Nh - The Launch Thread - Unmanned Spaceflight.com

Nh - The Launch Thread, Godspeed little one

djellison View Member Profile	Jan 16 2006, 03:08 PM Post #1
Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14432 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1	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.... QUOTE 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!

Replies (75 - 89)

JRehling View Member Profile	Jan 17 2006, 04:59 PM Post #76
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2530 Joined: 20-April 05 Member No.: 321	Little table of when each world got its first launch: Moon 1959 Venus 1962 Mars 1964 Jupiter 1972 Mercury 1973 Saturn 1973 Uranus 1977 Neptune 1977 Pluto 2006 It's about time!

Guest_PhilCo126_*	Jan 17 2006, 05:00 PM Post #77
Guests	Yes TomaB that's Dr Carolyn PORCO for sure: http://ww.planetary.org/saturn/whoswho.htm ( By The Way where did You get that photo ... is it online ? ) I'm afraid ljk4-1 is right about the media ... That Atlas V looks awesome ! Checking NASA TV footage right now http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

Toma B

Jan 17 2006, 05:05 PM

Post #78

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QUOTE (PhilCo126 @ Jan 17 2006, 08:00 PM)

Yes TomaB that's Dr Carolyn PORCO for sure:
( By The Way where did You get that photo ... is it online ? )

Yes it is...ups!!!
Here!!!
Meanwhile:
The first stage's bronze skin is icing over as the super-cold liquid oxygen continues to flow into the vehicle.
Rocket is turning white...see?

--------------------

The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful.
Jules H. Poincare

My "Astrophotos" gallery on flickr...

ugordan View Member Profile	Jan 17 2006, 05:09 PM Post #79
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523	QUOTE (odave @ Jan 17 2006, 05:56 PM) No streaming allowed in the building, so it's text-based launch observing for me. I knew I should have marked that that time in Outlook as "unavailable". I can already imagine "This is Atlas launch con... BUFFERING... 1 0 liftoff... BUFFERING... first stage performance looks... BUFFERING... etc etc etc..." -------------------- www.flickr.com/photos/ugordan

MahFL View Member Profile	Jan 17 2006, 05:11 PM Post #80
Forum Contributor Group: Members Posts: 1372 Joined: 8-February 04 From: North East Florida, USA. Member No.: 11	No streaming here either, just refreshing webcam pics. http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countd.../video45lh.html

odave View Member Profile	Jan 17 2006, 05:14 PM Post #81
Member Group: Members Posts: 510 Joined: 17-March 05 From: Southeast Michigan Member No.: 209	Thanks for the link - better than nothing! -------------------- --O'Dave

Guest_PhilCo126_*	Jan 17 2006, 05:17 PM Post #82
Guests	Waiting for a Meteo report... At Minus 1 Hour ... there were some 35 knots winds ...

Toma B

Jan 17 2006, 05:24 PM

Post #83

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T-1hour...

Looks sunny...

--------------------

The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful.
Jules H. Poincare

My "Astrophotos" gallery on flickr...

Guest_PhilCo126_*	Jan 17 2006, 05:31 PM Post #84
Guests	Pitty Dr Clyde TOMBAUGH can't see this but I believe some of his family memebers are at the launch site The launch vehicle is almost completely white but still winds over 33 knots ... Watching it closely, the scheduled T-4 minutes hold will be a critical moment

lyford View Member Profile	Jan 17 2006, 05:45 PM Post #85
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1281 Joined: 18-December 04 From: San Diego, CA Member No.: 124	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! -------------------- Lyford Rome "Zis is not nuts, zis is super-nuts!" Mathematician Richard Courant on viewing an Orion test

MahFL

Jan 17 2006, 05:54 PM

Post #86

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Border line winds.

MahFL View Member Profile	Jan 17 2006, 05:55 PM Post #87
Forum Contributor Group: Members Posts: 1372 Joined: 8-February 04 From: North East Florida, USA. Member No.: 11	Winds seems to be dropping bit

Guest_PhilCo126_*	Jan 17 2006, 05:58 PM Post #88
Guests	Winds 25 knots ... gusts 33 knots But there's an issue with a drain valve on a LOX tank

Toma B View Member Profile	Jan 17 2006, 06:01 PM Post #89
Member Group: Members Posts: 648 Joined: 9-May 05 From: Subotica Member No.: 384	QUOTE (MahFL @ Jan 17 2006, 08:55 PM) Winds seems to be dropping bit Is there a bit clearer picture...I can't see numbers... -------------------- The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful. Jules H. Poincare My "Astrophotos" gallery on flickr...

MahFL View Member Profile	Jan 17 2006, 06:03 PM Post #90
Forum Contributor Group: Members Posts: 1372 Joined: 8-February 04 From: North East Florida, USA. Member No.: 11	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

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