Updates Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Updates

[Star Voyager]

At Cape Canveral, an Atlas V emerged from the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) at LC-41. It will carry NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) tommorrow at 10:26 a.m. EST. Here are some links:

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av021/status.html

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av021/100125ascent.html

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av021/100125groundtrack.html

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

http://www.ulalaunch.com/launch/sdo/SDO_MOB.pdf

http://www.ulalaunch.com/AtlasV_SDO.html

 

[Jer95]

Weather go % is 40 down from 60.. hope NASA won't scrub it!

 

[BrianJ]

T-1hr 15mins and counting. Good luck SDO. Looking forward to some super-hi-res pics of the Sun soon!

 

[Logifech]

Yes Brian you are right Good Luck SDO

 

[Star Voyager]

Wind velocity is 26-28 kts., which is well above the limit, but LCC is still carrying out tanking operations.

---------- Post added at 10:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 AM ----------

T-4 minutes and holding. A wind gust was reported at 32 kts., 12 kts. over the limit. The weather officer reported that there will be a very gradual decline in wind speed.

---------- Post added at 10:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 AM ----------

Hold extended 10 minutes due to winds at the pad.

---------- Post added at 10:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 AM ----------

New launch time: 10:56 a.m. EST, meaning an additional 10 minutes has been added to the hold.

---------- Post added at 10:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 AM ----------

Launch time extended to the end of the window: 11:26 a.m. EST.

 

[lennartsmit]

Proceeding with the count!

 

[Star Voyager]

All system's are "go" for launch! Here are some stats:

The 602nd launch for Atlas program since 1957
The 316th Atlas to occur from Cape Canaveral
The 20th launch of an Atlas 5 since 2002
The 18th Atlas 5 to occur from the Cape
The 12th Atlas 5 under United Launch Alliance
The 10th Atlas 5 to fly in the 401 configuration
NASA's fourth use of the Atlas 5 family
The 1st Atlas launch of 2010

 

[Andy44]

T_4 min? Found this thread just in time!

 

[Star Voyager]

Launch wind loads just stopped the count at T-3:59. It's a scrub!

 

[orb]

T_4 min? Found this thread just in time!

It was commented also in the ChatBox:
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/misc.php?do=cchatbox

---------- Post added at 17:30 ---------- Previous post was at 17:27 ----------

Tomorrow's launch window extends from 10:23 to 11:23 a.m. EST (15:23 to 16:23 UTC).

 

[SiberianTiger]

Ok, cool, but is there a live coverage (for the next attempt, I mean)?

 

[Andy44]

I imagine ULA's website will host the video again.

 

[DaveS]

I imagine ULA's website will host the video again.

And NASA TV as it's NASA payload.

 

[Star Voyager]

Spaceflightnow is in the above links. It provides non-delayed video coverage, unlike ULA's link. Here are some photos of the rollout 2 days ago:

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av021/rollout/

---------- Post added 02-11-10 at 10:06 AM ---------- Previous post was 02-10-10 at 03:34 PM ----------

Wind as at 15-18 kts. at T-6:30 minutes. Additional to the stats above, this is the 100th Atlas rocket to carry a Centaur upperstage. All systems remain "go" at this time.

---------- Post added at 10:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:06 AM ----------

Atlas and Centaur fuel levels are now flight ready. We're at T-4 minutes holding.

---------- Post added at 10:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:09 AM ----------

SDO now on internal power. Launch is about to come out of the hold.

---------- Post added at 10:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:13 AM ----------

All flight controllers say "go" for launch!

---------- Post added at 10:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 AM ----------

T-4 minutes and counting!

---------- Post added at 10:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:18 AM ----------

First stage sep, Centaur ignition, fairing sep. Everything is still go at T+4:40 minutes.

---------- Post added at 10:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:28 AM ----------

All data coming into the Antigua tracking station.

---------- Post added at 10:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:32 AM ----------

14,500 mph. 1500 miles down AMR, all systems performing nominal. TDRSS now relaying data as Antigua has LOS at T+10 minutes.

---------- Post added at 10:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:34 AM ----------

MECO 1 for Centaur, putting both spacecraft in a 109 x 4,250 statute mile orbit.

 

[Urwumpe]

MECO 1 for Centaur, putting both spacecraft in a 109 x 4,250 statute mile orbit.

4250??? The telemetry showed half of that.

 

[DaveS]

4250??? The telemetry showed half of that.

The TLM was showing the apogee and perigee altitudes in nautical miles, not statute miles.

 

[Star Voyager]

I thought Spaceflightnow said statute. Are you sure it's nautical?

 

[Urwumpe]

The TLM was showing the apogee and perigee altitudes in nautical miles, not statute miles.

Oh ok, I thought it was displayed in km. :lol:

 

[Star Voyager]

Good launch replay:

---------- Post added 02-12-10 at 06:26 AM ---------- Previous post was 02-11-10 at 05:37 PM ----------

Some great pictures here of yesterday's launch:

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av021/launch/

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av021/remotes/

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av021/press/

 

[Bj]

Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory returns first images

http://news.bbc.co.uk

Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory has provided an astonishing new vista on our turbulent star.
The first public release of images from the satellite record huge explosions and great looping prominences of gas.
The observatory's super-fine resolution is expected to help scientists get a better understanding of what drives solar activity.
Launched in February on an Atlas rocket from Cape Canaveral, SDO is expected to operate for at least five years.
Researchers hope in this time to go a long way towards their eventual goal of being able to forecast the effects of the Sun's behaviour on Earth.

It's like looking at the details of our star through a microscope

Richard Harrison, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

Solar activity has a profound influence on our planet. Huge eruptions of charged particles and the emission of intense radiation can disrupt satellite, communication and power systems, and pose a serious health risk to astronauts.
Scientists working on SDO say they are thrilled with the quality of the data received so far.
"When we see these fantastic images, even hard-core solar physicists like myself are struck with awe, literally," said Lika Guhathakurta, the SDO programme scientist at Nasa Headquarters.

SDO sees the Sun's whole disc but can then zoom in to view fine detail

Wow