Nh - The Launch Thread, Godspeed little one Options

[Guest_exobioquest_*]

Well that was fun, I got it all recorded on my DVR., the telemetry sim look erroneous some of the time with the rocket pointing almost strait down back at earth, but I guess that was just because someone was giving us a bad viewing angle.

No news yet from the anti-nuke nuts, I wonder if they will even acknowledge the launch was a success.

[Adam]

Yay, I missed it!

[helvick]

Yay, I missed it!

Then catch the Press conference it's on now.

BTW Alan has fantastic screen presence - he should do more press conferences.

I just love the comment about scientific text books.

[punkboi]

I wonder when the New Horizons website will have that "Where's the spacecraft now?" page posted up. I like those charts

[helvick]

PS - I hope my Alan comment is understood to be silly - though I would hope he considers us extended family

Quite - very like a pack of noisy children asking Why? Why? Why?

Anyway as one of the noisy children I am definitely in awe of Alan, John and the entire team and very much appreciate the time and effort they put aside to provide answers and updates to us.

[lyford]

The launch video is now archived on the NASA site for those who missed the festivities

[ljk4-1]

About this bit from the official NASA press release on the NH launch:

"Today, NASA began an unprecedented journey of exploration to the
ninth planet in the solar system," says Dr. Colleen Hartman, Deputy
Associate Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate,
Washington, D.C.

"Right now, what we know about Pluto could be written on the back of
a postage stamp. After this mission, we'll be able to fill textbooks with
new information."

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhoriz...main/index.html

A postage stamp? I know we won't know nearly as much about Pluto until 2015, but I think that is a bit of an exaggeration - unless the stamp is very large and we all write the info very tiny.

Speaking of stamps, note this commemoration of NH from St. Vincent:

http://www.espacelollini.com/intro/livredo...cent/serie1.php

And remember this one from the USA's planetary probe exploration series?

http://www.space.com/images/pluto_stamp_03.jpg

They'll have to change its caption in nine years. Wonder what a first-class stamp will cost then?

[BPCooper]

Absolutely thrilling launch. It was very fast, Delta 2 but bigger.

I had the privelege of watching from atop the Shuttle Launch Control Center (LCC), which has a great clear view of the pad.

Will post photos later.

[mchan]

Absolutely thrilling launch. It was very fast, Delta 2 but bigger.

I had the privelege of watching from atop the Shuttle Launch Control Center (LCC), which has a great clear view of the pad.

Will post photos later.

Looking forward to your photos.

On the subject of fast launches, what is the launch that is quickest accelerating in the first 30 seconds or so of flight when the sense of motion is most visible for the observer on the ground?

Subjectively, going by launch videos (which may not do justice to sense of speed vs. seeing the launch live), the quickest I have seen was the Delta 2 Heavy carrying Spitzer IR observatory.

[Guest_AlexBlackwell_*]

About this bit from the official NASA press release on the NH launch:

"Today, NASA began an unprecedented journey of exploration to the
ninth planet in the solar system," says Dr. Colleen Hartman, Deputy
Associate Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate,
Washington, D.C.

"Right now, what we know about Pluto could be written on the back of
a postage stamp. After this mission, we'll be able to fill textbooks with
new information."

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhoriz...main/index.html

A postage stamp?  I know we won't know nearly as much about Pluto until 2015, but I think that is a bit of an exaggeration - unless the stamp is very large and we all write the info very tiny.

I guess someone needs to dump a stack of Pluto-related papers on Hartman's desk, starting with the three articles in the January 5, 2006, issue of Nature. I'd like to see her fit those "on the back of a postage stamp."

Frankly, Hartman's comments are typical hyperbole from a NASA HQ "hubcap," similar to Ed Weiler's pre-MER EDL comments about Mars being a "death planet."

[Guest_paulanderson_*]

  It would be nice.  But when we get practically all of our money $30 at a time from one member or another (thanks all of you on UMSF who contribute to my paycheck! ), we can't really afford the 42-inch plasma...

It's a different story at home

--Emily

I'm just curious how many UMSF people here are also members of The Planetary Society, besides myself and, obviously, Emily? Anyone in this thread? Personally, I feel fortunate to be in both, with so much happening these days (is Carl watching I wonder...?). I'd also like to offer more volunteer assistance with TPS here in Canada, I just have a lot on the plate right now with other projects, but later this spring or summer might be better for me. In the meantime, just enjoying all the missions and developments, which are now a continuous marvel! Between the Stardust press briefing and the New Horizons launch, a good day today.

Great blog btw, Emily, and the new web site for TPS, looking good!

[BPCooper]

Looking forward to your photos.

On the subject of fast launches, what is the launch that is quickest accelerating in the first 30 seconds or so of flight when the sense of motion is most visible for the observer on the ground?

Subjectively, going by launch videos (which may not do justice to sense of speed vs. seeing the launch live), the quickest I have seen was the Delta 2 Heavy carrying Spitzer IR observatory.

You got it about right, Spitzer was the fastest in my time (exceeded by the couple of Athena's they launched, but I won't count those). I thought MESSENGER looked faster in person, but weight numbers say Spitzer should have had the edge in reality. My memory of Spitzer was probably just a bit off.

Today's was like a Delta 2 with nine solids (not Heavy though).

[Jeff7]

Well it's been about 8.5hrs since launch. Passing the Moon soon I assume?

[dvandorn]

Heck of a thread, guys -- heck of a thread.

I got home a little while ago, put on my cable box's DVR and watched the launch. Then I read the thread while watching the later launch phases and the replays.

MAN, that thing leapt off the pad, didn't it? The pad base cameras were astounding views -- that sucker just shivered, spewed fire and shot away, leaving a billowing column of orange-gray-black smoke. Magnificent!

The little poke through the two low clouds was fun right at the beginning, too. I love watching big rockets flying through clouds.

The SRB sep was just gorgeous -- all in all, the tracking was superb. (It ought to be, NASA paid some really big money to upgrade it all after Columbia, so they could track Shuttle launches with keen enough resolution to see what happens to the vehicle if foam rips off.) The view of the payload fairing sep was outstanding, as well -- in fact, I didn't feel at all cheated on this one by the lack of rocketcams. The tracking cameras were that good.

It was good to re-live the day with all of you through this thread, guys. Makes it more special.

-the other Doug

[kwan3217]

Now, I don't have any actual access to any real orbits or state vectors of New Horizons. This is an approximation done with Orbiter, from orbitersim.com. But, this approximate course does leave the Earth on time and arrive at Pluto on time. So, on with the numbers!

New Horizons made its closest approach to the Moon on 20 Jan 2006 03:35:36 UTC. At this point, it was 185482km from the surface of the Moon. This compares with 403100km for the distance from the center of the Earth to the center of the Moon.

New Horizons became farther from the Earth than the Moon on 20 Jan 2006 04:23:09 UTC. This represents a travel time from sitting on the ground in Florida of 9 hours 23 minutes. Or, about 8 hours 40 minutes from spacecraft separation.

We therefore see that New Horizons actually does get fairly close to the Moon, in fact quite a bit closer than you or me ever do. But, if it had launched something like 2 or 3 days later, it would have gotten very close to the Moon indeed. I wonder if there is a hole in the launch window, where it's too close to the Moon, such that the Moon's gravity would drag it too far off course?

Here are simulations of the pictures we wish NH could take, but can't.