SpaceX - Falcon 9 - WorldView Legion 1&2 - SLC-4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA. - May 2, 2024
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- Опубліковано 1 тра 2024
- SpaceX is targeting Thursday, May 2, to launch the Maxar 1 mission to orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The 14-minute window opens at 11:36 a.m. PDT, 18:36 UTC, and 20:36 CEST. If needed, a backup launch opportunity is available on Friday, May 3 at the same time.
This will be the 20th flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, Transporter-4, Transporter-5, Globalstar FM15, ISI EROS C-3, Korea 425, and nine Starlink missions. After stage separation, the first stage will land on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
WorldView Legion is a planned series of high-resolution earth observation satellites from the US company Maxar Technologies. They are intended to replace the capacities of the WorldView-1, WorldView-2, and GeoEye-1 satellites.
SSL (formerly Space Systems/Loral), a subsidiary of Maxar, is building the satellites. Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation, will provide the cameras. The satellites can record panchromatic resolutions of up to 0.29 meters. Images with resolutions of up to 1.16 m should be possible on a multispectral level. The satellites can photograph the exact locations up to 40 times a day.
A total of two satellites will operate in a polar orbit and four satellites in a sun-synchronous orbit. - Наука та технологія
Beautiful launch/landing!
It’s cloudy along the coast, going to be lucky to see something tonight
I don't know about you, but the return and propulsive landing of a Falcon 9 booster is always amazing to me. SpaceX makes something so complicated and difficult look easy and routine. Kudos to the engineers at SpaceX. You really have your sh*t together.😎
Indeed. The Falcon 9 operations working like a swiss clock. There are people out who say, that SpaceX made rocketry boring, but each launch of a Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy or the upcoming Starship is amazing from the technical perspective. We are streaming now since July 2020 and covered all of the launches since then. The statistics of SpaceX (dated on May 3rd after the last Starlink flight some hours ago): 340 total launches, 303 total landings and 274 reflights of boosters. Even the fairings are recycled since some years, there are some who flown so far 20 times or more. The only rocket in the world which have more launches is the Russian Soyuz rocket with more than 1,700 launches since its maiden flight in 1966. Falcon 9 is a workhorse, for some a "magic machine". I know a lot of aerospace engineers who said, that a reusable rocket will never work. The technology of SpaceX is the approved one from existing technology of ages. They overlooked it differently and said: There is something more to do with all of it, and so they did.
Drove up to Lompoc from NW Ventura County to see yesterday's launch. Of course,was looking for best vista point. There were a number of spots recommended by locals. I chose Astronaut Memorial at Ken-Adam Park(campground) adjacent to Hancock college. Unlike Ocean Blvd. It is set on a hill overlooking the entire valley. Magnificent beauty. View of the launchpad was obstructed by a hill but could see the action once the ship took off, yet it appeared quite small from where i was. Literally like a 1/4" flare. Now, from the beach in La Conchita(unincorporated area approx. 15 miles north of Ventura proper) it looks like 1/8" flare. I do not understand the "physics" of this but certainly expected it to appear much larger being 70+ miles closer to Vandenberg. The delayed sounds as it ascended and the double sonic boom when it landed were awesome. The way the booms echoed thruout the valley and thru my body. Next time i may try Ocean Blvd. This turned out to be the charm as I have made 2 other trips up to Lompoc only for the flights to be cancelled.
It was just me and another person on that hill and he introduced himself to be the founder and CEO ,Steven Franck of a company called Small Blue Dot, Inc in Lompoc and was surveying the area as his company has been petitioning to purchase the park and build a space aged, space themed compound up there. Apparently the final decision will be that of the voters as it will be on the Nov.2024 ballot. There is mixed speculation about converting the land and how it may or may not fare for the community (and ecosystem)and plenty of press.
We as humans tend to be uncomfortable with change, however, like any natural law, bad or good, in nature and/or business/technology ,inclusive or exclusive, change is imminent. Also, "money talks." I guess we can call that one a manmade "natural law."🙄
I am glad to have been able to witness this flight from such a naturally beautiful vista point sans crowds and an entrance fee. Its an awesome project plan, the entrepreneurial spirit and credentials behind such innovations is what gets things done, think Elon Musk, still, there's a part of me that says keep the land natural and pristine. Cannot "buy" that back.
Here is the address to the website, they may even be looking for funders for this and other projects:
www.palebluedotventures.com
Tell Steven Michele sent you😉
Wow! You are a novellist! I guess that is the longest story ever written since 2006 here by a follower, as we entered UA-cam. Interesting project they have. Most people (or humans) do have problems with changes, absolutely right. A lot don't want to leave their "comfort zone", even it means to do the next step wich would open a new door. They are glad with that what they have. Some have a real fear for a change, and because of that, we do have so much war & terror on that planet. Spending $2,3T (worldwide) in 2023 for defence says a lot. Let's think only about that, where we could be by using that money for things which would take humanity a step forward. Again, thanks for your story about your roadtrip, and the link to that project! We loved it!
I can usually see the night time launches (I'm on the LA/OC border) but have a tough time finding the day time ones. I know these are usually "Sun-synchronous orbits", so are they launched in a different heading?
Vandenberg is used for sun-synchronous orbits, correct, so the flight path of the rocket after lift-off is to south. Launch limits at Vandenberg are 201 and 158 degrees. At a 201-degree launch azimuth, the spacecraft would be orbiting at a 104-degree inclination. Zero degrees would be due north of the launch site, and the orbital trajectory would be within 14 degrees east or west of the north-south pole meridian. At a launch azimuth of 158 degrees, the spacecraft would be orbiting at a 70 degree inclination, and the trajectory would be within 20 degrees east or west of the polar meridian. Like KSC, Vandenberg has allowable launch azimuths that do not pass over habitable areas or involve safety, abort, separation and political considerations.
@@Space-Affairs Thank you, but when you say it is 14 degrees east-west of "the north-south pole meridian, would this be magnetic or true north? By using the term meridian, I am assuming you mean true north, but you know what happens "when we assume". LOL
On another topic, are the Starlink launches, from Vandenberg also "sun synchronous"? The reason I ask this is that I am able to see the Starlink launches (usually at night, so I see the engine bloom) but not the daytime launches, which are listed as Sun Synchronous (non Starlink as I haven't heard of any daylight Starlink ones).
Didn't realize there was a launch this morning, or I would have looked for it.
🏝️👍
👏 ❤😊👍
Why do we never get to see the MECO from the Booster external camera? It always cuts away to the internal camera in the top of the booster. Why?
It is SpaceX, we don't know. It is a programmed screen I guess, no human behind it.
What,s up with the m-vac engine!? It looks weird!
That is the short version of the MVac engine. They use this version if the stage doesn't need that high performance. They introduced this nozzle 2 years ago. It reduces weight and fuel consumption.
I want to be clear that i'm not a flearther or some such who thinks "space is fake" or the moon landings were faked or anything like that, but i have a couple questions. a) where is the camera that's giving us the video of the 2nd stage engine and payload as it continues upward into orbit? b) why is there fluttering of the stuff (looks kinda like foil) on the payload?...just above the 2nd stage engine. This was occurring even at 515 km altitude so i don't imagine there would be much for atmosphere at that point. Hoping someone (maybe at 'Space X') can answer these queries.
a)There are two cameras mounted on the bottom of the 2nd stage, you see the different camera angles well with the engine, and also by Earth in the background. b)The "Fluttering Stuff" is protective foil which is wrapped around the engine. There are vents which are pulling out gases during the engine is under pressure and active. This "fluttering" is coming exactly from venting of gases below the foil. c) Don't know where you saw here an altitude of 515 km? Pressure at sea level is 14,70 PSI. At 20,000 meters it has dropped to 0,79 PSI. At 45,000 meters it has dropped to 0,020 PSI, above we come more and more close to a total vaccuum. Means, any pressure which will be released by the engine you can see under the protective foil gets to vibrations, even you would not see it under normal pressure conditions.
@@Space-Affairs Thank you for the reply/answers, much appreciated. So a) two cameras at bottom of second stage...ahh ok, makes sense. I didn't suspect that simply because of the perception of how much distance is b/w said camera and the engine plume. But maybe it's the nature of the lens on the camera.
b) Right, foil is exactly what it looks like. I was perplexed by the fluttering action i observed b/c i knew that at such high altitudes there is virtually no atmosphere. Now i understand/know what caused the fluttering...cool, thanks.
c) Maybe i read the telemetry numbers for the 2nd stage incorrectly. That's where i saw what i thought was "515 km" for it's altitude just prior to engine shut down and orbital insertion. The final numbers i saw there were ca. 27,000 km/hr and 517. I took that to mean 517 km. Perhaps it's something else? Not a big deal either way, mainly a point of curiosity.
Thank you again for the answers. If you have a moment to address this my follow up reply i would greatly appreciate that too. Cheers. :-)
Un commentaire qui n'en finit pas et qui ne sert plus à rien, plus de 300 lancements Les instructions des techniciens sont largement suffisantes.
Sory for conect nigl