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Minotaur I/ORS-3 Launch 11/19.

Motokid600

By Motokid600
in Science & Spaceflight

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Motokid600

Motokid600

Posted
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http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/MissionUpdates/MinotaurI_ORS-3/

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Another rocket from Orbital Science is to go off from Wallops, Virginia tomorrow night at 7:30 est. Its good to see OS keeping busy in space. Commercial spaceflight seems to be building some steam and if I dare say a trend could be developing.

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This thing is tiny with a max payload of 1,278lbs. Just over a half ton. And with four stages of solid rocket fuel Im tempted to make something like this in ksp. But not just becasuse of that. The interesting part..

"The primary payload for the ORS-3 mission is the U.S. Air Force STPSat-3 spacecraft. In addition, the rocket will deploy 28 cubesats and carry two non separating tertiary payloads. Among the cubesats being launched is TJ3Sat, the first satellite built by high school students to be launched into space. Orbital employees advised the students who designed and built TJ3Sat and the company provided technical and financial assistance to the program."

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http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/MissionUpdates/MinotaurI_ORS-3/TJ3Sat/

28 of these little things are being deployed at once. And apparently you can text the satellite and tune into its radio station. Am I reading that right? Seems like a great outreach program.

I really like OS for what they do in Wallops, VA. I happen to live in south Jersey so I can watch every launch from my backyard clear as day. My first one was LADEE and it was spectacular. MUCH larger rocket though... The Minotaur I wont put on as good a show, but it does have four stages of smokey fuel, launches at night and on a very clear night. Cant wait.

Edited by Motokid600
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lazarus1024

lazarus1024

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http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/19/tech/innovation/multi-satellite-launch/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Just a heads up to those in the mid atlantic. Should be awesome weather in the Maryland/Virginia/Deleware area to view the launch.

Last one we managed to catch it about 10 seconds after launch, but it didn't come in to the clear until it was already about 45s up and starting its gravity turn.

Also since it is an earlier launch I can get my kids to watch it. Going to go for watching it on my roof this time for a clearer view.

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Kryten

Kryten

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If this launches on time, it'll set the record for most satellites put up on a single launch. If it's delayed, however, it won't, which is why Orbital aren't mentioning it much-there's a Russian Dnepr launch tomorrow/the day after with even more.

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Kryten

Kryten

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Why is it they need to deploy so many? Makes me think of the movie Twister with the cans full of sensors they deployed :P So far the only reason I can see them delaying the launch are winds. It's very gusty here in the northeast today.

The number of sats is pretty much because launches into LEO (where the vast majority of these tiny secondary sats are designed to go) aren't that common, and the numbers being built and people are buying launch slots for are pretty high and getting higher.

Weather down here is okay, as you said, but they're having issues with space weather-solar storm is causing levels of x-rays over the launch site above acceptable limits. That might settle down in time for launch, but it's not clear.

EDIT: X-rays 'no longer an issue', on track for launch at planned time.

Edited by Kryten
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jjwb22101

jjwb22101

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I'm a student at TJ (the High School Satellite). I did a small amount of work on the project (nothing major, just helped with a few uplink glitches), and I'm really excited to see it here. GODSPEED TJ3SAT!

There's a countdown on my school newspaper's website. http://www.tjtoday.org/ Currently T-1 hour 25 minutes to launch!

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Kryten

Kryten

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The launch should be streamed here, though I'm not sure when exactly the stream should start. EDIT: An issue with one of the tracking stations has resolved, they're now reporting '100% probability of acceptable for launch'.

EDIT 2: The stream is up now, but the issue hasn't actually been resolved. Countdown is being held at t-1 hour.

Edited by Kryten
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Kryten

Kryten

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So how will deploying a couple dozen small chunks of metal into the same orbit at the same time not result in collisions?

The secondaries are being pushed away from the rocket body by spring-loaded dispensers-given their small sizes, that gives enough difference in orbital paths to prevent collisions.

Still holding at one hour. The window ends at 9:15. So what happens when it turns 8:15 and there still on hold?

It gets scrubbed. They'll probably attempt again within the week.

Edited by Kryten
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