2 Birds on the Pad

[ancona]

I drove past two birds on the launch pads today. We have an Atlas V sitting on the pad at 41 and an Atlas IV is over at 37 ready to fly. One is tentatively scheduled for the 15th and the other is slated to fly on the 22nd.

I'll have grandstand seats for both of them on the beach side at LC-17.

The first to fly has only a 19 minute launch window, which makes it doubtful that all the stars align on the first pass, but it has happened before. The second is classified so we won't know when she's flying until they light the candle.

Thirty five years ago I would never have imagined that my career path would lead to some of the coolest shit on planet earth. :wave:

 

[Ragnarok]

Is this at Vandenburg or ? I get the VB LaunchAlerts but rarely get to see 'em fly.

R.

 

[ancona]

No, this is at Kennedy Space Center. I work at both KSC and CCAFS. The two are separated by a lagoon and a causeway. Some vehicles go up on the Cape side and the only two pads at KSC are 39-A and 39-B. right now, neither pad is active, and we actually have a crew out in one of them taking all of the refractory brick off of the flame trench walls in preparation for application of new refractory cement. The new vehicle also requires a new configuration for the flame diverter, so I am wrecking out that monster as well.

 

[pmbug]

I'm definitely envious brother. I would truly love to experience that for myself one day.

 

[ancona]

Let me know if you are in town. I have friends that will schedule business in Miami or Orlando so that it coincides with a launch. The rest is just filling out badge requests and a sponsor form.

 

[Cybrsk8r]

Launches are way cool. I was at a launch from Wallops Island last weekend.

 

[ancona]

I can't think of anything that trumps a shuttle launch. When standing on the roof of the OSB 2 right across the street from the VAB, you are as close as is permitted, but can see the spark rollers throwing sparks at the bottom of the main engines prior to ignition. When the candle is lit, it takes about twelve seconds for the sound and pressure waves to hit. The feeling is quite like being violently shaken while in front of the worlds largest set of twenty four inch bass speakers.

 

[Jay]

I can't think of anything that trumps a shuttle launch. When standing on the roof of the OSB 2 right across the street from the VAB, you are as close as is permitted, but can see the spark rollers throwing sparks at the bottom of the main engines prior to ignition. When the candle is lit, it takes about twelve seconds for the sound and pressure waves to hit. The feeling is quite like being violently shaken while in front of the worlds largest set of twenty four inch bass speakers.

saw about twenty launches get scrubbed and even got to see a few go. The closest they would let us was across the bay but the ground still rumbled.