First Vandenberg Delta 4H Launch Photos |
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First Vandenberg Delta 4H Launch Photos |
 Jan 23 2011, 01:00 AM
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#1
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 Merciless Robot  Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602  |
These pictures from Spaceflightnow.com are, uh, interesting...
 ...my jaw hit the floor, frankly.
-------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Jan 23 2011, 01:06 AM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1582 Joined: 14-October 05 From: Vermont Member No.: 530 |
I was wondering why the insulation caught fire, and it looks like a good place for informed speculation was over at nasaspaceflight.com. Some guy name ugordan posts over there, too
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Jan 23 2011, 01:16 AM
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#3
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1281 Joined: 18-December 04 From: San Diego, CA Member No.: 124 |
Wow - very cool! What is the reason for the "cajun blackened" coating again? It looks like they do some burn off right at launch....
-------------------- Lyford Rome
"Zis is not nuts, zis is super-nuts!" Mathematician Richard Courant on viewing an Orion test |
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Jan 23 2011, 02:54 AM
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#4
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
The net effect is disconcerting, to say the least! That is one hell of a fire-breathing beast of a rocket.
-------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Jan 23 2011, 11:43 AM
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#5
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523 |
To be honest, the only really unexpected bit was that the tank interstage areas (painted white) caught fire. I'm thinking they'll want to change to a different paint there. The charring of the orange foam and some burning around the engines are both expected and go back to the first Delta IV. The blackening of the rocket looks dramatic on a Heavy, but then again this is only the 2nd daytime launch of the thing since its maiden flight 6 years ago.
Here's the launch highlights video (13 MB) so you can watch it in motion. -------------------- |
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Jan 23 2011, 10:33 PM
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#6
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Thanks, Gordan; looks slightly less alarming in motion!
 Re the fire @ the interstage: Was that possibly a fallen trapped piece of burning insulation? -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Jan 24 2011, 07:49 AM
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#7
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Member Group: Members Posts: 890 Joined: 18-November 08 Member No.: 4489 |
the fire looks like a small bit of fuel vapor that leaked ( normal leaking )
from the way it works up the side [attachment=23699:shot0001.jpg][attachment=23700:shot0002.jpg][attachment=23701: shot0003.jpg] |
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Jan 24 2011, 08:12 AM
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#8
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14431 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
QUOTE (JohnVV @ Jan 23 2011, 11:49 PM)  the fire looks like a small bit of fuel vapor that leaked It happens with every D4-Heavy - it's the exact same thing every time. It's scary, it's photogenic, and it's basically - supposed to happen. A leak infers something wrong...but this is entirely nominal. |
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Jan 24 2011, 08:56 AM
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#9
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523 |
Technically, it's not supposed to happen - the engineers didn't put in a requirement to have the rocket set itself on fire.
It was realized it would be this way back when the RS-68 engine was in development and in test firings. The vehicle was engineered around living through that. ULA/PWR are looking into reducing the fireball as well as limiting the huge amount of helium the engine gulps during startup. These are just side-effects of the engine being purposely designed to be cheap. -------------------- |
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