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#160
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 08 Feb, 2024 05:47
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#161
by
catdlr
on 08 Feb, 2024 05:48
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#162
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 08 Feb, 2024 05:48
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T+14 minutes. Solar arrays should be deploying.
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#163
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 08 Feb, 2024 05:49
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T+15 minutes. Solar array deploy has begun. Will take a few minutes.
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#164
by
Lars-J
on 08 Feb, 2024 05:50
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Re: solar arrays… If they launch in the middle of the night, wont’t a sun synchronous orbit always keep it at night, so with no power most of the time?
Or will the limited sun it will get in the polar regions be enough? Most LEO seats probably spend ~60% in the sun, but should receive less than that.
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#165
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 08 Feb, 2024 05:51
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T+16 minutes.
Back to commentators.
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#166
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 08 Feb, 2024 05:53
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Re: solar arrays… If they launch in the middle of the night, wont’t a sun synchronous orbit always keep it at night, so with no power most of the time?
It depends on equatorial crossing time. If it is at 6 am/6 pm, then it will always be in daylight. If its later in the day, half the orbit will be in daylight and half will be in night. Radar satellites typically use all daylight orbits, to get maximum power. Visible/IR Earth observation satellites don't want long shadows, so they launch later in the day.
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#167
by
catdlr
on 08 Feb, 2024 05:53
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Re: solar arrays… If they launch in the middle of the night, wont’t a sun synchronous orbit always keep it at night, so with no power most of the time?
Or will the limited sun it will get in the polar regions be enough? Most LEO seats probably spend ~60% in the sun, but should receive less than that.
Good question, when I watch SSO from VSFB (way back) they launch at twilight so the solar panels always had sunlight on them. However, the instrumentation might require darkness to perform properly.
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#168
by
GewoonLukas_
on 08 Feb, 2024 05:55
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Re: solar arrays… If they launch in the middle of the night, wont’t a sun synchronous orbit always keep it at night, so with no power most of the time?
Or will the limited sun it will get in the polar regions be enough? Most LEO seats probably spend ~60% in the sun, but should receive less than that.
Good question, when I watch SSO from VSFB (way back) they launch at twilight so the solar panels always had sunlight on them.
It'll be in Earth's shadow for half its orbit, while for the other half it'll be in sunlight.
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#169
by
zubenelgenubi
on 08 Feb, 2024 06:03
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#170
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 08 Feb, 2024 06:05
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T+30 minutes. Waiting on power positive confirmation. Launch vehicle worked perfectly.
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#171
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 08 Feb, 2024 06:08
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#172
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 08 Feb, 2024 06:11
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Last launch for this launch director Amanda Mitskevich.
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#173
by
zubenelgenubi
on 08 Feb, 2024 06:11
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Personal reminder that the second stage propellant venting may be visible over parts of the Canadian and USA Midwest. Clear night skies needed, and as dark as possible skies preferable.
This would be after the SEI-2 burn to de-orbit the second stage--which probably happened after spacecraft separation, on the opposite side of the world from the reentry zone in the southeastern Pacific.
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#174
by
zubenelgenubi
on 08 Feb, 2024 06:17
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Congratulations to the entire launch campaign team! ❗️🎉🥳🚀
Thank you, NSF webcasters, for tonight's webcast! 🎖👏👍
Thank you, Steven and catdlr, for tonight's launch thread coverage! 🌟💐✨️
NASA webcast ends with launch replay.
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#175
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 08 Feb, 2024 06:43
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https://twitter.com/_mgde_/status/1755497181069418810 Boostback nebulas never get old.
Absolute stunner of a launch tonight - with the news of PACE being power positive, we now anxiously wait to see what this magnificent spacecraft is really capable of on it’s journey to further study this pale blue marble we call home.
Congratulations to @SpaceX and @NASAGoddard!
📸 - @NASASpaceflight
📺 - youtube.com/live/aiNl4D8lj…
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#176
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 08 Feb, 2024 06:44
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#177
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 08 Feb, 2024 06:49
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https://twitter.com/erikkuna/status/1755494433678581935 🚀 What goes up ⬆️ , must come down ⬇️. (Thanks to @SpaceX)
The #SpaceX Falcon9 reusable booster before MECO and stage separation on the first image and that same stage one booster a few minutes later on the second image during the entry burn on its way back to Cape Canaveral, Florida, again as seen from 130 miles away from the launchpad in Tampa, Florida during the @NASA PACE launch.
Photo: me for @SuperclusterHQ
https://twitter.com/erikkuna/status/1755486809679650983 The PACE nebula 🚀
A #SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket booster and second stage light up the starry skies off the coast of Florida carrying the NASA PACE ocean monitoring satellite, captured 130 miles away from the launchpad in Tampa, Florida.
Photo: me for @SuperclusterHQ
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#178
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 08 Feb, 2024 06:51
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#179
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 08 Feb, 2024 06:55
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