Rocket Launch notification thread

[Eric Mc]

Excluding the Delta due off later today, that makes 74 successful launches this year in total.

[MartG]

Japanese H-2B due off this afternoon. Live stream starts at 13:00 GMT http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/12/09/htv-6-mission...

[Eric Mc]

Watching.

[Eric Mc]

Interesting bed of flames burning away to one side of the pad. I presume that's burning off excess hydrogen.

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

Interesting bed of flames burning away to one side of the pad. I presume that's burning off excess hydrogen.

Yes - Delta has something similar to burn off vented hydrogen

[Eric Mc]

At least it's made better progress than "Progress" did last week.

[MartG]

Pegasus XL launch postponed to Wednesday at the earliest

[MartG]

Pegasus scrubbed again due to a 'software issue'

[MartG]

The launch of an Orbital ATK Pegasus XL rocket carrying eight hurricane research satellites for NASA is scheduled for Thursday at 8:26 a.m. EST (1326 GMT) off the east coast of Florida. The air-launch rocket was supposed to fly Wednesday, but engineers had to upload new flight parameter data to the satellites to resolve a software issue. http://spaceflightnow.com/…/12/cygnss-missio...

[Eric Mc]

Watching the build up now.

On Tuesday I opened up Flight Radar 24 and the Tristar was visible performing orbits off the east coast of Florida.

[untakenname]

Just looks like a normal jumbo with a missile strapped to the under carriage, was expecting a conventional launch.

[Eric Mc]

By "normal" launch I presume you mean a vertical launch off a launch pad?

The Orbital ATK Pegausus has been used for 25 years now. Originally it was launched from one of the NASA B-52s (the same ones used for the X-15 and Lifting Body programmes of the 1960s and 70s).

When the B-52s were retired, an L1011 was converted for aur drops. I'm sure the L1011 will be coming to the end of its career in the next few years and an alternative carrier will need to be found to replace it.

[Eric Mc]

And the Tristar has just appeared on Flight Radar 24

The F-18 hasn't but I wasn't expecting it to. I presume it doesn't have a civilian type transponder.

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

And the Tristar has just appeared on Flight Radar 24

The F-18 hasn't but I wasn't expecting it to. I presume it doesn't have a civilian type transponder.

Darn - going to miss the launch. Forgot about it when I booked my ticket to see the new Star Wars movie

No doubt it'll be on Youtube later

[Eric Mc]

No problem with the hydraulic pump today.

[anonymous-user]

Eric Mc said:

And the Tristar has just appeared on Flight Radar 24

The F-18 hasn't but I wasn't expecting it to. I presume it doesn't have a civilian type transponder.

Hi Eric - how the hell do you identify that plane on FR 24? I'm trying to find it!!!!

[Eric Mc]

It's the one that seems to be wandering about aimlessly just off the cost of Florida. If you find Cape Canaveral you will see the Tristar icon out to sea. It's registration is N140SC.

[anonymous-user]

Eric Mc said:

It's the one that seems to be wandering about aimlessly just off the cost of Florida. If you find Cape Canaveral you will see the Tristar icon out to sea. It's registration is N140SC.

Found it - thanks!!

[Eric Mc]

Looking at the flight track being shown on the live TV compared to Flight Radar, it's obvious that Flight Radar is a good few minutes behind real time.

[anonymous-user]

8 satellites all from one launch. Great stuff.