Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007

• Minotaur/NFIRE - 24 April 2007 by William Graham on 14 Apr, 2007 14:08

• According to a number of sources, a Minotaur rocket is to launch the MDA's Near Field Infrared Experiment from Wallops Island, on 21 April 2007.

• #1 by shuttlepilot on 15 Apr, 2007 13:29
• Will NASA provide live video feed on WFF site like durning previous launch? I mean this feed: http://sites.wff.nasa.gov/webcast/
• #2 by anik on 17 Apr, 2007 14:34
• According to http://msdb.honeywell-tsi.com/launches.asp NFIRE launch is postponed to April 23...
• #3 by William Graham on 17 Apr, 2007 20:21
• Hmm, http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/ (Updated today) states that it is going on 21/04/07. Seems like a bit of confusion to me. If it is delayed until 23/04, can Orbital manage two launches about 48 hours apart? (AIM) Also, is there any indication of launch window?
  
  
   I correct myself, the Wallops Island page ( http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/missions/nfire.html ) now says 23rd April. Launch is at 07:11 GMT. There will not be a webcast.
• #4 by Satori on 18 Apr, 2007 10:44
• Quote

  GW_Simulations - 17/4/2007  3:21 PM
  
  (...)
  
   There will not be a webcast.

  
  ...buuuu!!!!
• #5 by shuttlepilot on 18 Apr, 2007 18:12
• What a pity I watched previous launch and the webcast was without commentary, but it was very good.
• #6 by eeergo on 18 Apr, 2007 21:29
• Will the satellite finally be carrying the so controversial interceptor spacecraft?
• #7 by Satori on 18 Apr, 2007 22:08
• "Second rocket launch at Wallops delayed" from The Daily Times
  
  http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070417/NEWS01/70417051/1002
• #8 by Skyrocket on 19 Apr, 2007 06:07
• Quote

  eeergo - 18/4/2007  11:29 PM
  
  Will the satellite finally be carrying the so controversial interceptor spacecraft?

  
  No, it has been replaced with a laser communication device
  
  
• #9 by Chris Bergin on 21 Apr, 2007 22:34
• Moved for live coverage
• #10 by edkyle99 on 23 Apr, 2007 01:16
• From:   http://sites.wff.nasa.gov/webcast/
  
  "Posted by RCC on 2007-04-22 at 21:14:53 EST
  9:13 p.m. T-6 hours and counting. During the last hour radar and telemetry links have been checked. This will continue for the next hour as well as systems for range safety. The NASA weather officer has reported that the weather is acceptable to continue with the count. Current weather at Wallops is 61 degrees, clear skies and grond winds around 10 mph out of the south.
  
  Posted by RCC on 2007-04-22 at 20:33:10 EST
  The last report should have been 8:12 p.m., Sunday, Arpil 22.
  
  Posted by RCC on 2007-04-22 at 20:26:25 EST
  At 8:12 a.m. EDT. The countdown has started for the launch of an Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket carrying the Missile Defense Agency's Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) satellite. The support stations at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility have reported for duty. During the next hour radar and telemetry systems will be checked including links with our downrange supporting stations at Coquina, NC, and Antiqua. Also, personnel with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport are making final preparations at the launch pad. Targeted launch time is 3:13 a.m. EDT. The launch window extends to 3:27 a.m."
  
   - Ed Kyle
• #11 by Chris Bergin on 23 Apr, 2007 05:13
• Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 00:13:02 EST
  12:13 a.m. T-3 hours and counting. Launch vehicle tests have been completed. During the next hour final arming of the vehicle will be conducted.
• #12 by yuri_doma on 23 Apr, 2007 06:07
• Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 01:13:06 EST
  1:13 a.m. T-2 hours and counting. Final arming of the Minotaur vehicle is continuing. During the next hour arming of the vehicle is scheduled to be completed,the launch pad will be cleared and the range radar and telemetry will go through pre-launch calibration.
• #13 by Chris Bergin on 23 Apr, 2007 06:15
• Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 02:13:01 EST
  2:13 a.m. T-60 minutes and counting. Vehicle has been armed. The range shortly will conduct a readiness poll to proceed with the final countdown. The launch vehicle team is making their final preparations for launch.
• #14 by yuri_doma on 23 Apr, 2007 06:41
• Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 02:31:59 EST
  T-54 minutes Range poll has been completed. New launch time is at 3:26 a.m.
• #15 by JimO on 23 Apr, 2007 06:42
• Re the NFIRE controversy, here's my MSNBC pre-launch story, moved midday Sunday:
  
  (msnbc.com – Oberg) Long-debated military satellite set for launch
  NFIRE has sparked years of controversy over missile-watching technology
  April 22, 2007 // 10:57 am // http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18248896/
  By James Oberg, NBC News space analyst // Special to MSNBC
     The U.S. military is about to launch a small missile-watching satellite after years of quiet preparation — and years of alarming reports from critics about its purpose. The NFIRE satellite is due to be sent into space early Monday from a Virginia launch pad.
     To the Defense Department, which owns and will operate the satellite, NFIRE stands for "Near Field Infrared Experiment." That encapsulates the mission's goal of observing the rocket plumes of military missiles to be launched past it later this year. NFIRE will map and characterize the brightness of the rocket plumes to help the Pentagon design future guidance systems for anti-missile weapons now under consideration.
     But to its critics, NFIRE could well be spelled “Fire!” — as in, “launch the weapon!” Some have branded the project as an irrevocable step toward the weaponization of outer space. The spacecraft's launch atop a commercial Minotaur booster, scheduled for 3:11 a.m. ET from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia's Wallops Island, could light a new fire under the debate.
  
• #16 by Chris Bergin on 23 Apr, 2007 07:05
• SCRUB
• #17 by Chris Bergin on 23 Apr, 2007 07:07
• Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 03:02:27 EST
  3:01 a.m. T-25 minutes. We have scrubbed the launch for this morning
• #18 by Alpha Control on 23 Apr, 2007 19:14
• Hi everyone,
  
  I drove to Chincoteague Island, Virginia on Friday Apr. 20, to watch the Minotaur NFIRE launch. It was originally scheduled for Sat. morning Apr. 21, then shifted to today, Apr. 23, with a 3:11am (local) opening to the launch window.
  
  As of 2:30am it was still on schedule, so I hopped in the car, and at 3:00am I joined a small group of hardy souls out on the Asseteague beach, which gave a clear view across the bay to the launch site.
  
  Sadly, as you know, the launch was scrubbed at 3:05, and the park ranger ordered us all off the beach (it's part of a national park).
  
  But there was a special bonus:  a glorious view of the Milky Way across a beautiful dark sky!  The beach facility has no lighting of any kind and is far removed any development, so once you turned your car off it was completely dark as you faced the Atlantic Ocean.  As a city dweller I'd forgotten how spectacular the "true" night sky is.  And this was spectacular indeed. The moon had set; there were zero clouds, and the stars were wondrous.
  
  So even a scrub may have its good moments!
  
  David
  
• #19 by Chris Bergin on 23 Apr, 2007 23:17
• Previous attempt was scrubbed due to ground support issues. This could not be fixed in time for the window.
• #20 by Alpha Control on 24 Apr, 2007 01:26
• [Sorry to reply to my own post - I wanted to update it but wasn't able to edit it.]
  
  I hope that someone here gets to see it live tonight.  I had to leave and so won't be there for this attempt.
  
  David
• #21 by TJL on 24 Apr, 2007 02:24
• I hope to see it from Long Island (NY)...was able to see the December launch from here.
• #22 by Chris Bergin on 24 Apr, 2007 03:44
• Not sure what's going on with this. No updates for some time now.
• #23 by Chris Bergin on 24 Apr, 2007 04:01
• Oh, nevermind, still proceeding:
  
  Posted by RCC on 2007-04-23 at 23:48:32 EST
  11:48 a.m. T-3 hours and counting. Launch vehicle checkout is complete. During the next hour the launch team will begin final vehicle arming and closeout.
• #24 by yuri_doma on 24 Apr, 2007 05:49
• Posted by RCC on 2007-04-24 at 01:48:00 EST
  1:48 a.m. T-60 minutes and counting. Arming and vehicle closeout is complete. Telemetry and radar systems have been calibrated. Range is ready to proceed. The initiation of the final launch checklist has started.
• #25 by Chris Bergin on 24 Apr, 2007 06:19
• Posted by RCC on 2007-04-24 at 02:18:06 EST
  2:18 a.m. T-30 minutes and counting.
• #26 by yuri_doma on 24 Apr, 2007 06:38
• Posted by RCC on 2007-04-24 at 02:38:02 EST
  2:38 a.m. T-10 minutes and counting
• #27 by Chris Bergin on 24 Apr, 2007 06:39
• Thanks Yuri. Looks like they'll sorted yesterday's ground support problems...
• #28 by Chris Bergin on 24 Apr, 2007 06:48
• Launch. Person at Wallops saying it launched.
• #29 by Skyrocket on 24 Apr, 2007 08:23
• Any news on the results of the launch?
• #30 by Olaf on 24 Apr, 2007 08:40
• Quote

  Skyrocket - 24/4/2007  3:23 AM
  
  Any news on the results of the launch?

  
  According to Novosti Kosmonavtiki the launch was at 06.48 UTC.
• #31 by Satori on 24 Apr, 2007 10:24
• Quote

  Olaf - 24/4/2007  3:40 AM
  
  

  Quote

  Skyrocket - 24/4/2007  3:23 AM
  
  Any news on the results of the launch?

  
  According to Novosti Kosmonavtiki the launch was at 06.48 UTC.

  
  Nothing more at this time? Did it get into orbit? Launch images? I can't find anything about this one on the net!...
• #32 by Skyrocket on 24 Apr, 2007 10:46
• Apparently the launch was successful:
  
  http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/doc/174887main_NFIRE%20post%20launch.doc
  
  
• #33 by edkyle99 on 24 Apr, 2007 15:56
• Hi-res launch photo at:
  
  http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/images/content/174890main_NFIRE3.jpg
  
  Looks like the same 1.5 meter payload fairing used for the TacSat 2 launch.
  
   - Ed Kyle
  

  ---

  
• #34 by Satori on 24 Apr, 2007 16:00
• Quote

  edkyle99 - 24/4/2007  10:56 AM
  
  Hi-res launch photo at:
  
  http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/images/content/174890main_NFIRE3.jpg
  
   - Ed Kyle
  

  
  Thanks to point that Ed!
• #35 by eeergo on 24 Apr, 2007 16:15
• There are two other images in this page, although the best is the one Ed posted: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/missions/nfire.html
  
  Also, they've posted a video on YouTube with the launch: (quite amateur, but better than nothing)
  
  Info by NasaWatch: http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/2007/04/nfire_mission_i.html#more
• #36 by jacqmans on 26 Apr, 2007 19:32
• Apr 24, 2007
  
  ATK Propulsion and Composite Technologies Support Minotaur Launch of the NFIRE
  
  MINNEAPOLIS, April 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) solid propulsion and composite technologies supported the successful launch yesterday of an Orbital Sciences Corporation Minotaur launch vehicle from Wallops Island, Virginia. The launch placed the Missile Defense Agency's experimental Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) spacecraft in orbit.
  
  ATK supplied the Orion 50XL and Orion 38 motors that served as Minotaur's third and fourth stages, respectively. These stages are manufactured in its Salt Lake City facility. In addition to being used on Minotaur space launch vehicles that Orbital produces under the U.S. Air Force's Orbital/Suborbital program, Orion motors are used on their highly successful, Taurus XL® and air-launched Pegasus XL® vehicle.
  
  ATK's Clearfield, Utah facility produced the 50" and 38" diameter composite cases for the second and third stage motors, and the composite interstage that joins the two. ATK's Flexseal assemblies also allow the rocket motor nozzle to change the angle of thrust for steering control while providing a critical seal between the rocket motor and the nozzle.