Orion Launch Today

[Eric Mc]

With the launch of the first Orion space vehicle in a few hours time, I thought that it deserved a thread with a title that showed that the programme had progressed quite a bit since the original Orion thread was posted up.

If mods want to close this thread that's fine but I think the original title is not really immediate enough for today's events.

Launch is scheduled for 12.05 pm (just after mid-day) UK time.

I'm getting quite excited by this.

[LordGrover]

Thanks. I now have the live NASA video feed.

[MrCarPark]

Alternative feed:

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

[Eric Mc]

Thanks for the alternative link. Spaceflight now seems to have gone off the air for the moment.

[MrRee145]

All Green so far for an on time launch. anyone else excited about this launch?

[CrutyRammers]

Cheers for the link, at home today so I can watch over lunch

[CrutyRammers]

just said T-6 minutes so looks like it's going before midday...

ETA, wrong, that was 6 minutes to go until 15 minutes to go.

Edited by CrutyRammers on Thursday 4th December 11:47

[Eric Mc]

MrRee145 said:

All Green so far for an on time launch. anyone else excited about this launch?

Naturally.

[MartG]

Range fouled - hope it's not another sightseeing boat

[RobGT81]

Thats a big fking rocket.

[Eric Mc]

Over 200 feet tall so 2/3 the height of a Saturn V. The Shuttle was about 100 feet tall.

The Delta IV Heavy develops 2 million pounds of thrust on lift off.

For comparison, the Shuttle was 6 million pounds and the Saturn V was 7.5 million pounds. The Saturn 1B was 1.5 million pounds.

[RobGT81]

Eric Mc said:

Over 200 feet tall so 2/3 the height of a Saturn V. The Shuttle was about 100 feet tall.

The Delta IV Heavy develops 2 million pounds of thrust on lift off.

For comparison, the Shuttle was 6 million pounds and the Saturn V was 7.5 million pounds. The Saturn 1B was 1.5 million pounds.

Is that Saturn V thrust figure just the launch stage?

[MrRee145]

12:17 new launch time...

[Eric Mc]

Yes - the five F1 engines pumped out 1.5 million pounds of thrust each. They ran on kerosene and liquid oxygen.

To put that in context, each F1 engine delivered the same thrust as the THREE main engines of the Space Shuttle

[HarryW]

1217 now....

[Eric Mc]

All launch directors polled and a "Go" for launch has been received.

[Eric Mc]

Oops - ground wind violation.

[Bisonhead]

establishing a new launch time...very exciting!

[CrutyRammers]

And a software issue...not their lucky day.

[Bisonhead]

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