SpaceX News

[WLJ]

They would have to keep the rocket from spinning, and that is something very hard to do.  Fin alignment has to be pretty much perfect.  It's also possible they spun the rocket on purpose.  That's done sometimes for stabilization, makes it fly straighter.

Fully aware of why it was spinning but it would be cool if they could integrate some sort of stabilized section for the camera. It can be done. Now whether or not they can do it on a rocket of that size I don't know.

[RocketMan]

Fully aware of why it was spinning but it would be cool if they could integrate some sort of stabilized section for the camera. It can be done. Now whether or not they can do it on a rocket of that size I don't know.

Yes, it can be done, but at what expense and practicality for an amateur rocket?  It would probably be easier to improve fin stabilization.

[WLJ]

Long way from the rockets we had back when I was a kid

[RocketMan]

Long way from the rockets we had back when I was a kid.

For sure.  I started out with the little Estes rockets in junior high.  Ended up with my Level 2 NAR certification and can fly up to an 'L' class motor.  Got too spendy to go beyond that, but it's still a lot of fun.

[cordex]

Yes, it can be done, but at what expense and practicality for an amateur rocket?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYl_D-bk3lg

[RocketMan]

I've seen that guy's videos before.  Really cool stuff.  He has way too much fun.

[MechAg94]

Not sure if this was posted before.  Angry Astronaut posted this a week ago.

Chinese rocket crashes into populated region again!! What's up with the Long March 3B?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDufpRp57ok

[WLJ]

S28 rolling

[WLJ]

The original Voyager 2 images of Uranus and Neptune were enhanced to bring out details and that combined with the challenge of taking the images in such low light for Voyager's camera produced images not quite right color wise and people over the years came to believe those were the actual colors but NASA has released images showing their best estimate of their true colors   

On top: images from Voyager 2 of Uranus and Neptune released shortly after the flybys in 1986 and 1989. On the bottom: both reprocessed images used for the study to determine the best estimate of the true colors of both planets. (Image credit: Patrick Irwin)

https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/what-color-uranus-neptune-really

[WLJ]

Live
They're still shooting for liftoff on the 8th. Launch window opens at 02:18

 ULA Rolls Out Vulcan Centaur for Peregrine Mission One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi78Xd0b4lo

[WLJ]

Still can't believe they're putting an actual payload and not a dummy one (a wheel of cheese*) on this thing.

*Wheel of Cheese Launched Into Space On Private Spacecraft
https://www.space.com/10459-wheel-cheese-launched-space-private-spacecraft.html

Yes SpX actually launched a wheel of cheese into orbit. And of course there's the famous Red Tesla that was launched on the first Falcon Heavy and is currently in orbit around the sun. It's orbit takes it pass Mars's orbit for a portion of the orbit.
The Tesla can be tracked here https://www.whereisroadster.com/ 

[WLJ]

[dogmush]

Looks kinda like an Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator.   

[RocketMan]

Live
They're still shooting for liftoff on the 8th. Launch window opens at 02:18

 ULA Rolls Out Vulcan Centaur for Peregrine Mission One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi78Xd0b4lo

Am I the only one that's going to be cringing a bit watching this launch on BO's motors?

[WLJ]

Am I the only one that's going to be cringing a bit watching this launch on BO's motors?

No you won't be the only one.
Like I said above I can't believe they're risking an actual payload and a Lunar lander at that.

According to weather officials, there's a 85% chance of favorable weather conditions at the time of the launch. The forecast calls for a temperature of 60°F, overcast clouds, 100% cloud cover and a wind speed of 14mph.

https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/vulcan-vc2s-peregrine-lunar-lander-maiden-flight/

100% cloud cover Hmmm so there's a chance it could pull a SN11* on us and in the dark at that.

*Blowing up out of view in the clouds/fog. Assuming it makes it that far that is.

[WLJ]

My payload comment above goes for New Glenn too which is current set for first launch in Aug*

Type: Planetary Science

Maiden flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch vehicle carrying the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE), a dual-spacecraft mission to study ion and sputtered escape from Mars. The spacecrafts’ scientific goals are to understand the processes controlling the structure of Mars’ hybrid magnetosphere and how it guides ion flows; understand how energy and momentum are transported from the solar wind through Mars’ magnetosphere; and understand the processes controlling the flow of energy and matter into and out of the collisional atmosphere.

https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/new-glenn-escapade-maiden-flight/

*Subject to change of course which is highly likely IMHO

[WLJ]

And to add to this they're still saying ULA is looking for a buyer and BO is the current front runner.
If the rocket goes boom they could be had for cheap(er).

Hmm, now where did I leave that tin-foil hat? Oh, there it is 

[WLJ]

Nice paint job

Chris Bergin - NSF
@NASASpaceflight
When you get distracted from tank cutting due to the best tanker arriving at the launch site.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1744029006289059954

[WLJ]

Live at time of posting

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Starlink 6-35
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rXq2YDdYyk

[WLJ]

[WLJ]

Goes live 00:45 EST

 ULA Launches the First Vulcan Centaur with the Peregrine Moon Lander
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtPoAUuYXHo

United Launch Alliance is launching their first Vulcan Centaur rocket for it´s inaugural flight. The rocket will carry the Astrobotics Peregrine lunar lander, as part of the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, and the Artemis program.

Vulcan's first stage is powered by BE-4 engines from Blue Origin, which also will be used on Blue Origin´s New Glenn Rocket. The engines run on methane and liquid oxygen. The second stage is a Centaur V engine, powered by two RL-10 engines. The configuration of this flight is referred to as "VC2S". VC2 indicates, that the rocket will feature two GEM-63XL solid rocket motors attached to it. The S indicates the usage of the standard 15.5-meter fairing. 

Peregrine is an Astrobotics lunar lander, delivering 16 customers to the moon's surface and several NASA payloads. The total mass of the payload is 1,283 kg. As a secondary payload, the mission also flies the Celestis Enterprise Flight. It contains more than 150 flight capsules with cremated remains, DNA samples, and messages of greetings from clients worldwide, that will be sent on a journey into space.

Window opens: January 8th at 2:18AM EST (07:18 UTC)
Window closes: January 8th at 3:03AM EST (08:03 UTC)
Current T0: January 8th at 2:18AM EST (07:18 UTC)
Backup opportunities: Jan 9th, 10th, and 11th between 12:11AM EST and 12:15AM EST

Mission: Vulcan's first certification launch with Astrobotic's Peregrine Lander and Celestis Memorial from Space Launch Complex 41, Florida.
Target orbit: Trans-Lunar Injection for Peregrine with a perigee of 490.09km, a characteristic energy of -2.01km2/s2, and an inclination of 30.03 degrees. Centaur will perform a final burn to heliocentric orbit.
Booster serial number: VC001
Rocket configuration: VC2S, Vulcan Centaur with 2 SRBs and a small 5m diameter fairing
Rocket trajectory: Straight east from the Cape
Stats:
  · ULA's 158th launch overall and its 1st launch of the year.
  · Vulcan's 1st launch, 1st launch in VC2S configuration.
  · ULA's 75th launch from SLC-41, 1st Vulcan launch from SLC-41.
  · 110th overall launch from SLC-41.

[WLJ]

According to weather officials, there's a 85% chance of favorable weather conditions at the time of the launch. The forecast calls for a temperature of 60°F, overcast clouds, 100% cloud cover and a wind speed of 14mph.

https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/vulcan-vc2s-peregrine-lunar-lander-maiden-flight/

[WLJ]

T-00:38:00

 

[WLJ]

Go for launch

T-00:06:00

[WLJ]

MECO
BE-4s did their job