LISA Pathfinder

[Frida Space]

We are less than two days away from LISA Pathfinder's launch! If you haven't heard of this mission yet, LISA Pathfinder is an ESA mission that will test the technologies required to detect gravitational waves, ripples in spacetime - the fabric of the Universe - predicted by Einstein. So it's more of an engineering-experimental mission than a scientific mission, but nevertheless it's incredibly fascinating, at least IMHO.

LISA Pathfinder will launch at 4:15 am GMT from Kourou, French Guyana, on top of the 6th Vega launcher. After insertion in an inital orbit of 200x1540 km, 6.5°, it will conduct six apogee-raising maneouvres over two week's time and then begin a six week cruise to L1. It will be placed in a 500,000x800,000 km Lissajous orbit around L1, 1.5 million kilometers from Earth towards the Sun.

If you want to know more, I suggest visiting the mission website: sci.esa.int/lisa-pathfinder

 

Edited November 30, 2015 by Frida Space

[technion]

24 minutes ago, Frida Space said:

to detect gravitational waves, ripples in spacetime - the fabric of the Universe - predicted by Einstein

 

I'm always quite interested in these types of things - they can have some amazing outcomes.

At the risk of sounding dumb, what's L1?

[andrewas]

Lagrange point 1, a point between the earth and the moon where gravity balances to allow an object to orbit with the same period as the moon.

[Frida Space]

L1 is a Lagrangian point between the Sun and the Earth, 1.5 million kilometers from our planet towards our star.

[RainDreamer]

Related video:

 

Edited November 30, 2015 by RainDreamer

[Frida Space]

Now less than 20 hours to launch, a timeline is available at www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Operations/LISA_Pathfinder_launch_timeline. Link to webcast should be made public shortly.

[Frida Space]

Launch postponed

Press release:

Quote

During the final step of VV06 launch campaign, a technical issue on the Vega launch vehicle required additional analysis. The launch initially scheduled for December 2, 2015 is postponed.

ESA’s LISA Pathfinder spacecraft is in stable and safe conditions and the launcher teams are currently working on this technical issue.

A review of the results will take place tomorrow, leading to a decision for a possible launch on December 3.

 

Edited December 1, 2015 by Frida Space

[Hcube]

That's too bad :/ i hope the new launch window is during daytime in France though, i've never seen a live Vega launch and i bet it's awesome :)

[Frida Space]

Yea, especially if you're used to see the various Deltas or Arianes, Vega really skyrockets from the launchpad crazy fast.

[Frida Space]

According to Mark McCaughrean, "Update on possible 3 Dec launch will come around 17:00 UT / 18:00 CET / 14:00 Kourou tomorrow, 2 Dec."

Edited December 1, 2015 by Frida Space

[LordFerret]

Can't help but wonder; Where will the jettisoned propulsion module end up?

Edited December 2, 2015 by LordFerret

[SargeRho]

Heliocentric orbit, probably.

[Hcube]

21 hours ago, Frida Space said:

Yea, especially if you're used to see the various Deltas or Arianes, Vega really skyrockets from the launchpad crazy fast.

Actually, i looked into some numbers last time and i found approx the same numbers for TWR between Ariane 5 and Vega... I can't find them anymore but i got them from Arianespace and spaceflightnow, it was around 1.83 for both Vega and Ariane ! I'm sure it depends on the payload but maybe Vega just looks faster because it's smaller (or maybe the launch tower is smaller) ? 

While looking at it Ariane 5 really is fast at liftoff... I'll have to check the number again

[Frida Space]

New launch window: Thursday, December 3, 04:04 GMT (05:04 CET)

Edited December 2, 2015 by Frida Space

[Frida Space]

52 minutes ago, Hcube said:

Actually, i looked into some numbers last time and i found approx the same numbers for TWR between Ariane 5 and Vega... I can't find them anymore but i got them from Arianespace and spaceflightnow, it was around 1.83 for both Vega and Ariane ! I'm sure it depends on the payload but maybe Vega just looks faster because it's smaller (or maybe the launch tower is smaller) ? 

While looking at it Ariane 5 really is fast at liftoff... I'll have to check the number again

It might be just an impression, however I remember a launch commentator saying "You saw Vega rising like an arrow surprisingly fast if you're used to watching Ariane 5". This is the video link: http://youtu.be/pISmmemWmEc?t=55s (minute 0:55 roughly).

A few seconds later, he says "those of you who watch Ariane launches know that the Ariane launcher rises much more slowly."

Would be interesting to see a TWR comparison, however I couldn't find one. Might search better later

Edited December 2, 2015 by Frida Space

[WinkAllKerb'']

On 30/11/2015 12:12:02, technion said:

I'm always quite interested in these types of things - they can have some amazing outcomes.

At the risk of sounding dumb, what's L1?

yup yup

remind me this kind of 3dimf stuff (especially from the S90 N90 plane cut):

Thks for sharing

 

EDIT: live near @2:54:30 <3 <3 <3

"... next mission will be a big one with two three objects separate by million kilometer, this one is currently "mostly" testing materials ..." ,'')

 

 

Edited December 3, 2015 by WinkAllKerb''

[RuBisCO]

A highly sensitive space bound gravity wave detector will disprove/prove if we live in a halographic universe. 

[WinkAllKerb'']

as long as the cube arenb't too close too each other regarding measurement capactity of possible  disrupting forces balance between two entity, sending measurement signal time, and said wave size at higher inter distance ... it may highlight a few thing yup : )

Edited December 2, 2015 by WinkAllKerb''

[Delfinus]

On ‎12‎/‎1‎/‎2015‎ ‎12‎:‎52‎:‎59‎, Hcube said:

That's too bad :/ i hope the new launch window is during daytime in France though, i've never seen a live Vega launch and i bet it's awesome

Actually a lot of ESA rockets (If not all) launch from Kourou in French Guiana, a French territory in South America, It's used as it's very close to the Equator, which is preferable for rocket launches as you are not forced to only launch spacecraft into orbits at specific inclinations but rather have access to equatorial orbits and presumably a wide range of other orbits aswell.

TL-DR, They don't  launch it from France, they launch it from S. America.

Edited December 2, 2015 by DolphinDude3

[Frida Space]

7 minutes ago, DolphinDude3 said:

It's used as it's very close to the Equator, which is preferable for rocket launches as you are not forced to only launch spacecraft into orbits at specific inclinations but rather have access to equatorial orbits and presumably a wide range of other orbits aswell.

It's not that you can't get into an equatorial orbit from Cape Canaveral, it's just that it costs more in terms of DeltaV and fuel. But yes, I get what you mean, I'm just being nitpicking

However, the fact that equatorial launching sites are preferred is that at the equator, the rotational speed of the Earth is greatest.

Edited December 2, 2015 by Frida Space

[Delfinus]

15 minutes ago, Frida Space said:

It's not that you can't get into an equatorial orbit from Cape Canaveral, it's just that it costs more in terms of DeltaV and fuel. But yes, I get what you mean, I'm just being nitpicking

However, the fact that equatorial launching sites are preferred is that at the equator, the rotational speed of the Earth is greatest.

Thanks, Actually I was thinking of mentioning that but I had a brainfart and couldn't 100% remember whether the Poles or Equator rotated fastest, although I had a feeling it was the equator.

Edited December 2, 2015 by DolphinDude3

[fredinno]

28 minutes ago, Frida Space said:

It's not that you can't get into an equatorial orbit from Cape Canaveral, it's just that it costs more in terms of DeltaV and fuel. But yes, I get what you mean, I'm just being nitpicking

However, the fact that equatorial launching sites are preferred is that at the equator, the rotational speed of the Earth is greatest.

It's possibly the most ideal launch site in the world, being close to the equator, being able to launch both Polar and Equilateral, and not completely in the middle of nowhere, allowing for lower labour costs.

[Kryten]

12 minutes ago, fredinno said:

It's possibly the most ideal launch site in the world, being close to the equator, being able to launch both Polar and Equilateral, and not completely in the middle of nowhere, allowing for lower labour costs.

Alcantara is closer to the equator and also not in the middle of nowhere.

[Hcube]

51 minutes ago, DolphinDude3 said:

Actually a lot of ESA rockets (If not all) launch from Kourou in French Guiana, a French territory in South America, It's used as it's very close to the Equator, which is preferable for rocket launches as you are not forced to only launch spacecraft into orbits at specific inclinations but rather have access to equatorial orbits and presumably a wide range of other orbits aswell.

TL-DR, They don't  launch it from France, they launch it from S. America.

... I don't understand how your answer relates with my post. (I'm aware that the earth rotates faster at the equator but that has not much to do with the time of the livestream in a different timezone, does it?)

Btw : actually, Kourou isn't a french "territory" but is rather a proper whole region of France 

 

Looks like the window wasn't changed, i'll miss the live

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2015 by Hcube

[Hcube]

30 minutes ago, Kryten said:

Alcantara is closer to the equator and also not in the middle of nowhere.

But there is little infrastructure, very few launches and no plans for intensive activity like at Kourou, and if i remember correctly there are no plans to launch geostationary sats from there (even though it is indeed a better launch site than Kourou for GTO)

 

EDIT :sorry for the double post, but i wasn't able to multi-quote...

Edited December 2, 2015 by Hcube