Author Topic: Delta IV-Heavy - NROL-91 - Vandenberg SLC-6 - 24 September 2022 (22:25 UTC)  (Read 58466 times)

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Rocket for last West Coast DIV-H launch (NROL-91):

twitter.com/spaceoffshore/status/1428842616603488257

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ULA's Rocketship is fast approaching its final destination at Vandenberg Space Force Base!

The ship will unload three booster cores for a Delta IV Heavy.

https://twitter.com/markbeavers12/status/1428864940551675907

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Don’t forget the second stage!!

twitter.com/spaceoffshore/status/1428866335786905602

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Wasn't sure if it was onboard. Only seen the three cores :S

https://twitter.com/markbeavers12/status/1428866584513236994

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In the very front along with the fairings.

https://twitter.com/spaceoffshore/status/1429469041601691651

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ULA's Rocketship has arrived in California!

The vessel is docked at the Port Hueneme, east of Vandenberg SFB.
« Last Edit: 09/24/2022 09:38 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Online zubenelgenubi

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Cross-post with image attached; launch circa August 1, 2022.

(Don't book non-refundable plane tickets, hotel room, and vehicle rental just yet.)

Presented by Col. Melone at today's [September 7] SPRSA meeting.
« Last Edit: 09/25/2021 04:14 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Newton_V

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Yep.  "circa" is a good word to use.

Anybody know who this is?

Online zubenelgenubi

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Yep.  "circa" is a good word to use.

Anybody know who this is?
Ike, addressing American paratroopers and/or "glidertroopers" before D-Day?
« Last Edit: 09/25/2021 04:14 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Newton_V

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Yep.  "circa" is a good word to use.

Anybody know who this is?
Ike, addressing American paratroopers and/or "glidertroopers" before D-Day?
Good guess, but nope!

Offline joek

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Anybody know who this is?

Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe, Artillery Commander of the 101st Airborne Division, gives last-minute instructions before takeoff during the invasion of Holland.  72th Troop Carrier Squadron.  Photo from USAA Magazine January/February 2002.

Offline woods170

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Anybody know who this is?

Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe, Artillery Commander of the 101st Airborne Division, gives last-minute instructions before takeoff during the invasion of Holland.  72th Troop Carrier Squadron.  Photo from USAA Magazine January/February 2002.


Question: why is a picture of a WW2 general featured in a thread about NROL-91?

Online zubenelgenubi

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Anybody know who this is?
Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe, Artillery Commander of the 101st Airborne Division, gives last-minute instructions before takeoff during the invasion of Holland.  72th Troop Carrier Squadron.  Photo from USAA Magazine January/February 2002.
Question: why is a picture of a WW2 general featured in a thread about NROL-91?
Newton_V foreshadowing a launch patch theme?
« Last Edit: 09/25/2021 04:15 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Newton_V

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Anybody know who this is?
Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe, Artillery Commander of the 101st Airborne Division, gives last-minute instructions before takeoff during the invasion of Holland.  72th Troop Carrier Squadron.  Photo from USAA Magazine January/February 2002.
Question: why is a picture of a WW2 general featured in a thread about NROL-91?
Newton_V foreshadowing a launch patch theme?
It's definitely a (the) theme.

Offline Vahe231991

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Did the NRO decide to set the launch date for the NROL-91 at the beginning of next August because they felt that scheduling the launch for the middle of 2022 could free up the NRO budget for NRO launches involving the Falcon and Minotaur?

Offline Jim

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Did the NRO decide to set the launch date for the NROL-91 at the beginning of next August because they felt that scheduling the launch for the middle of 2022 could free up the NRO budget for NRO launches involving the Falcon and Minotaur?

August would be near the end of the fiscal year

Offline Targeteer

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United Launch Services LLC, Centennial, Colorado, has been awarded a $10,666,286 firm-fixed-price modification (P00024) to previously awarded FA8811-19-C-0002 contract for Delta IV heavy launch services. The contract modification is for Space Launch Complex (SLC)-37 non-routine facility expenses. Work will be performed at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 1, 2022. Fiscal 2021 missile procurement funds in the amount of $10,666,286 will be obligated at the time of award, and the total cumulative face value of the contract is $1,304,953,956. Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity.
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

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Re: Delta IV-Heavy - NROL-91 - Vandenberg SLC-6 - August 2022
« Reply #12 on: 03/30/2022 04:33 am »
SFN Launch Schedule update, March 25 (one of many):
NROL-91 confirms launch in August 2022 from Vandenberg SLC-6--last Vandenberg Delta IV-Heavy.
« Last Edit: 03/30/2022 04:35 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Re: Delta IV-Heavy - NROL-91 - Vandenberg SLC-6 - August 2022
« Reply #13 on: 06/29/2022 06:55 pm »
Any new news?  August is approaching fast.
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Offline Newton_V

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Re: Delta IV-Heavy - NROL-91 - Vandenberg SLC-6 - August 2022
« Reply #14 on: 07/01/2022 03:43 am »
Any new news?  August is approaching fast.
Still on track for a summer launch.

Offline xcel102

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Re: Delta IV-Heavy - NROL-91 - Vandenberg SLC-6 - August 2022
« Reply #15 on: 07/08/2022 03:13 am »
Still on track for a summer launch.
Still true after the Minotaur II+ explosion?

Offline Vahe231991

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Re: Delta IV-Heavy - NROL-91 - Vandenberg SLC-6 - August 2022
« Reply #16 on: 07/08/2022 03:57 am »
Still on track for a summer launch.
Still true after the Minotaur II+ explosion?
The launch of the NROL-91 atop the Delta IV Heavy is unaffected by the failed Minotaur II+ launch because the latter was carried out at the TP-01 facility, which was a launch site for the LGM-118 Peacekeeper, whereas the NROL-91 launch will be the last Delta IV launch from Vandenberg SFB.

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NROL-91 launch scheduled in late August?  I presume the Delta IV Heavy has been stacked for some time?

Would the Alpha launch overfly SLC-6?
Edit/answer: Upcoming 2nd launch--no.  Future launches, most of them to SSO--yes.

Or do the Alpha WDR and/or Static Fire pose a potential threat to NROL-91?

Or is it the reverse?  The DIVH WDR poses a potential threat to Alpha and SLC-2W?

And, what are the other launches?

Firefly gears up for second Alpha launch [dated Jul. 17]

Quote from: SpaceNews
Firefly Aerospace is preparing for the second launch of its Alpha rocket in late August or early September, hoping that a successful mission can enable a “step change” in activity for the company.
<snip>
Schumacher said [Firefly] will have to work around a few government launches scheduled, such as a Delta 4 Heavy launch of a National Reconnaissance Office payload. “If they don’t move, we’ll probably be looking at a launch in the first or second week of September,” he said. “If those government launches are delayed for any reason, we might be able to sneak into the last week of August.”

Edited
« Last Edit: 07/19/2022 03:18 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Vahe231991

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NROL-91 launch scheduled in late August?  I presume the Delta IV Heavy has been stacked for some time?

Would the Alpha launch overfly SLC-6?

Or do the Alpha WDR and/or Static Fire pose a potential threat to NROL-91?

Or is it the reverse?  The DIVH WDR poses a potential threat to Alpha and SLC-2W?

And, what are the other launches?

Firefly gears up for second Alpha launch [dated Jul. 17]

Quote from: SpaceNews
Firefly Aerospace is preparing for the second launch of its Alpha rocket in late August or early September, hoping that a successful mission can enable a “step change” in activity for the company.
<snip>
Schumacher said [Firefly] will have to work around a few government launches scheduled, such as a Delta 4 Heavy launch of a National Reconnaissance Office payload. “If they don’t move, we’ll probably be looking at a launch in the first or second week of September,” he said. “If those government launches are delayed for any reason, we might be able to sneak into the last week of August.”
The SLC-2W launch site for the Firefly Alpha is far north of the SLC-6 launch site, and the Firefly Alpha is designed to carry out flight trajectories to the west, unlike the Delta IV Heavy being used to launch payloads into polar orbit. Therefore, the Firefly Alpha can't overfly SLC-6.

Offline Jim

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The SLC-2W launch site for the Firefly Alpha is far north of the SLC-6 launch site, and the Firefly Alpha is designed to carry out flight trajectories to the west, unlike the Delta IV Heavy being used to launch payloads into polar orbit. Therefore, the Firefly Alpha can't overfly SLC-6.

No, Firefly Alpha is designed for sun synchronous orbits, which are polar and hence SLC-6 is affected by the flight path, just as it was for Delta II launches from SLC-2.

 

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