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Darren Frequent Visitor
Joined: 11/07/2002 14:36:40 Posts: 23848 Location: Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:19 pm Post subject: GPS 2R-20 Scheduled For Launch Tomorrow |
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Weather forecasters are predicting an 80% chance of suitable launch conditions for lift-off tomorrow of GPS 2R-20 from Cape Canaveral atop a Delta 2 launch vehicle.
The launch window runs for 15mins from 4.34am EDT (8.34am UK). It has been over a year since the last Delta 2 launch and this is the first of two scheduled launches this year with the second being the last Delta 2 launch and the last 2R type satellite.
Once these last two GPS 2R models have been launched the next phase will be the launch of the GPS 2F vehicles which require the larger Atlas 5 delivery vehicles.
The delivery of the GPS satellite into the correct orbit involves a number of stages. First comes launch which places the vehicle into an orbit of 111 miles assisted by the first and second stages of the Delta 2. This is followed by another burn of the second stage engine to push the vehicle into a 670 mile orbit.
Then the vehicle is spun whilst attached to the third stage. The second stage is discarded as the third stage motor ignites to send the satellite into its final orbit at 11,000 miles. Final adjustments to obit are made later to refine the orbit.
GPS 2R-20 will replace GPS 2A-27 which was launched back in 1996 and originally planned to serve for only seven years! GPS 2A-27 will continue to serve as a backup.
Next time you curse the slow lock on your device it's worth remembering how far away these little marvels are, 11,000 miles is quite some way!
_________________ Darren Griffin |
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MikeB Frequent Visitor
Joined: 20/08/2002 11:51:57 Posts: 3859 Location: Essex, UK
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Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:47 pm Post subject: |
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This launch is quite significant as it is now 20 years that the Delta 2 has been hauling GPS Satellites into orbit. I believe that GPS 2R-20 (20 again) will be the 47th GPS spaceship to be launched into service.
If you are up early enough and are not on your way to work then you can watch the launch live on the Internet on the United Launch Alliance webcast at http://www.ulalaunch.com/Delta_II_GPS_IIR-20.html I am not sure what time it will go live though.
You can also follow the launch on twitter from SpaceFlightNow.
If you are not able to watch it then you can see a report and video of the GPS 2R-17 launch here.
[Edited to add WebCast actual URL and Spaceflight now Twitter.] _________________ Mike Barrett
Last edited by MikeB on Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:04 am; edited 2 times in total |
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MikeB Frequent Visitor
Joined: 20/08/2002 11:51:57 Posts: 3859 Location: Essex, UK
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:37 am Post subject: |
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This is the mission "patch" for the launch project.
and yes that is Mighty Mouse in the centre logo...
This is a schematic of the Delta II rocket detailing all the components including the GPS spacecraft.
This diagram shows the planned trajectory of the rocket as it ascends to its target orbit. _________________ Mike Barrett |
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gatorguy6996 Frequent Visitor
Joined: Feb 16, 2008 Posts: 695 Location: Florida, USA
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:53 am Post subject: |
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That's worth getting up for, since with clear skies I'll see the live launch. Night launches here are pretty impressive, but don't happen much anymore. _________________ Garmin 1695 / 255 / 760 w/MSN - Droid w/Google nav + Navigon - Navigon 8100T - Dakota10 - GPSMap76C - GeoMate Jr. |
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MikeB Frequent Visitor
Joined: 20/08/2002 11:51:57 Posts: 3859 Location: Essex, UK
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:00 am Post subject: |
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gatorguy6996 wrote: | That's worth getting up for, since with clear skies I'll see the live launch. Night launches here are pretty impressive, but don't happen much anymore. |
Hi Gatorguy, what city do you live in?
The best place to watch Delta II launches are from Jetty Beach, but I suppose that info is too late for you now.
Watching a night launch is quite spectacular. I saw one in February when a secret spy satellite was put up. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48-WU7jIyLE for my launch video taken from Port Canaveral. I was about 6 miles from the launch pad checking the status of the flight on twitter so I knew when it was going to launch. _________________ Mike Barrett |
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MikeB Frequent Visitor
Joined: 20/08/2002 11:51:57 Posts: 3859 Location: Essex, UK
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:23 am Post subject: |
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Just 68 minutes after the on-time lift off from Launch Complex 17A in Cape Canaveral the spaceship designated GPS IIR-20 was successfully deployed. We watched the launch live on the United Launch Alliance webcast, to see a perfect night time launch of a Delta 2 rocket.
The Delta 2 launches can be seen by the public from a location about 6 miles away at Jetty Beach, Port Canaveral. This gives a perfect view of all but the base of the launch vehicle.
The Delta 2 spacecraft have had 140 missions a large proportion of them have been GPS satellites, and have had 87 consecutive successful launches.
"Congratulations to the Air Force and all of our mission partners on today's successful GPS satellite launch," said Jim Sponnick, United Launch Alliance's vice president of the Delta Product Line. "One third of the 140 successful Delta 2 launches have been dedicated to GPS satellites. The ULA Delta team is extremely proud of the role we've played in launching this incredible satellite constellation. During the past two decades, GPS has changed how people navigate around their neighborhoods and around the globe. GPS has also greatly improved military operations as well as numerous maritime, aircraft and business operations worldwide." _________________ Mike Barrett |
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dhn Frequent Visitor
Joined: Oct 08, 2007 Posts: 2544 Location: Toronto CANADA
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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Gatorguy lives in the Lakeland/Winter Haven area of Florida, east of Tampa.. _________________ David |
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MikeB Frequent Visitor
Joined: 20/08/2002 11:51:57 Posts: 3859 Location: Essex, UK
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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dhn wrote: | Gatorguy lives in the Lakeland/Winter Haven area of Florida, east of Tampa.. |
Not far from where I go to in Florida: Davenport/Haines City, a few miles down the I4. It is about a 90 minute drive to Cape Canaveral from there. _________________ Mike Barrett |
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Andy_P Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jun 04, 2005 Posts: 19991 Location: West and Southwest London
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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MikeB wrote: |
...and yes that is Mighty Mouse in the centre logo... |
And isn't that the TomTom car symbol on it's way to the stars?
Another IQ routing cock-up? |
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gatorguy6996 Frequent Visitor
Joined: Feb 16, 2008 Posts: 695 Location: Florida, USA
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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And setting the alarm for 4:15 PM did not work well at all _________________ Garmin 1695 / 255 / 760 w/MSN - Droid w/Google nav + Navigon - Navigon 8100T - Dakota10 - GPSMap76C - GeoMate Jr. |
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matthewj Frequent Visitor
Joined: Apr 03, 2006 Posts: 751
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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FWIW, watching one of these launches from Jetty Beach is simply amazing, and well worth organising a trip to the space centre for if you are able to coordinate a trip to Florida with a launch. I videoed the launch we watched, but you cannot capture the amazing noise or brightness of the rocket flame that you get in real life.
The locals said that the rocket launches are not too busy, but shuttles fill the whole camp ground.
And of course the space centre is good too - worth budgeting two days for as you can't see it all in a day. |
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