Spot the Space Station

[day_trippr]

Ouchie!

Figuring out how far I'll need to drive from our house in Easton NH to get a 100% occlusion during April 8th's total eclipse and it won't be very far at all according to this map and the linked simulator. Our house will see just the barest non-occluded crescent, but 28 minutes up I-93 to "East Waterford" will be 100%...

https://eclipse2024.org/eclipse_cities/statemap.html

and

https://eclipse2024.org/eclipse-simulator/2024/index.html?city_id=25991

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

I will see about %93 percent if I stay home, well work actually. I'd have to drive about 4 or 5 hours northwest to get into %100 territory. It will come down to the weather for me to decide what I'll do, if it's looking clear I'll probably take my daughter out of school to drive west so we can watch it together.

 

[balrog]

I'm heading to my BIL in Syracuse, and he's picked a state park an hr NW that is on Lake Ontario which I don't think we'll get anywhere NEAR because of it's location in the path of totality but sure. I mean even Syracuse proper will be in the path of totality, so I'm trying to convince him not to drag me another hour away just to be at a spot of longest totality. And thanks for the two links, @day_trippr

 

[day_trippr]

Starship Flight 3 launch might happen next week...

https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-third-test-flight-objectives

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Starship Flight 3 launch might happen next week...

https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-third-test-flight-objectives

I watch the goings on at Starbase just about every day. Mid February, in Florida I was able to see three Falcon 9 launches. It's just incredible everything going on just with SpaceX.

 

[day_trippr]

They have an extraordinarily aggressive schedule for 2024: 148 launches at last count have been booked.
If I lived within eyesight of KSC I'd be in space geek heaven this year

Cheers!

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

They have an extraordinarily aggressive schedule for 2024: 148 launches at last count have been booked.
If I lived within eyesight of KSC I'd be in space geek heaven this year

Cheers!

For sure! I have been going to Merritt Island every six now to visit family and I've been fortunate to see at least one launch every trip. Getting over to Starbase would be the ultimate dream!

 

[Konadog]

As long as there night launches, I can watch the West Coast launches from my backyard. Close enough to see but not hear. It never gets old.

Watching a Starship launch would be incredible.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

They sure are busy at the Starbase. Lots going all over the property but especially preparation for a possible launch on March 14. I'll be ready to watch it, hope it's a success!

 

[day_trippr]

Starship launch approved for Thursday March 14 by the FAA. 110 minute launch window opens 8 AM ET.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/13/world/spacex-starship-test-flight-scn/index.html

And...

 

[passedpawn]

An excellent comparison of engines.

Especially interesting is the choice of fuel (e.g., methane vs RP1 or hydrogen). Mars comes into play. See this @ 29:00:

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Been sitting in front of my screens for an hour now waiting for the blessed event!

ITF-3, yahoo!!

 

[passedpawn]

If you've got a second screen, you can listen to Mr Chatty rambling about space. Live feed that will also show the launch and multiple views.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

If you've got a second screen, you can listen to Mr Chatty rambling about space. Live feed that will also show the launch and multiple views.

That would be great, but the rest of the household wouldn't be so happy! I don't understand why they don't find this so exciting. It's history in the making.

I use my dual 24 inch PC monitors which actually works better for me.

 

[passedpawn]

Thermal camera on starship indicates cold (liquid gas) LOX is being loaded. That's good, must not be any issues to delay launch. Hope weather holds out.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

OMG, what a great day!!

 

[passedpawn]

that plasma burn was nuts. Might have burned up

 

[day_trippr]

There's gonna be a whole lot of explaining what actually happened through the entire mission

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

I can't wait to see all the other video as it's processed. Showing pad shots now, crews heading out.

 

[day_trippr]

Been seeing random launch video segments and just now realized the grid fins on the booster were deployed the whole way UP.
Never seen that on the Falcon 9 cores. Wonder if that was an "oops" or somehow part of a testing regimen (stress?)

You can see them at the launch moment and beyond here...



There is so much data to unravel here. I'm hoping SpaceX puts together a coherent and comprehensive time line hopefully with time-matched video...

Cheers!

 

[Pkrd]

The grid fins apparently don’t add significant drag going up, having them fixed reduces complexity and weight.

That Starship re-entry footage was amazing.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Been seeing random launch video segments and just now realized the grid fins on the booster were deployed the whole way UP.
Never seen that on the Falcon 9 cores. Wonder if that was an "oops" or somehow part of a testing regimen (stress?)

You can see them at the launch moment and beyond here...



There is so much data to unravel here. I'm hoping SpaceX puts together a coherent and comprehensive time line hopefully with time-matched video...

Cheers!

On Starship the grid fins don't fold in like on Falcon. It's an odd thing, not sure why, you'd think that would considerable drag at launch.

 

[day_trippr]

I'm betting it's temporary and eventually as designs mature they'll fold when not needed.
Space is hard enough as it is without incurring stupid penalties in the actual game

Cheers!

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

After the first flight the media didn't have much out there. The second had more and loads of questions why it exploded so quick. Folks have so little clue that none of this existed a few years ago. Experimental doesn't seem to register.

So now we see the media taking notice but still lots of stupid comments.

 

[day_trippr]

The presenter is a bit annoying but this is fairly comprehensive take on Starship 3...

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

The presenter is a bit annoying but this is fairly comprehensive take on Starship 3...

Interesting about those brown pieces falling off. I saw a lot of stuff flying about but just thought it was ice.

Cool summary - Thanks for sharing!

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

After Thursday launch I couldn't contain myself!

 

[Konadog]

Makes me want to find my Apollo patches my grandfather gave me when I was a kid.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Makes me want to find my Apollo patches my grandfather gave me when I was a kid.

That would be really cool. You should have those framed, what a nice keepsake!

 

[Konadog]

He worked for Rockwell International building parts for the space program. He would bring home all kinds of things for us.

Now I have to clean the garage to find the bin that has the box that they might be stored in.

 

[day_trippr]

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

View attachment 844515

I'm in the NOPE zone . . . .

 

[day_trippr]

This apparently could happen any time...

https://news.yahoo.com/cosmic-explosion-visible-naked-eye-111125546.html

 

[day_trippr]

Test firing Star Ship engines for the 4th launch - which is looking like early May...

https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-static-fire-fourth-test-flight

 

[day_trippr]

ULA final Delta-4 Heavy launch coming up Thursday...

https://gizmodo.com/ula-delta-iv-heavy-rocket-final-launch-1851363682

 

[day_trippr]

SpaceX has a busy day planned for today...

https://www.space.com/spacex-launch-tripleheader-march-2024

 

[day_trippr]

BTW that ULA NROL70 launch plagued by pump failures has yet to be rescheduled...

 

[Konadog]

Forgot to post this one from 2 weeks ago from the back yard. Tonight's (if it happens) we won't see because it's raining.

 

[day_trippr]

1st mission completed apparently successfully including a perfect barge landing.


2nd mission is heating up on the pad...

 

[Konadog]

Two down, one to go!