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#220
by
Danderman
on 23 Apr, 2010 16:40
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Weren't we over this once already? Isn't the very fact the Centaur is encapsulated in the 5m fairing a requirement to drop the PLF before MES? Hence the (more lofted?) trajectories to accomodate FMH constraints to enable that early enough?
With a 4 minute + burn by the main engine, I don't really see the point of a lofted trajectory, there is no way to burn the engine for over 3 minutes and not be out of the atmosphere, unless you fly close to horizontal in the atmosphere for much of the time.
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#221
by
Lampblack
on 23 Apr, 2010 18:35
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I've been wondering about the nine-minute launch window for this launch.
Shuttle trips to ISS have 10-minute windows because they have to sync up with the space station's orbital plane. So... why a nine-minute window for the X-37B, unless they're planning for it to hook up with something else that's already in orbit? I'll bet there are some smart folks here who could look and see what -- if anything -- was flying overhead at KSC at launch time.
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#222
by
lcs
on 23 Apr, 2010 18:36
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Guesstimated orbital elements, anybody??
32 inc, 450 km circ?
Ted Molczan's pre-launch guess was 33.5 inc (no reason given.) and 310 km. He published elements for a range of inclinations:
http://satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2010/0213.htmlShould be visible on the descending node over the next few days in southern US.
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#223
by
mmeijeri
on 23 Apr, 2010 18:36
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Time for a new non-live thread?
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#224
by
Chris Bergin
on 23 Apr, 2010 18:38
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Time for a new non-live thread?
All the live event threads continue through post launch.
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#225
by
Jim
on 23 Apr, 2010 18:46
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I've been wondering about the nine-minute launch window for this launch.
Shuttle trips to ISS have 10-minute windows because they have to sync up with the space station's orbital plane. So... why a nine-minute window for the X-37B, unless they're planning for it to hook up with something else that's already in orbit? I'll bet there are some smart folks here who could look and see what -- if anything -- was flying overhead at KSC at launch time.
Bad logic.
That is only applicable for ISS inclinations. HST launch windows are longer.
Also, look at some west coast launch windows, they are short too
Also we don't know if that was the whole window. It could have had other later windows.
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#226
by
Lampblack
on 23 Apr, 2010 20:34
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I've been wondering about the nine-minute launch window for this launch.
Shuttle trips to ISS have 10-minute windows because they have to sync up with the space station's orbital plane. So... why a nine-minute window for the X-37B, unless they're planning for it to hook up with something else that's already in orbit? I'll bet there are some smart folks here who could look and see what -- if anything -- was flying overhead at KSC at launch time.
Bad logic.
That is only applicable for ISS inclinations. HST launch windows are longer.
Also, look at some west coast launch windows, they are short too
Also we don't know if that was the whole window. It could have had other later windows.
The nine-minute window was the only one specifically mentioned for launch on this particular date. I'm simply curious: what inferences might be made, if any, based on the fact that a mission that could last up to 270 days was targeted for such a narrow launch window?
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#227
by
Lars_J
on 23 Apr, 2010 20:47
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A beautiful launch!
ULA sure make it *look* easy... Nice work.
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#228
by
edkyle99
on 23 Apr, 2010 21:32
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I've been wondering about the nine-minute launch window for this launch.
Shuttle trips to ISS have 10-minute windows because they have to sync up with the space station's orbital plane. So... why a nine-minute window for the X-37B, unless they're planning for it to hook up with something else that's already in orbit? I'll bet there are some smart folks here who could look and see what -- if anything -- was flying overhead at KSC at launch time.
Bad logic.
That is only applicable for ISS inclinations. HST launch windows are longer.
Also, look at some west coast launch windows, they are short too
Also we don't know if that was the whole window. It could have had other later windows.
The nine-minute window was the only one specifically mentioned for launch on this particular date. I'm simply curious: what inferences might be made, if any, based on the fact that a mission that could last up to 270 days was targeted for such a narrow launch window?
Sun angles are one possibility. They might want certain conditions for opening the payload bay and deploying the solar panel - presumably shortly after reaching orbit.
IMO
- Ed Kyle
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#229
by
Lampblack
on 23 Apr, 2010 21:42
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Thank you, Ed. That makes perfect sense.
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#230
by
jcm
on 23 Apr, 2010 22:32
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so, nothing on space-track.org yet, any TLE's floating around ? 
Space-Track now has the objects in the catalog, but no associated TLEs (clearly they are classified):
36514 OTV 1 (USA 212) 2010-15A
36515 Atlas Centaur R/B 2010-15B
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#231
by
Pheogh
on 23 Apr, 2010 23:03
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Does anyone know how to get a hold of hi-res versions of Stephen Clark's photos of the launch over at SpaceflightNow. I make these images for a living and these area absolutely stunning I could never manufacture this, amazing! Would love to have one for the desktop.
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#232
by
AnalogMan
on 24 Apr, 2010 01:38
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Does anyone know how to get a hold of hi-res versions of Stephen Clark's photos of the launch over at SpaceflightNow. I make these images for a living and these area absolutely stunning I could never manufacture this, amazing! Would love to have one for the desktop.
Silly thought, but since he writes/photographs for SpaceflightNow have you tried contacting them? Otherwise you might try to get in touch with him directly via twitter at
http://twitter.com/StephenClark1
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#233
by
wjbarnett
on 24 Apr, 2010 12:59
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Saw rumor on twitter feed that AF had lost contact with the OTV. Any real news?
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#234
by
Jester
on 24 Apr, 2010 15:42
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so, nothing on space-track.org yet, any TLE's floating around ?
Space-Track now has the objects in the catalog, but no associated TLEs (clearly they are classified):
36514 OTV 1 (USA 212) 2010-15A
36515 Atlas Centaur R/B 2010-15B
yeah i saw those, thanks
http://twitter.com/TSKelsomaybe the satsee guys will catch it....
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#235
by
edkyle99
on 24 Apr, 2010 16:06
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Saw rumor on twitter feed that AF had lost contact with the OTV. Any real news?
Contact was lost with the suborbital HTV-2a vehicle launched the same day on a Minotaur IV Lite from Vandenberg AFB. Someone might have crossed stories there.
To my knowledge, no usually sharp-eyed amateurs have spotted X-37B in orbit to date. If contact has been lost, these folks, if they can find it, will be able to tell if it is tumbling, etc..
- Ed Kyle
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#236
by
ugordan
on 24 Apr, 2010 17:56
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Does anyone know how to get a hold of hi-res versions of Stephen Clark's photos of the launch over at SpaceflightNow. I make these images for a living and these area absolutely stunning I could never manufacture this, amazing! Would love to have one for the desktop.
Those Stephen's shots are indeed absolutely amazing. Most of them are desktop background material, some even poster-worthy material. I wouldn't mind getting my hands on higher resolution versions, either. This was definitely one of the coolest Atlas launches so far.
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#237
by
TheFallen
on 24 Apr, 2010 18:21
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Saw rumor on twitter feed that AF had lost contact with the OTV. Any real news?
Contact was lost with the suborbital HTV-2a vehicle launched the same day on a Minotaur IV Lite from Vandenberg AFB. Someone might have crossed stories there.
To my knowledge, no usually sharp-eyed amateurs have spotted X-37B in orbit to date. If contact has been lost, these folks, if they can find it, will be able to tell if it is tumbling, etc..
- Ed Kyle
I thought it was the OTV that was lost as well. This was because Spaceflightnow described the HTV as a "hypersonic glider testbed" in a status update yesterday. Mentioning that this glider launched on the same day as the X-37B didn't help either.
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#238
by
Ben the Space Brit
on 24 Apr, 2010 19:32
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Saw rumor on twitter feed that AF had lost contact with the OTV. Any real news?
Contact was lost with the suborbital HTV-2a vehicle launched the same day on a Minotaur IV Lite from Vandenberg AFB. Someone might have crossed stories there.
To my knowledge, no usually sharp-eyed amateurs have spotted X-37B in orbit to date. If contact has been lost, these folks, if they can find it, will be able to tell if it is tumbling, etc..
Unless its hull coating is low-albedo to avoid ground observation whilst in orbit.
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#239
by
Bubbinski
on 24 Apr, 2010 19:47
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Well, most of the X-37 is covered in gray or black TPS material, and it is small, I don't imagine it would be as visible as shuttle or ISS.
When the time comes for X-37 to land at Vandenberg, would that necessarily be released to the public? I suppose, based on where Vandenberg is, its reentry path would be over the ocean and not necessarily observed by anyone, for all we know it could be safely back in its hangar or scattered in a million pieces on the ocean floor. Or it could be doing its thing in orbit somewhere.
