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ORB-3 Launch viewing thread
by
grythumn
on 22 Oct, 2014 21:43
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jmsjr's list of launch viewing locations. The ones I've used and recommend are Old Ferry and Arbuckle Road. Visitor's center does have bathrooms, but it's much further away.
http://goo.gl/maps/7SDDvI've got the day off, so I plan to visit both Old Ferry and Arbuckle again and see how things get framed with the big lens and my 300 with a TC. It's an evening launch, and I don't think it's been quite cold enough yet... I'm bringing some mosquito repellant.
-Bob
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#1
by
grythumn
on 25 Oct, 2014 19:17
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#2
by
Scylla
on 26 Oct, 2014 15:11
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#3
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 26 Oct, 2014 15:15
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I see that this launch should happen 38 minutes after sunset if it does happen tomorrow. Would the rocket get itself high enough to get within sunlight before the first stage finished burning? Or would it take at least 1 day's slip to see the light effects?
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#4
by
wetaylor
on 26 Oct, 2014 20:32
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Just as an afterthought, the Space Station will be overhead 4 minutes after scheduled launch tomorrow night
Mon Oct 27, 6:49 PM visible for 6 min 87°
appears 10 above NW
disappears 11 above SE
Should be dark enough for easy viewing
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#5
by
IanH84
on 26 Oct, 2014 22:21
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I see that this launch should happen 38 minutes after sunset if it does happen tomorrow. Would the rocket get itself high enough to get within sunlight before the first stage finished burning? Or would it take at least 1 day's slip to see the light effects?
I'm not sure about the first stage, but I've watched a couple of launches from beaches up here in CT and the second stage provides quite a light show as the flame is quite visible and lights up the exhaust plume brightly. I'm heading down to the beach tomorrow with a few friends to watch.
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#6
by
jsmjr
on 26 Oct, 2014 22:37
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jmsjr's list of launch viewing locations. The ones I've used and recommend are Old Ferry and Arbuckle Road. Visitor's center does have bathrooms, but it's much further away.
http://goo.gl/maps/7SDDv
As a bonus, Google has recently updated the satellite imagery at Wallops. Not only is Launch Pad 0-A shown in its current configuration, there's an Antares rocket on the pad!
I may also take off work early tomorrow and make the drive over from DC. Still considering, as I think the lighting will be somewhat challenging for photography.
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#7
by
kevin-rf
on 27 Oct, 2014 00:05
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So when will the jokes come in that Antares didn't really launch because Google still shows it n the pad
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#8
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 27 Oct, 2014 01:12
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jmsjr's list of launch viewing locations. The ones I've used and recommend are Old Ferry and Arbuckle Road. Visitor's center does have bathrooms, but it's much further away.
http://goo.gl/maps/7SDDv
As a bonus, Google has recently updated the satellite imagery at Wallops. Not only is Launch Pad 0-A shown in its current configuration, there's an Antares rocket on the pad!
I may also take off work early tomorrow and make the drive over from DC. Still considering, as I think the lighting will be somewhat challenging for photography.
Checking Google Earth, that photo was taken on March 9, 2013 - that means the rocket on the pad is the one that did the first hot-fire test half a month ago ahead of the first flight.
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#9
by
spacedog71
on 27 Oct, 2014 12:58
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first one to arbuckle neck road, please report back re: whether it's in fact going to be open for traffic tonight.
/worried
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#10
by
grythumn
on 27 Oct, 2014 20:47
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Arbuckle is open but crowded and getting more so. Im kinda parked in, so I'm staying here
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#11
by
rayleighscatter
on 27 Oct, 2014 22:44
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Tried to watch the launch a good 100 or so miles NW in Annapolis, and was pleasantly surprised to see about 40 or so other people who were also trying to watch from there.
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#12
by
jsmjr
on 27 Oct, 2014 23:12
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Ran into Bill Ingalls at the Tidal Basin, along with a couple dozen other launch gazers. Glad I didn't go to Wallops because I would not have been able to stay over.
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#13
by
vt_hokie
on 27 Oct, 2014 23:42
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Well, I ran into some folks in Yorktown, VA hoping to catch the launch! Hopefully we'll have better luck tomorrow!
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#14
by
Prober
on 28 Oct, 2014 02:13
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did anyone see a sailboat?
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#15
by
SaxtonHale
on 28 Oct, 2014 04:13
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They have several
Phalanx CIWS on the island with live rounds, used by the Navy for training purposes.
I keep thinking they need to fire off a couple (hundred) warning shots.
Here's to better luck tomorrow.
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#16
by
chrisking0997
on 28 Oct, 2014 16:54
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Well, I ran into some folks in Yorktown, VA hoping to catch the launch! Hopefully we'll have better luck tomorrow!
didnt think of Yorktown...what pier is that?
going to take the kids to Buckroe tonight
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#17
by
vt_hokie
on 28 Oct, 2014 17:07
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didnt think of Yorktown...what pier is that?
It's the fishing pier just to the east of Yorktown beach and almost directly below the Yorktown Victory Monument.
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#18
by
kch
on 28 Oct, 2014 17:28
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They have several Phalanx CIWS on the island with live rounds, used by the Navy for training purposes.
I keep thinking they need to fire off a couple (hundred) warning shots.
Here's to better luck tomorrow.
Hoping there's no "failboat" this time!
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#19
by
Rocket Science
on 28 Oct, 2014 17:47
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I'll be out with my PT boat today keeping the range clear...
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#20
by
jsmjr
on 28 Oct, 2014 18:21
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30% cloud cover in DC (109 miles) at 6 pm tonight is going to make things really tough. Damn boat!
Probably a nice sunset though.
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#21
by
grythumn
on 28 Oct, 2014 19:33
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Last attempt's thread is closed, so I'll post the pictures here. The close-up is from my new lens, a 1000mm F/10 mirror. It's slow, manual focus but definitely quite sharp. The other shots are from my older 75-300mm lens; as you can see it is not at it's best at 300mm.
The framing on the 1000mm lens is very tight at Arbuckle. It might be better suited to Old Ferry.
-Bob
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#22
by
cpooley
on 28 Oct, 2014 22:37
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Where will the failure, causes be discussed? Appears one of the NK-33's blew up
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#23
by
jsmjr
on 28 Oct, 2014 23:05
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Do we think this is the end of viewing at Arbuckle and other nearby sites like the Ferry Dock?
On the one hand, the safety cordon proved sufficient and no one was hurt, just scared. But something like this is bound to make people think, and the reflex is to layer on more and more security.
I only hope that the powers that be remember that the safety zone and procedures were thoroughly considered well before this and apparently the precautions worked.
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#24
by
Helodriver
on 28 Oct, 2014 23:11
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Do we think this is the end of viewing at Arbuckle and other nearby sites like the Ferry Dock?
On the one hand, the safety cordon proved sufficient and no one was hurt, just scared. But something like this is bound to make people think, and the reflex is to layer on more and more security.
I only hope that the powers that be remember that the safety zone and procedures were thoroughly considered well before this and apparently the precautions worked.
Well there are quite a few expensive private homes at the same distance as those viewing sites, so if a greater security zone is going to be established, its going to mean enforced evacuations of residents. A consequence of that proposal might be push back by neighbors about limiting the use of Wallops for large rockets. Lots in flux right now.
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#25
by
skymech231
on 28 Oct, 2014 23:25
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Any word on how far away the sound of the blast was heard?
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#26
by
grythumn
on 28 Oct, 2014 23:32
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Any word on how far away the sound of the blast was heard?
I didn't hear anything in Columbia, MD, about 120 mi away. Probably limited to the eastern eastern shore.
-Bob
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#27
by
CardBoardBoxProcessor
on 29 Oct, 2014 01:08
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Nothing heard from Annapolis.
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#28
by
Halidon
on 29 Oct, 2014 02:21
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My parents live in Fairfax VA and they didn't hear anything.
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#29
by
vt_hokie
on 29 Oct, 2014 02:31
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Nothing in Yorktown either.
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#30
by
jsmjr
on 29 Oct, 2014 02:40
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Do we think this is the end of viewing at Arbuckle and other nearby sites like the Ferry Dock?
On the one hand, the safety cordon proved sufficient and no one was hurt, just scared. But something like this is bound to make people think, and the reflex is to layer on more and more security.
I only hope that the powers that be remember that the safety zone and procedures were thoroughly considered well before this and apparently the precautions worked.
Well there are quite a few expensive private homes at the same distance as those viewing sites, so if a greater security zone is going to be established, its going to mean enforced evacuations of residents. A consequence of that proposal might be push back by neighbors about limiting the use of Wallops for large rockets. Lots in flux right now.
I know it's super early, but I was heartened to hear a defense of the existing 8500' safety perimeter in tonight's initial press conference by Bill Wrobel, the Wallops facility director. It remains to be seen if actual experience with mapping the debris pattern changes things. The videos showed a strong southerly wind which spread smoke and other debris north along Wallops Island proper, rather than inward towards the mainland public areas. Of course, ocean currents will likely have a greater impact on the spread of potentially dangerous debris than anything, but I'm not sure how that will change any closed areas in the future.
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#31
by
Rocket Science
on 29 Oct, 2014 12:09
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I wonder what the boat skipper who violated the exclusion zone Monday is thinking right now...
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#32
by
Prober
on 30 Oct, 2014 14:44
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I wonder what the boat skipper who violated the exclusion zone Monday is thinking right now...
a lesson learned?
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#33
by
king1999
on 30 Oct, 2014 22:57
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I wonder what the boat skipper who violated the exclusion zone Monday is thinking right now...
There is a small (tiny) possibility that he may have caused it, if the problem was that an foreign object was introduced in the second fueling, or something was caused by the detanking/retanking.
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#34
by
kevin-rf
on 30 Oct, 2014 23:09
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There is a small (tiny) possibility that he may have caused it, if the problem was that an foreign object was introduced in the second fueling, or something was caused by the detanking/retanking.
It would have had to been introduced into the LOX tank, I thought the Kero tank was not detanked between launch attempts.
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#35
by
Rocket Science
on 30 Oct, 2014 23:19
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I wonder what the boat skipper who violated the exclusion zone Monday is thinking right now...
a lesson learned?
One would hope!
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#36
by
John-H
on 30 Oct, 2014 23:48
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I wonder what the boat skipper who violated the exclusion zone Monday is thinking right now...
There is a small (tiny) possibility that he may have caused it, if the problem was that an foreign object was introduced in the second fueling, or something was caused by the detanking/retanking.
Thermal cycling of the oxygen tank? Didn't the shuttle have problems with repeatedly filling the hydrogen tank?
John
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#37
by
Prober
on 31 Oct, 2014 00:09
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I wonder what the boat skipper who violated the exclusion zone Monday is thinking right now...
There is a small (tiny) possibility that he may have caused it, if the problem was that an foreign object was introduced in the second fueling, or something was caused by the detanking/retanking.
caused might be too strong; contributing factor
might be more of a possibility
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#38
by
cscott
on 31 Oct, 2014 01:01
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I wonder what the boat skipper who violated the exclusion zone Monday is thinking right now...
And remember just before Tuesday's launch there was a range issue announced on-net related to someone who had to move their car.
I wonder if they ended up moving their car far enough? There was apparently a decent amount of car damage (again, according to what was said on net).
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#39
by
kevin-rf
on 31 Oct, 2014 11:26
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I wonder if they ended up moving their car far enough? There was apparently a decent amount of car damage (again, according to what was said on net).
Are they looking at a repeat of GPS IIR-1, or will it buff out?
