LIVE: Delta II - GRAIL - September 10, 2011

• #200 by Kim Keller on 08 Sep, 2011 13:09
• Oh joy, on station at 3:30  AM again tomorrow....
• #201 by Chris Bergin on 08 Sep, 2011 13:10
• Quote from: Kim Keller on 08 Sep, 2011 13:09

  Oh joy, on station at 3:30  AM again tomorrow....
  

  
  Thanks for being around. We all appreciate it!
• #202 by William Graham on 08 Sep, 2011 13:14
• Quote from: s.p.a.c.e on 08 Sep, 2011 13:06

  I think there is a small error in the article. It says: "Each GRAIL spacecraft has a mass of 307 kilograms, including 106 kilograms of hydrazine fuel."
  On the mission's MIT website it is shown a dry mass of 132.6 kg plus 69.9 kg of hydrazine.
  http://moon.mit.edu/spacecraft.html
  Which one is correct?
  

  
  From the NASA press kit:
  

  Quote

  The GRAIL bus is a rectangular composite structure with a dry mass of about 443 pounds (201 kilograms), and fully fueled mass of about 677 pounds (307 kilograms).
• #203 by Chris Bergin on 08 Sep, 2011 13:15
• Detanking both LOX and RP-1. MST will return to house the vehicle.

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• #204 by Chris Bergin on 08 Sep, 2011 13:21
• Reminder of William Graham's overview - modified for the scrub:
  http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/09/live-ula-deltaii-launch-grail-spacecraft-to-moon/
• #205 by William Graham on 08 Sep, 2011 13:40
• Quote from: edkyle99 on 08 Sep, 2011 13:04

  Quote from: Rocket Science on 08 Sep, 2011 12:57

  Thanks gentlemen, I could not pick it out from the article, great read! Final launch from SLC-17B period
  

  
  There's still an outside chance for a future launch, though a few years down the road.  ULA will apparently be bidding its remaining un-assembled Deltas for a few NASA launches.
  
   - Ed Kyle
  

  
  My understanding is that all of those launches would be from SLC-2W.
• #206 by woods170 on 08 Sep, 2011 13:54
• Quote from: GW_Simulations on 08 Sep, 2011 13:40

  Quote from: edkyle99 on 08 Sep, 2011 13:04

  Quote from: Rocket Science on 08 Sep, 2011 12:57

  Thanks gentlemen, I could not pick it out from the article, great read! Final launch from SLC-17B period
  

  
  There's still an outside chance for a future launch, though a few years down the road.  ULA will apparently be bidding its remaining un-assembled Deltas for a few NASA launches.
  
   - Ed Kyle
  

  
  My understanding is that all of those launches would be from SLC-2W.
  

  
  Minor addition: at VAFB, not KSC.
• #207 by edkyle99 on 08 Sep, 2011 14:05
• Quote from: woods170 on 08 Sep, 2011 13:54

  Quote from: GW_Simulations on 08 Sep, 2011 13:40

  Quote from: edkyle99 on 08 Sep, 2011 13:04

  Quote from: Rocket Science on 08 Sep, 2011 12:57

  Thanks gentlemen, I could not pick it out from the article, great read! Final launch from SLC-17B period
  

  
  There's still an outside chance for a future launch, though a few years down the road.  ULA will apparently be bidding its remaining un-assembled Deltas for a few NASA launches.
  
   - Ed Kyle
  

  
  My understanding is that all of those launches would be from SLC-2W.
  

  
  Minor addition: at VAFB, not KSC.
  

  
  Hmmmm.  If true, why isn't NASA saying with certainty that this is the last Complex 17 launch, rather then the last "currently planned" launch?
  
   - Ed Kyle
• #208 by Jim on 08 Sep, 2011 14:06

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• #209 by Silmfeanor on 08 Sep, 2011 14:19
• Thanks for the amazing pictures there Jim, really a sight to see - some details we normally do not see!
• #210 by Jim on 08 Sep, 2011 14:21
• Since it is mostly likely the last one, I had to go out there.
• #211 by Rocket Science on 08 Sep, 2011 14:28
• Quote from: Jim on 08 Sep, 2011 14:21

  Since it is mostly likely the last one, I had to go out there.
  

  I’d stand back if I were you tomorrow morning …
• #212 by Chris Bergin on 08 Sep, 2011 14:51
• ULA:
  
  Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. (Sept. 8, 2011) – The launch of a Delta II carrying NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL)  was scrubbed today due to weather. Conditions associated with upper level winds were in violation of the launch criteria.
  
  The Delta II vehicle and GRAIL are safe and secure at this time. The launch is rescheduled for Friday, Sept. 9 from Space Launch Complex-17B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. There are two instantaneous launch opportunities at 8:33:25 a.m. and 9:12:31 a.m. EDT. The forecast for Sept. 9 shows a 40 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch tomorrow.
  
• #213 by robertross on 08 Sep, 2011 15:23
• Quote from: Jim on 08 Sep, 2011 14:21

  Since it is mostly likely the last one, I had to go out there.
  

  
  Thanks for the great pics Jim!
• #214 by Chris Bergin on 08 Sep, 2011 16:18
• Check out Ben Cooper's sexy MST rollback timelapsey epicness
  
  http://www.launchphotography.com/GRAIL_MST_rollback.html
  
  
• #215 by Mapperuo on 08 Sep, 2011 16:52
• Quote from: Chris Bergin on 08 Sep, 2011 16:18

  Check out Ben Cooper's sexy MST rollback timelapsey epicness
  
  http://www.launchphotography.com/GRAIL_MST_rollback.html
  
  
  

  
  Amazing! Very hard not to overexpose the bright white lights on the rocket with a long exposure like that I bet!
• #216 by Lars_J on 08 Sep, 2011 16:59
• That is a sweet long exposure. They are not easy to get right.
• #217 by Prober on 08 Sep, 2011 21:44
• Quote from: Jim on 08 Sep, 2011 14:21

  Since it is mostly likely the last one, I had to go out there.
  

  
  If you go back can you get some pics of the "blockhouse"  and the other bldgs.  I've looked everywhere and believe since this was a AF site most of it was closed to the public.
• #218 by Prober on 08 Sep, 2011 21:47
• Can anyone get video of the MST moving back in the morning?   Or tell me how and where to get the IP.   Would be a great thing to have.
• #219 by Ronsmytheiii on 08 Sep, 2011 21:57
• pretty nasty weather right now

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