Author Topic: Firefly Alpha Flight 3: VICTUS NOX (TacRS-3) : VSFB SLC-2W : 15 Sep 23 02:28 UTC (Read 46137 times)

zubenelgenubi · « **Reply #60 on:** 09/15/2023 01:36 am »

NextSpaceflight, updated September 15 UTC:
Launch 15 September 02:27 UTC = 14 Sep 7:27 pm PDT

Edit: Fixed typo.

Steven Pietrobon · « **Reply #61 on:** 09/15/2023 01:50 am »

NextSpaceFlight is showing 02:27 UTC for me!

Steven Pietrobon · « **Reply #62 on:** 09/15/2023 02:27 am »

Launch should be happening about now.

AStick · « **Reply #63 on:** 09/15/2023 02:29 am »

I hear it. Liftoff

AStick · « **Reply #64 on:** 09/15/2023 02:32 am »

I’m at Vandenberg - foggy, of course, but definitely heard a rocket roar.

Steven Pietrobon · « **Reply #65 on:** 09/15/2023 02:40 am »

Its about T+13 minutes, so should be in orbit.

Yellowstone10 · « **Reply #66 on:** 09/15/2023 02:42 am »

Visual confirmation:

https://twitter.com/akd_ams/status/1702511454841397388

Steven Pietrobon · « **Reply #67 on:** 09/15/2023 02:44 am »

Image from the tweet.

AstroWare · « **Reply #68 on:** 09/15/2023 02:46 am »

From family in So Cal.

HMXHMX · « **Reply #69 on:** 09/15/2023 02:50 am »

Saw it in La Jolla, CA.

LuMaxQ · « **Reply #70 on:** 09/15/2023 02:51 am »

I watched it from Agoura Hills, CA.

Beautiful view from here. Had a few marine layer clouds beginning to coalesce, but saw most of it. Exhaust was brightly lit by the sun, a vivid blue-white plume!

Stage separation, and payload fairing halves sepa. were completely visible.
Fairing halves were shiny, and so reflected the sunlight and providing a 'sparkle' effect as they tumbled.

Pic does not do it justice, I was watching it thru my binoculars.

catdlr · « **Reply #71 on:** 09/15/2023 03:06 am »

to: LuMaxQ, HMXHMX, AstroWare, Steven Pietrobon, Yellowstone10

Thank you to all the contributors who furnished tweets and their own personal pictures. This reminds me of the years before where the only way we knew what was going on was from visual sightings.

catdlr · « **Reply #72 on:** 09/15/2023 03:13 am »

catdlr · « **Reply #73 on:** 09/15/2023 03:16 am »

This one is from Phoenix 400 miles east.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/c2OHra8R66Y

Jrcraft · « **Reply #74 on:** 09/15/2023 03:17 am »

A friend spotted it out in Tucson AZ.

catdlr · « **Reply #75 on:** 09/15/2023 03:18 am »

This one was taken near Long Beach, listen to his commentary....it's funny.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/v_hYNFGzZEg

catdlr · « **Reply #76 on:** 09/15/2023 03:20 am »

The best ones come from people far away. This one from Desert Hot Springs.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cHV_tnogyE8

catdlr · « **Reply #77 on:** 09/15/2023 03:22 am »

There's a boatload of video coming into YT. Use the following search to locate them:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rocket+launch&sp=EgIIAQ%253D%253D

catdlr · « **Reply #78 on:** 09/15/2023 04:13 am »

While we await official confirmation, my contact for VSFB missile launch notices was unaware of this launch. He knows all the schedules for the peacekeeper missile launches, but not this one. I pointed out to him that he should join NSF.

Robert_the_Doll · « **Reply #79 on:** 09/15/2023 04:15 am »

https://twitter.com/Erdayastronaut/status/1702518241208496131

Quote

They did it! @Firefly_Space
did it! They had only 24 hours to launch their Alpha rocket to demonstrate rapid response capabilities! Really an impressive feat for only their third launch ever!!!