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Live thread for the second attempt on the ST-5 mission.
NASA Announces ST5 Spacecraft Launch Set for Wednesday
The second launch attempt of NASA's Space Technology 5 spacecraft is scheduled for Wednesday, March 22 at 9:02 a.m. EST. NASA TV begins live coverage at 7:30 a.m. EST.
Departure of the L-1011 aircraft carrying the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket and ST5 is scheduled for 8:04 a.m. EST, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The Pegasus/ST5 launch is targeted over the Pacific Ocean, 145 miles northwest of Vandenberg. The launch window closes at 10:20 a.m. EST.
The weather forecast on Wednesday is generally favorable with an 80 percent chance of meeting launch criteria.
During the first launch attempt on March 15, the Pegasus starboard flight control surface fin pin did not retract resulting in an aborted attempt. NASA and Orbital Sciences completed an engineering analysis, but the exact cause of the malfunction could not be determined. The most likely reason was the pin retractor system failed to operate due to the formation of ice.
The mechanism was removed and replaced in case there were other contributing causes. Steps have also been taken to mitigate potential water intrusion that could form ice during captive carry. For information about ST5 on the Web, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/st5 (http://www.nasa.gov/st5)
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Too early in the morning for me, so I'll appreciate the live thread to read back on for sure.
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Watching NASA TV now. ST5 coverage doesn't start for an hour, but perhaps NASA TV could have made a better choice than to play an Apollo 13 documentary to fill the time? :)
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Some images:
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NASA TV right now is amusing. They've left an open mic on and we can hear the commentator practising :)
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Webcast started..Engines started, preparing for taxi from Vandenberg Air Force Base in a few moments.
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So, who is riding in the 1011 passenger compartment? Do they have a launch control right onboard? Or do all the dignitaries have a wild launch party in there?
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braddock - 22/3/2006 6:46 AM So, who is riding in the 1011 passenger compartment? Do they have a launch control right onboard? Or do all the dignitaries have a wild launch party in there?
Nobody,
They have a "Launch Panel Operator" onboard, and three other crewmembers
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Ready for Taxi.....
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And off it goes on the taxi...
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Jim - 22/3/2006 7:47 AM
braddock - 22/3/2006 6:46 AM So, who is riding in the 1011 passenger compartment? Do they have a launch control right onboard? Or do all the dignitaries have a wild launch party in there?
Nobody, They have a "Launch Panel Operator" onboard, and three other crewmembers
Seems like such a waste, somehow... safety is so boring. :)
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Only a 10 percent chance of the weather affecting the launch. T-1h 15mins.
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Is this link working for everybody?
http://countdown.ksc.nasa.gov/elv/index-vafb.html
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braddock - 22/3/2006 6:53 AM Jim - 22/3/2006 7:47 AM braddock - 22/3/2006 6:46 AM So, who is riding in the 1011 passenger compartment? Do they have a launch control right onboard? Or do all the dignitaries have a wild launch party in there?
Nobody, They have a "Launch Panel Operator" onboard, and three other crewmembers
Seems like such a waste, somehow... safety is so boring. :)
They wouldn't be able to see anything, just like regular passengers can't see the runway during landing
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Jim - 22/3/2006 6:56 AM
Is this link working for everybody?
http://countdown.ksc.nasa.gov/elv/index-vafb.html
Yes thank you.
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Link works for me too Jim. Thanks.
Taxi complete. End of Runway 30 for Westerly take-off.
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Jim - 22/3/2006 6:56 AM
Is this link working for everybody?
http://countdown.ksc.nasa.gov/elv/index-vafb.html
Sure is. Nice Aircraft.
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T-1hr 10mins. Ready for Polls for the mission.
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Poll:
All Go.
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Take off due in three minutes, at around T-59mins in the count.
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13:04 UTC. Launch window is go for take off.
Take off poll is Go.
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Chase Plane has taken off and is in position. Chase plane will provide video coverage.
Take off proceeding now.
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Airbourne and banking right. T-55 minutes.
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F-18 chase plane providing the images. L1011 will soon be in daylight.
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George Diller on the left...
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T-28 minutes.
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33,000 feet. T-26 minutes.
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T-23 minutes
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Just crossed over PLaunch...
Jim that link (http://countdown.ksc.nasa.gov/elv/index-vafb.html) is great.. many thanks
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This is the "racetrack" path that is being followed.
T-19 minutes.
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T-14 minutes. Arm release armed. Flight pressures nominal.
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So far, so good. Hopefully the pins will retract on command this time!
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Mission control requesting aft view of the rocket. A few concerned looks on people's faces.
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T-10 minutes and counting.
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DaveS - 22/3/2006 9:03 AM
So far, so good. Hopefully the pins will retract on command this time!
When do they remove the pins?
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At around T-45 seconds.
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Final poll.
Go for launch.
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Drop time shifted a minute to 1403 UTC.
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T-3mins...
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Guidance is internal.
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T-60 seconds.
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LAUNCH!
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All nominal. Faring seperation.
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Fairing seperation!
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Stage 2 burn out.
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12,000mph. Coast phase. All nominal.
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Stage 3 ignition at T+5 min, 17 sec.
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Coast orbit acquired.
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eeergo - 22/3/2006 8:22 AM Coast orbit acquired.
Final orbit
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Space craft seperation (1 of 3)
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One away, two to go.
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Space craft seperation (2 of 3)
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Beautiful graphs...
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2 away, one to go!
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Aft Payload sep
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Space craft seperation (3 of 3)
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They're contacting with the spacecraft here in Spain! Nice :)
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Excellent. Well done to all invovled.
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Nicely done! :)
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- ST5 Mission Video
- ST5 Launch Video
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=155&Itemid=2
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Thanks for the video. Really adds to the thread when we have this posted.
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RELEASE: 06-254
NASA'S MICRO-SATELLITES COMPLETE TECHNOLOGY VALIDATION MISSION
NASA's three orbiting micro-satellites known as Space Technology 5
have completed their planned 90-day mission. The mission team is
shutting down the spacecraft to conclude operations on Friday, June
30.
The mission primarily focused on flight testing miniaturized
satellites in the harsh environment of space and evaluating their
ability to make research-quality scientific measurements.
The satellites were launched on March 22. Each fully fueled satellite
weighed approximately 55 pounds when launched and is about the size
of a 13-inch television.
A major milestone of the mission was reached when the spacecraft
assumed a constellation formation on May 24. The satellites lined up
in nearly identical orbits, like three pearls on a necklace,
approximately 220 miles apart. Reaching formation required seven
maneuvers using miniaturized micro-thrusters. Each spacecraft has a
single micro-thruster the size of a quarter to perform both attitude-
and orbit-adjustment maneuvers.
The mission demonstrated the benefits of using a constellation of
spacecraft to perform scientific studies of the beautiful auroral
displays that occur near Earth's polar regions. The spacecraft
simultaneously traversed electric current sheets and measured the
magnetic field using miniature magnetometers.
"Taking measurements at the same time in different locations allowed
scientists to better estimate the thickness of current sheets and how
they vary over time," said Guan Le, mission project scientist at
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. "This could not
have been done with a single spacecraft, no matter how capable."
The mission validation team demonstrated the sensitivity of miniature
magnetometers, and suitability of the satellites for supporting
scientific measurements. Over the next few months, the team will
process the mission's magnetometer data, complete its assessments of
the performance of the satellite constellation and report initial
findings.
The mission also demonstrated an innovative communications technology.
The satellites used miniature spacecraft radio transponders for
space-to-ground communications and tracking. The transponders were
coupled with conventional and computer-optimized or -evolved
antennas. The transponders and antennas performed flawlessly.
The satellites' miniature power system demonstrated a high level of
performance. All spacecraft lithium ion batteries stayed above 90
percent charge, even during some tests intentionally designed to use
them. The high-efficiency solar arrays on all three spacecraft
produced more power than predicted prior to launch, and their
batteries performed to expectations.
During the final days of the mission, the emphasis was on
demonstrating ground system technologies. The ground system is highly
automated to reduce the cost of operating multiple spacecraft as a
single constellation rather than operating them individually. This
type of ground system will help pave the way for an affordable means
of simultaneously flying from 10 to hundreds of micro-satellites.
The project was developed and tested at Goddard. It is part of the New
Millennium Program, which develops and tests high-payoff technologies
that provide future science mission capabilities with reduced cost
and risk. Each flight acts as a test track for competitively-selected
technologies, mission objectives and operations concepts. New
Millennium is managed for NASA by the agency's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
For information about the Space Technology 5 mission's technology and
detailed results, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/st5