LIVE NOW: Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) launch on Delta II

[FishInferno]

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#.VMozly4Xvf0

Launch is at 9:20 ET

[sgt_flyer]

launch scrubbed - delayed for 24h

- from what i heard, the scrub was due to high altitude winds.

[Streetwind]

Well, at least the rocket will be extra clean!

(get it, get it?)

[Tommygun]

launch scrubbed - delayed for 24h

- from what i heard, the scrub was due to high altitude winds.

Good, I over slept and would have missed it.

Now I just need to find my tripod for tomorrow and hope for no coastal fog.

[Frida Space]

Launch now expected no earlier than Saturday at 9:20:42 AM EST.

[epoca]

T-2 hours and counting!

[Tommygun]

I found this video of how it's antenna unfolds and scans, it's a pretty unusual layout.

I think I read that it takes two days to unfold everything.

Edited January 31, 2015 by Tommygun

[epoca]

T-10 minutes and counting. SMAP & NASA are GO, weather is still RED due to high winds, but new data could clear the Delta II rocket for liftoff. New launch time is now 14:22 UTC, 9:22 am EST.

- - - Updated - - -

Winds are now green, control team is GO for launch at 9:22!

- - - Updated - - -

Liftoff!! Mach 1.

[astropapi1]

Nice to see the Delta II flying again, thought it had been retired.

[Camacha]

I tuned in within the last minute. It was a pretty underwhelming launch though, but nice to see anyway.

[epoca]

Yes, nothing too spectacular (it vanished through the clouds something like 10 seconds after liftoff ) but my first Atlas II launch, so for me it was kinda special. I love its "vintage" look.

[Tommygun]

This photo brought to you by coastal morning clouds.......

Seventy percent of the sky was clear except the part over Vandenberg launch area. Ugh.

Well I wasn't the only one up early to watch. There was a surprisingly large owl watching and an unknown number of hungry coyotes in the nearby brush.

[Camacha]

but my first Atlas II launch, so for me it was kinda special. I love its "vintage" look.

I hate to burst your bubble, since you are so enthousiastic, but it is a Delta II. The shape is still pretty nice, though.

Edited January 31, 2015 by Camacha

[epoca]

I hate to burst your bubble, since you are so enthousiastic, but it is a Delta II. The shape is still pretty nice, though.

No problem, I actually meant to type Delta II, not Atlas II Either way, thanks!

[lajoswinkler]

I've caught this now. Click for larger screenshots.

I've never seen solar panels opening live. It was quite fast.

[mythbusters844]

I saw it this morning from where I live near Oxnard. It was amazing. The sky was COMPLETELY clear and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. It started out as a relatively long fireball that ascended and expanded, which turned into a small red dot when the 3 SRBs burned out. Then something awesome happened: the first stage started making this contrail:

What was cool about it was that it got larger as the vehicle ascended and immediately cut out at MECO. Here's a picture a few minutes later:

And one by my friend:

It was great.

[Ikaneko]

No problem, I actually meant to type Delta II, not Atlas II Either way, thanks!

It's very much less cool. A little less longevity.

Still, you lucky little **** in the US to get snaps of rocket contrails.

Thatcher ensured I couldn't. What I would give to even see its trail.

[LordFerret]

I saw it this morning from where I live near Oxnard. It was amazing. The sky was COMPLETELY clear and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. It started out as a relatively long fireball that ascended and expanded, which turned into a small red dot when the 3 SRBs burned out. Then something awesome happened: the first stage started making this contrail:

http://i.imgur.com/oOtgDrr.jpg

What was cool about it was that it got larger as the vehicle ascended and immediately cut out at MECO. Here's a picture a few minutes later:

http://i.imgur.com/X1TcZL4.jpg

And one by my friend:

http://i.imgur.com/X8kl71x.jpg

It was great.

Nice shot. Careful though, out there in CA you'll have them all screaming about Chemtrails.

[Kryten]

Thatcher ensured I couldn't. What I would give to even see its trail.

Unless you happen to live near Woomera, thatcher doesn't have an awful lot to do with it.

[Ikaneko]

Unless you happen to live near Woomera, thatcher doesn't have an awful lot to do with it.

I guess. Just bitter about the cancellation.

[Camacha]

Nice shot. Careful though, out there in CA you'll have them all screaming about Chemtrails.

They do that everywhere. I love it when someone claims the line patterns are either parallel or cross each other and that this is proof that they are chemtrails

[epoca]

I've never seen solar panels opening live. It was quite fast.

Here's a replay if you wanna see it again

[Frida Space]

I'm sorry to revive a dead thread, but I just wanted to give a mission update: SMAP's radar instrument has been hit by an anomaly.

Press release

[Scotius]

Another one? What is going on in the space? Glitches all over O.o Kraken took a residence somewhere, attracted by growing amounts of space junk we are producing?

[Frida Space]

Another one? What is going on in the space? Glitches all over O.o Kraken took a residence somewhere, attracted by growing amounts of space junk we are producing?

I know, that's exactly what I thought! Either that or they're much more comfortable than before at announcing glitches and such.