ULA Delta Heavy IV Launch - August 28, 2013

[Mr Shifty]

ULA launch scheduled for this morning from Vandenberg at 10:52AM PST (local). The launch vehicle, named Victoria, is only the second DIV-H to be flown from Vandenberg and only the 7th overall since its introduction in 2002. They're launching a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload, which is mostly likely a Keyhole satellite to fill a gap in the KH-11 consellation:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/08/ula-delta-iv-h-launch-nrol-65/

SpaceflightNow should have live video nearer to the launch:

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d364/status.html

ULA will also host a livestream:

http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Webcast.shtml

Edited August 28, 2013 by Mr Shifty

[Moon Goddess]

They're launching a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload, which is mostly likely a Keyhole satellite to fill a gap in the KH-11 consellation:

]

That is one thing I dearly love about space, it's hard to keep secrets in space.

[Mr Shifty]

That is one thing I dearly love about space, it's hard to keep secrets in space.

Yeah, if you read the NASASpaceFlight article, it's pretty neat to see how amateurs can determine that given publicly available info: DIV-H launch capability, time of the launch, Notices to Airmen, launch site, etc

[Francesco]

Yeah, if you read the NASASpaceFlight article, it's pretty neat to see how amateurs can determine that given publicly available info: DIV-H launch capability, time of the launch, Notices to Airmen, launch site, etc

I have a question, are launch from Vandenberg considered to be more "secret" than those from Cape Canaveral?

that is, are classified payloads launched preferably from there?

[astropapi1]

Following right now.

[PakledHostage]

Here's a video from a previous Vandenberg Delta-IV Heavy launch while we're waiting for today's festivities:

[Kryten]

Unfortunately they say they're putting in a fix for the fireball issue (00:27), so it'll probably be rather less impressive.

[Mr Shifty]

I have a question, are launch from Vandenberg considered to be more "secret" than those from Cape Canaveral?

that is, are classified payloads launched preferably from there?

Pretty sure that launch sites are chosen based on mission characteristics, not on need for classification. Vandenberg launches are typically for polar orbits, while KSC is used for eastward launches.

[Mr Shifty]

Live coverage available now. Use links on OP.

[astropapi1]

Ugh... imperial system.

[PakledHostage]

Launch delayed to 11:03 PDT

[Kryten]

Out of hold, four minutes and counting.

[Kerbin Dallas Multipass]

Thanks for sharing!

[astropapi1]

Launch!

[Omicron314]

Awesome! Just caught it!

[henrik908]

Another Succesful Lift Off

[Mr Shifty]

That was actually pretty cool. We had four of us clustered around a PC screen eating our lunches and watching. Ran outside to see if we could see anything (from San Diego); perfect visibility today, but it's way too bright to see rocket engines from that distance -- no smoke trail for that LH2/LO2 fuel.

Looked like they still need to work on the fireball problem though.

Edited August 28, 2013 by Mr Shifty

[PakledHostage]

That was actually pretty cool. We had four of us clustered around a PC screen eating our lunches and watching. Ran outside to see if we could see anything (from San Diego); perfect visibility today, but it's way too bright to see rocket engines from that distance -- no smoke trail for that LH2/LO2 fuel.

I wondered if anything would have been visible from the LA area or the Channel Islands? Maybe with a telescope? From the graphics, it appeared to have been launched on a south easterly trajectory.

[roosterr]

Here you go:

[mythbusters844]

I saw it. I was 100 miles away in the Ventura area, and could see the exhaust cloud that was made, and a small gray smudge that was the rocket, but then it stopped making exhaust, and the smudge vanished, leaving the fire from the engines; it was a mere red dot though.

I was called to attention to it by walking to my third period class and teachers saying "HEY LOOK ITS OVER THERE, MRS.xxxxxxx IT'S THERE!" and I looked at it and everyone was like "wwooahh"

[Wesreidau]

An Air Force base would be better for a classified mission, although both facilities doubtlessly have extensive security.

This thing looks exactly like my heavy launch vehicle, as an aside.