Orion Launch Today

[Eric Mc]

They just had a "Red Light" appear on one of their warning systems but now it seems to have cleared.

Still have an "RCO Hold".

This is bloody tense stuff.

[Eric Mc]

Bisonhead said:

When is the projected launch date for a manned mission? I seem to remember 2030 or so...

Earlier than that. 2020 was what I heard at the NASA press conference last night.

It is purely down to budgetary constraints. They just can't push ahead as fast as they would like to.

[RobGT81]

Eric Mc said:

They just had a "Red Light" appear on one of their warning systems but now it seems to have cleared.

Did they take the bulb out? Get it fired up!

[MrRee145]

My feed as frozen do we have a new launch time yet or still held?

[Bisonhead]

Eric Mc said:

Bisonhead said:

When is the projected launch date for a manned mission? I seem to remember 2030 or so...

Earlier than that. 2020 was what I heard at the NASA press conference last night.

It is purely down to budgetary constraints. They just can't push ahead as fast as they would like to.

Such a pity, I hope there are significant discoveries soon that kick-start a funding boom in space exploration. I feel we need another Apollo style achievement to get humanity excited again.

Back on topic...seems the wind is still causing an issue. I have a feeling that this will be aborted today...the trees and bushes look pretty animated which suggests the wind is still gusting

[tobinen]

RobGT81 said:

Eric Mc said:

They just had a "Red Light" appear on one of their warning systems but now it seems to have cleared.

Did they take the bulb out? Get it fired up!

Tap the bulb with your finger. Always works.

[Eric Mc]

MrRee145 said:

My feed as frozen do we have a new launch time yet or still held?

Looks like Spaceflight Now has crashed. I'm still watching on -

http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv/theater

[y2blade]

As per the other thread:
Too windy

[scubadude]

Fingers crossed here.

(Got the Powered PC speakers turned up so I can hear it across the factory, must remember to turn them down just before launch :-)

[CrutyRammers]

RobGT81 said:

Did they take the bulb out? Get it fired up!

Pretty much - sounds like it was a known condition which occurs after going from internal power back to external and nothing to worry about.

[LordGrover]

Funny that the extremes of speed, temperature, and other forces this is to endure, it's halted a by a bit of a breeze on the ground.

[CrutyRammers]

Eric Mc said:

Looks like Spaceflight Now has crashed. I'm still watching on -

http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv/theater

I find ustream is always more stable than the nasa feeds

[Eric Mc]

12.55 pm new launch time.

[MrRee145]

New T0 12:55

[Eric Mc]

LordGrover said:

Funny that the extremes of speed, temperature, and other forces this is to endure, it's halted a by a bit of a breeze on the ground.

Rockets are very vulnerable to sideways gusts during the first 3 to 5 minutes of launch. After about 5 minutes they have reached an altitude where the atmosphere has thinned sufficiently to not really be an issue anymore.

[Bisonhead]

Eric Mc said:

LordGrover said:

Funny that the extremes of speed, temperature, and other forces this is to endure, it's halted a by a bit of a breeze on the ground.

Rockets are very vulnerable to sideways gusts during the first 3 to 5 minutes of launch. After about 54 minutes they have reached an altitude where the atmosphere has thinned sufficiently to not really be an issue anymore.

What about winds in the upper atmosphere? I thought they were frequently in the region of 60-70 mph?

[scubadude]

Bisonhead said:

What about winds in the upper atmosphere? I thought they were frequently in the region of 60-70 mph?

Surely the rocket is by then traveling so fast as for them not to be an issue? (Also no longer going straight up)

[RizzoTheRat]

Eric Mc said:

Bisonhead said:

When is the projected launch date for a manned mission? I seem to remember 2030 or so...

Earlier than that. 2020 was what I heard at the NASA press conference last night.

It is purely down to budgetary constraints. They just can't push ahead as fast as they would like to.

And I'm guessing that slower progress presumably costs more in the long run as you have to maintain facilities for longer and it's probably harder to keep a cutting edge team together for that long.

[russ_a]

3mins 58 seconds to go!

[Eric Mc]

Bisonhead said:

What about winds in the upper atmosphere? I thought they were frequently in the region of 60-70 mph?

Atmosphere much thinner so less of a problem. But there are upper limits for high altitude winds too.