[X] My Assistant

[Redstone]

NASA Press Release
APL press release
Space.com Article

Coming up...
October: communications checks
November: hydrazine loading and Atlas V countdown rehearsal
December: integration with Atlas V
January: LAUNCH!

No pictures on the KSC webcams yet.

But still pictures here.


Is that the flight RTG attached to the spacecraft? Or just a dummy?

[Guest_BruceMoomaw_*]

You got any word on how serious the possible storm damage to the booster was, Alan?

[Alan Stern]

Bruce- It's only superficial. The threat to launch is the possible Boeing strike.

-Alan

[BPCooper]

The Boeing strike should have no effect on NH processing (and certainly not Atlas processing). Like I said, there was no damage to the booster itself, only some ground equipment.

[BPCooper]

The Boeing strike should have no effect on NH processing (and certainly not Atlas processing). Like I said, there was no damage to the booster itself, only some ground equipment.

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av010/051102srbreplace.html

Article noting the SRB replacement. This differs from what I was told, in fact it differs from what KSC PAO said (that there was no noticible anything, even a scuff, on the rocket and that the SRB replacement was purely for precaution). Apparently there was a tiny ding.

Regardless, they said today there will be no impact to the launch date.

[BPCooper]

I had the privelege to go inside the clean room at the PHSF today to photograph New Horizons, and I thought I would share my photos:

http://www.launchphotography.com/NewHorizonsProcessing.html

It was a pleasure meeting Alan and the other members of the NH/APL team.

[mchan]

I had the privelege to go inside the clean room at the PHSF today to photograph New Horizons, and I thought I would share my photos:

http://www.launchphotography.com/NewHorizonsProcessing.html

It was a pleasure meeting Alan and the other members of the NH/APL team.

Great photos. Thanks for sharing.

For seeing the launch in person, is the view better from Jetty Park or from along the Indian River due west of complex 41?

What is the launch azimuth for the NH launch?

Thanks,
Mike

[mcaplinger]

For seeing the launch in person, is the view better from Jetty Park or from along the Indian River due west of complex 41?

I don't know for sure, but I think the view from Jetty Park of LC41 would be pretty bad. LC41 is way north, very close to LC39. I would think any good site for a Shuttle launch would be better for LC41. It's not like a Delta launch, where the view from Jetty Park is probably as good as from the VIP site.

We watched the MRO launch from the causeway site and it was OK.

[BPCooper]

I don't know for sure, but I think the view from Jetty Park of LC41 would be pretty bad.  LC41 is way north, very close to LC39.  I would think any good site for a Shuttle launch would be better for LC41.  It's not like a Delta launch, where the view from Jetty Park is probably as good as from the VIP site.

We watched the MRO launch from the causeway site and it was OK.

No, not Jetty Park, you cannot see the pad from there.

Your best bet is Port Canaveral/cruise ship terminals, outside of CCAFS Gate 1. That is the closest spot at about 12 miles away.

Alternatively you could watch from Titusville along the river, but that is nearly 14 miles away. Unfortunately 41 is the furthest pad for watching a launch from if you are viewing outside the gates.

Playalinda Beach/MINWR had been open for every Atlas 5 launch through Inmarsat earlier this year...it's just 4.5 miles from the pad out there (almost as close as the press site is). But at MRO, NASA had it closed. So presumably, if it's a NASA payload NASA will order all of KSC property closed including Playalinda.