULA that i have received regarding launch times for previous NROL-xx launches tend to say that due the request of the customer the times for the launch window are not going to be made public until launch week/a day or two before launch. The NROL-39 launch is currently set to occur on Thursday, 05 December 2013.

OK maybe my query was one or two days too early - I somehow remember that a "launch period" usually shows up on here or other spaceflight news site 1-2 weeks before NRO launches...
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Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #17 on: 11/26/2013 04:04 pm »
Are there any launch window reported for this launch yet?  ::)
Past email replies from ULA that i have received regarding launch times for previous NROL-xx launches tend to say that due the request of the customer the times for the launch window are not going to be made public until launch week/a day or two before launch. The NROL-39 launch is currently set to occur on Thursday, 05 December 2013.

OK maybe my query was one or two days too early - I somehow remember that a "launch period" usually shows up on here or other spaceflight news site 1-2 weeks before NRO launches...
it typically varies but the Monday of launch week is typically the average for the norm from my own observations.

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #18 on: 12/01/2013 03:22 pm »
Are there any launch window reported for this launch yet?  ::)

Can someone check the suspected drop zones to see if there are any NOTAMs issued for them yet?
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Offline William Graham

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Re: Atlas V 501 - NROL-39 - December 5, 2013
« Reply #19 on: 12/02/2013 07:42 pm »
According to a USAF press release which was reposted on the Launch-Alert mailing list, launch is scheduled for 23:13 local, which corresponds to 07:13 UTC on 6 December.

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