Author Topic: LIVE: Atlas V 501 - NROL-41 - Sept 20, 2010 (Read 92779 times)

DaveJes1979 · « **on:** 09/09/2010 12:40 am »

Also sources still state Monday, September 20th, launch window TBA.

TitanFan · « **Reply #1 on:** 09/09/2010 04:32 am »

Quote from: DaveJes1979 on 09/09/2010 12:40 am

Any word on the launch window for this one? Also sources still state Monday, August 20th, launch window TBA.

You mean Sept. 20th, correct

? Yeah, I'm wondering about this one too. I noticed what looked like a Wet Dress Rehearsal going on out there a couple weeks ago...the MST was rolled back, and when I took my binoculars and scoped out the pad, the 1st and 2nd stages were hooked up to the UT, all iced over and venting LOX.

Ronsmytheiii · « **Reply #2 on:** 09/09/2010 08:17 pm »

http://countdown.ksc.nasa.gov/elv/index-vafb.html

LV visible on third webcam on left

DaveJes1979 · « **Reply #3 on:** 09/09/2010 09:48 pm »

Interesting. It says WINDOW OPENING TIME (and expected liftoff) 263:20:29:00. That is apparently GMT, so 1:29 p.m. Pacific Time. Launch window is open for 59 minutes.

William Graham · « **Reply #4 on:** 09/09/2010 11:42 pm »

FDF gives the launch time as 03:29 UTC on 21 September. MSDB gives the date as 21 September (UTC) but does not give a time.

DaveJes1979 · « **Reply #5 on:** 09/10/2010 04:31 pm »

Ahh, so that is Pacific Time, not GMT. So the launch will be at 8:29 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

Too bad it couldn't have been just a bit earlier. Sunset will be at 7:01 p.m. PDT, so it just missed being a spectacular twilight launch.

Actual Sunset: 7:01 PM PDT
Civil Twilight: 7:27 PM PDT
Nautical Twilight: 7:56 PM PDT
Astronomical Twilight: 8:26 PM PDT

TitanFan · « **Reply #6 on:** 09/11/2010 04:59 am »

Quote from: DaveJes1979 on 09/10/2010 04:31 pm

Ahh, so that is Pacific Time, not GMT. So the launch will be at 8:29 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

Too bad it couldn't have been just a bit earlier. Sunset will be at 7:01 p.m. PDT, so it just missed being a spectacular twilight launch.

Actual Sunset: 7:01 PM PDT
Civil Twilight: 7:27 PM PDT
Nautical Twilight: 7:56 PM PDT
Astronomical Twilight: 8:26 PM PDT

Yeah, the twilight launches are really something to see.

DaveJes1979 · « **Reply #7 on:** 09/12/2010 06:38 am »

TitanFan, I've only been to Delta 2 launches before, so perhaps you can enlighten me on publicly-accessible viewing opportunities for Atlas V launches? It looks like you can get pretty darn close on W Ocean Avenue. Assuming they put up a roadblock at 13th street, that still gets you to about 2.5 miles of the pad just outside the base gates.

The pad itself may be obstructed at this location, since it sits on at hill at about 470 feet, whereas Ocean Avenue is essentially sea level.

TitanFan · « **Reply #8 on:** 09/14/2010 09:37 pm »

Quote from: DaveJes1979 on 09/12/2010 06:38 am

TitanFan, I've only been to Delta 2 launches before, so perhaps you can enlighten me on publicly-accessible viewing opportunities for Atlas V launches? It looks like you can get pretty darn close on W Ocean Avenue. Assuming they put up a roadblock at 13th street, that still gets you to about 2.5 miles of the pad just outside the base gates.

The pad itself may be obstructed at this location, since it sits on at hill at about 470 feet, whereas Ocean Avenue is essentially sea level.

DaveJes,

Ocean Ave. is an OK spot. You're so close that you can feel the RD180's shaking the ground. Just east of 13th st. gate (where, yes, there is roadblocks on launch days) there's a little farm road turnoff called Renwick Ave. (keep your peepers popped...blink and you miss it. Also, stay off the RR tracks), but you're right, the pad view is obscured. If you're going for public viewing with a line of sight to SLC-3E, on Hwy. 1, maybe 1/2 to 1 mile south of the main gate, you'll see a road blocked with concrete barriers in a "U" shape. Pull in there (you'll be far enough out of the way of the highway traffic) and look southwest...you can't miss the pad...it'll be the one drowning in floodlights...LOL. To access that side road, you must be traveling on southbound Hwy. 1. There's a cement wall blocking left turn access from the northbound side. This spot is a bit further away than Ocean Ave., but it's the closest line of sight area if you don't have base access. Any more questions, feel free to PM me or ask here. I'll help you the best I can.

TitanFan · « **Reply #9 on:** 09/15/2010 05:56 am »

I meant to post this link in my above reply but forgot. It's a thread about launch viewing from Lompoc/VAFB area. I mention Harris Grade Road in my post there, but Harris Grade is closed due to road construction until the first part of December.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=19085.msg494120#msg494120

DaveJes1979 · « **Reply #10 on:** 09/15/2010 08:46 pm »

Thanks, Titanfan. Harris Grade Road appears to be a good 12 miles or so from the pad, it won't be all that loud or bright at that distance. So I'd rather take my chances at Ocean Avenue.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #11 on:** 09/17/2010 08:19 pm »

ULA Atlas V with the NRO mission still set for Sept. 20, 8:29 p.m. PDT from SLC-3 at Vandenberg.

ULA note that due to the classified nature of this mission a mission booklet wasn’t created for this launch.

The weather stands at 70 percent acceptable for Monday. The main concern will be surface winds

TitanFan · « **Reply #12 on:** 09/18/2010 03:16 am »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 09/17/2010 08:19 pm

ULA Atlas V with the NRO mission still set for Sept. 20, 8:29 p.m. PDT from SLC-3 at Vandenberg.

ULA note that due to the classified nature of this mission a mission booklet wasn’t created for this launch.

The weather stands at 70 percent acceptable for Monday. The main concern will be surface winds

And the main viewing concern will be...fog, like always. Must be Vandenberg...

Oh well, Atlas launches are usually at least good for turning the fog a bright orange...LOL.

TitanFan · « **Reply #13 on:** 09/19/2010 04:27 am »

Here's some pictures of the payload being craned up to the top of the launch vehicle after it was delivered to SLC-3E:

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av025/preflight/

Also...according to prelim weather reports, apparently fog shouldn't be an issue for viewing. Woo

!

Satori · « **Reply #14 on:** 09/19/2010 10:51 am »

Any clue about the nature of the cargo on board?

Satori · « **Reply #15 on:** 09/19/2010 11:18 am »

Launch poster and Mission patch

butters · « **Reply #16 on:** 09/19/2010 07:40 pm »

Quote from: Satori on 09/19/2010 10:51 am

Any clue about the nature of the cargo on board?

From the first use of the 501 configuration, so I guess it's relatively light with a big dish.

The rumors have it that the first DIVH from Canaveral (NROL-32) is a signals intelligence payload and the second from Vandenberg (NROL-49) is an optical imaging payload of the Keyhole lineage.

Maybe some kind of synthetic aperture radar?

Targeteer · « **Reply #17 on:** 09/19/2010 08:20 pm »

Quote from: Satori on 09/19/2010 11:18 am

Launch poster and Mission patch

As always, counting "ornaments" in a NRO graphic can be intriguing... Seven stars with one greyed out ... $:-\$

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1033/1

Ben the Space Brit · « **Reply #18 on:** 09/19/2010 08:50 pm »

Quote from: Targeteer on 09/19/2010 08:20 pm

Quote from: Satori on 09/19/2010 11:18 am
Launch poster and Mission patch
As always, counting "ornaments" in a NRO graphic can be intriguing... Seven stars with one greyed out ... $:-\$

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1033/1

Three obvious clues in the patch:

1) Owl eyes - Nocturnal predator;

2) Flight path over Africa shown - Africa isn't a signals hotbed the way Asia is beyond Satelite Phones and a few urban cell networks;

3) The phrase 'We Own The Night'.

I'm calling this one as a thermal imaging or radar mapping sat, possibly with detectors sensitive enough to detect small groups of individuals in wilderness areas.

Jim · « **Reply #19 on:** 09/20/2010 02:24 am »

Ben, that is not the patch for this mission