ancona
Praying Mantis
tomorrow night between 8:40 and 8:59, a Delta IV rocket carrying a next gen GPS satellite will blast off from Cape Canaveral. anyone within around a thousand miles should be able to see it if the night sky is clear. :wave:
Delta IV launch thursday
- Thread starter ancona
- Start date
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mmerlinn
Ground Beetle
I am assuming that is local time (EST?).
11C1P
Yellow Jacket
Remember when we used to be able to send humans to space? Heck when I was little we were still landing people on the moon. Now we have to hitch a ride with the Russians. Now there is no more concord flying either. For as much technology advancements as we seem to have gained, we seemed to have taken a few steps back in a lot of areas too.
ancona
Praying Mantis
11CIP, I agree with you 100%.
I am a civilian contractor working at NASA and Cape Canaveral Air Station for over twenty years now and I can say with certainty that we are slowly dismantling our old space launch infrastructure. However, in its place we have been working to modify existing structures and support apparatus in the VAB for the Constellation/Orion vehicles, which are actually larger than Apollo.
A new mobile launch platform has already been built and sits just to the north of the VAB. There is an RFP under consideration as I type for massive alterations to be performed in High Bay 3 of the VAB which will be where the new heavy lift vehicle will be stacked for flight. At this time, My firm has the largest work backlog in our history and 98% of it is either CCAFS or NASA.
Launch Complex 39-B is currently being massively modified for the new mission. My firm removed the old flame deflector structure, the rainbird water delivery system [sound suppression] and all of the refractory brick from the trench walls. Seventeen other projects are running concurrent with our task. Within 18 months, the LC will be prepared and ready to accept the mew MLP and whatever vehicle they place on it for launch.
The two huge liquid propellant vessels [hydrogen and oxygen] have been completely refurbished. The million gallon elevated water tank [285' tall tank for the deluge system] has been completely sandblasted and epoxy coated. At this time, a new deluge system is being fabricated to service the new launch configuration.
I would say that all in all, we're pretty much on-track to begin servicing our own space needs again by around 2016.
I am a civilian contractor working at NASA and Cape Canaveral Air Station for over twenty years now and I can say with certainty that we are slowly dismantling our old space launch infrastructure. However, in its place we have been working to modify existing structures and support apparatus in the VAB for the Constellation/Orion vehicles, which are actually larger than Apollo.
A new mobile launch platform has already been built and sits just to the north of the VAB. There is an RFP under consideration as I type for massive alterations to be performed in High Bay 3 of the VAB which will be where the new heavy lift vehicle will be stacked for flight. At this time, My firm has the largest work backlog in our history and 98% of it is either CCAFS or NASA.
Launch Complex 39-B is currently being massively modified for the new mission. My firm removed the old flame deflector structure, the rainbird water delivery system [sound suppression] and all of the refractory brick from the trench walls. Seventeen other projects are running concurrent with our task. Within 18 months, the LC will be prepared and ready to accept the mew MLP and whatever vehicle they place on it for launch.
The two huge liquid propellant vessels [hydrogen and oxygen] have been completely refurbished. The million gallon elevated water tank [285' tall tank for the deluge system] has been completely sandblasted and epoxy coated. At this time, a new deluge system is being fabricated to service the new launch configuration.
I would say that all in all, we're pretty much on-track to begin servicing our own space needs again by around 2016.
mmerlinn
Ground Beetle
Assuming, of course, that we actually have any money to do that. We are on course for a financial meltdown that may put survival ahead of any 'toys' that we may want to play with.
11C1P
Yellow Jacket
I think we would be better served by a permanent moon base than a space station. Humans would fare better long term in the light gravity than zero gravity and the base could be come a place to slowly stockpile everything astronauts would need to take on longer missions to mars or wherever. They could still have the space station or a smaller version for doing the zero g testing and experiments, but I think a permanent moon base would be healthier for the guys staying there for several months at a time, and in the long run more would get done there than in a space station.
Thats the fun thing about being able to print money.
You can then pay for things that otherwise would not happen ....
And those who control, will not relinquish this ability without a fight.
They are not stupid and could yet see off China in the currency war.
ancona
Praying Mantis
Naturally, i agree with the above point, however I will continue to perform on these contracts and bank any profits I can until that time comes.
ancona
Praying Mantis
What a great launch! During the last twelve seconds of a 19 minute window it finally went up. I was at the end of Schwartz Road in the KSC Industrial Area, so I had the best possible view at the closest approach you can get. The whole world lights up when they light the candle at night.
This shit never gets old for me.
This shit never gets old for me.
DoChenRollingBearing
Yellow Jacket
...
A guy I know in NC bases his voting on just one issue:
Who will get us into space fastest?
He thinks long-term...
:wave:
A guy I know in NC bases his voting on just one issue:
Who will get us into space fastest?
He thinks long-term...
:wave:
...
Who will get us into space fastest?
all of us ?