Nh - The Launch Thread, Godspeed little one Options

[djellison]

I thought it was time, with the Atlas V about to roll out - for a new thread for NH for the launch etc.

Someone asked over at the HZ just how NH can go so fast, this was my reply....

How do you get a spacecraft to Jupiter in under a year? Easy. Make it very very light, and put it on a very very big rocket. The config of Atlas V rocket being used to launch NH (551 - 5m fairing, 5 solids, and one engine on the Centaur stage ) would typically put 8,670kg into GTO or 20,520 into LEO.
New Horizons is 478kg, and it's Star 48B 3rd stage is 2,137kg - so instead of hauling 20 tons, this vehicle is hauling about 2.5 tons thus you get a HUGE velocity out of it. AND, once it's done that, you have the final kick of the 48B, 591 thousand kgs-s (thus accelerating is all a further 3.5 - 4km/s ball park speed, if my maths is right)
At launch - the vehicle is 573,160kg. NH is 0.083% of it.
Imagine the Apollo entry capsule on top of a Saturn V...tiny tiny tiny... that was 5,800 kg on a 3,038,500kg rocket - 0.191% - more than double that percentage of NH. The cutaway's are almost comical, with this tiny gold-clad box on an enormous vehicle.
Basically - it's a LOT of rocket, and not a lot of payload.
For comparison, look how much fuss was made of Stardust that entered so quickly. It took >16 hrs to get from the distance of the moon to Utah. NH makes that journey in 9 hours
One thing the NH mission is not short of, is superlatives.

I'm not one for good luck charms (although I'll eat peanuts during a Martian EDL with the best of them), but this mission has been so long in coming, that it deserves every ounce of luck it can have - the best, most accurate launch possible, the cleanest checkout, and incident free cruise to Jupiter.

Goodluck and Godspeed little one, we're with you every step of the way.

Doug
PS - Alan, you're a credit to your field, spending so much time answering questions and writing the PI Perspectives, it's been a hell of a journey!

[lyford]

For those "at work" or with video player issues, you may be able to run the Java based cam viewer at:
http://countdown.ksc.nasa.gov/elv/public/
You do need a Java capable browser...

Godspeed, New Horizons!

[MahFL]

Border line winds.

[MahFL]

Winds seems to be dropping bit

[MahFL]

updated: 12:46 PM EST on January 17, 2006
Observed At: Titusville, Florida
Elevation: 33 ft / 10 m
[Mostly Cloudy]
75 °F / 24 °C
Mostly Cloudy
Wind: 13 mph / 20 km/h from the South
Wind Gust: 28 mph / 44 km/h

[ljk4-1]

NEWSALERT: Tuesday, January 17, 2005 @ 1658 GMT
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The latest news from Spaceflight Now


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


NEW HORIZONS READY TO GO
------------------------
A space probe tiny in size stands ready for blastoff today atop a massive
rocket from Cape Canaveral. It is bound for the outskirts of our solar
systems -- a journey stretching many years and billions of miles -- in
pursuit of exploration and discovery. Follow this historic launch of
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft aboard a Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 rocket in
our live status center:

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av010/status.html

MISSION VIDEO COVERAGE:

http://www.spaceflightnowplus.com/index.ph...to+New+Horizons


ATLAS 5 ROCKET ROLLS TO PAD ON EVE OF LAUNCH
--------------------------------------------
A grand adventure to explore the outer frontier of the solar system was
moved to the launch pad Monday morning for the final day of preparations
leading to blastoff.

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av010/060116rollout.html

IMAGES: MONDAY MORNING'S ROLLOUT
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av010/0601...t/rollout1.html


FIRST MISSION TO 9TH PLANET
---------------------------
New Horizons was built to become the first robotic explorer to visit Pluto
and probe the Kuiper Belt in the outskirts of the planetary neighborhood.
Check out this highly-detailed five-part preview story examining NASA's
New Horizons mission.

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av010/060114preview.html