SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 - SES-8 - VIEWING (GOING TO) THE LAUNCH THREAD

[Orbiter]

I'm not sure if it was noted -- SES-8 will be a night launch.

Sunset at 5:26pm, launch window opens at 5:37pm.

Twilight and Dusk launches are always the spectacular ones.

[mlindner]

I'm not sure if it was noted -- SES-8 will be a night launch.

Sunset at 5:26pm, launch window opens at 5:37pm.

Twilight and Dusk launches are always the spectacular ones.

Going to look awesome, plume will shoot into the sunlight as it goes up.

[ugordan]

Going to look awesome, plume will shoot into the sunlight as it goes up.

Or into clouds...

[Antares]

Alas, it'll be dusky at that time, not anywhere near dark, and I'm likely to be unable to see either anyway!

I saw STS-109 from WPB in predawn twilight.  It shouldn't be hard to see F9-8 from there.  The sun should illuminate the plume pretty well.

[Lars_J]

Alas, it'll be dusky at that time, not anywhere near dark, and I'm likely to be unable to see either anyway!

I saw STS-109 from WPB in predawn twilight.  It shouldn't be hard to see F9-8 from there.  The sun should illuminate the plume pretty well.

Although since it is lacking SRBs, the plume won't be as visible. But I have read that upper stage ignition for dusk launches can sometimes be spectacular.

[ChrisC]

Or into clouds...

Speaking of which, as rain comes down in Melbourne ... Do we have a forecast for launch conditions at T-0, and a predict for chance of weather violation?

[Avron]

Or into clouds...

Speaking of which, as rain comes down in Melbourne ... Do we have a forecast for launch conditions at T-0, and a predict for chance of weather violation?

80% good..

[ugordan]

http://www.patrick.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070716-028.pdf

[Norm38]

Or into clouds...

Speaking of which, as rain comes down in Melbourne ... Do we have a forecast for launch conditions at T-0, and a predict for chance of weather violation?

I'm a fan of the intellicast infrared loops when trying to do extrapolations.
There's a flow across the gulf but most of the moisture is pushing up into the lower Mississippi valley.
A blob of clouds in the eastern gulf is being shorn apart, with little coming in behind it.
It may just be some high thin clouds at launch time tomorrow.  No sign of anything more than that.
http://www.intellicast.com/Global/Satellite/Infrared.aspx?region=hiusa&animate=true

[rocketfan42]

View of F9 now up on LC40 from my 5th floor hotel room at Ron Jon's Cape Caribe Resort (next to Jetty Park). ~10 miles away.  Very windy here now.  This photo was 0830 EST.

[Avron]

View of F9 now up on LC40 from my 5th floor hotel room at Ron Jon's Cape Caribe Resort (next to Jetty Park). ~10 miles away.  Very windy here now.  This photo was 0830 EST.

what lens are you using?

I hope you are considering the causeways ..

Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk
Launch can be viewed live from Cape causeways or via http://SpaceX.com  webcast around 5:30 local time on Monday

[rdale]

Weather still looks very good for today, although my optimism wouldn't be quite the same if this was a shuttle launch and RTLS conditions were a factor

[Elvis in Space]

View of F9 now up on LC40 from my 5th floor hotel room at Ron Jon's Cape Caribe Resort (next to Jetty Park). ~10 miles away.  Very windy here now.  This photo was 0830 EST.

what lens are you using?

I hope you are considering the causeways ..

Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk
Launch can be viewed live from Cape causeways or via http://SpaceX.com  webcast around 5:30 local time on Monday

The EXIF data on the photo says it was taken with a Nikon Coolpix P100 - a relatively modest point and shoot camera. Being able to get such a photo through the early morning beach front haze of central Florida tells you just how good a view he really has. A digital SLR with 300-500mm lens on there would probably look pretty good.

[Antares]

Weather still looks very good for today, although my optimism wouldn't be quite the same if this was a shuttle launch and RTLS conditions were a factor

Which makes one wonder if there will be weather constraints for F9 first stage boost-back that could affect launch availability.