Watching Orion launch from the air

I always wanted to watch space launch from the air. Since Orion launch is such a historical event I decided to give a try. December 4th was the first scheduled launch date. My wife and I took off at 6:45 am for a short flight to the space coast. We circled outside the restricted airspace following a C172 that arrived before us, for almost two hours until the launch was scrubbed. On the one hand it was an disappointment since we did not see the launch. But, on the other hand we saw the beautiful sunrise and it was worth the flight.








We flew on the west side of Indian River (restricted airspace is on the east side and the river is very wide) and over and north of Space Coast Regional).

The launch was rescheduled for the 5th (today). My wife could not go and I went on my own. I mounted a GoPro on the windshield with a propeller filter on. Again, tookoff at 6:45 am and flew toward Space Coast. Due to a cloud layer and rain just west of the launch site, the sky was not as beautiful as yesterday.


I noticed that there was another airplane doing the same thing as I was doing.


GoPro did not work too well due to low lighting condition.


Fortunately, the small camera I carried worked just fine.

http://youtu.be/6wwzzt5R7W4?list=UUlwJxEln-e_9ZIKIKKJpZqg

After the launch:


After watching the launch I went to New Smyrna Beach for fuel. It was the lowest I had for many years: $3.93/g. Life is not only good, it is great!

My lifetime dream

I am so jealous Ted! You know how fascinated I am about everything space. To watch a launch while airborne is very symbolic. Thanks for sharing with those who may never see it from RV.

Hey Ted,
Thanks for the video. I had thought about giving it a try but work gets in the way.
I checked the TFR's and restricted areas and was surprised they let us so close. I thought I remembered there being a 30 mile TFR in the past. Maybe that was only the Airforce launches.

MarkW said:

Hey Ted,
I checked the TFR's and restricted areas and was surprised they let us so close. I thought I remembered there being a 30 mile TFR in the past. Maybe that was only the Airforce launches.

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I have not seen R-2935 activated since I moved here three years ago. On the other hand, even when R-2935 was active, it begins at 3,000'.

Here is a link to footage of the event-----cool on ship video also.

Question for Paul or other NASA types out there, why three boosters in a row, instead of triangle???

Are these solid fuel boosters??

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152742459151336

Mike S said:

Here is a link to footage of the event-----cool on ship video also.

Question for Paul or other NASA types out there, why three boosters in a row, instead of triangle???

Are these solid fuel boosters??

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152742459151336

Click to expand...

I'm not Paul or Nasa, but I'd guess to allow additional strap-ons as needed for payload increases?

Standard Delta IV Heavy configuration which uses a core booster and two similarly sized port and starboard boosters to allow for increased payload capacity and performance. All three and the upper stage use LOX and LH2 for propellants.

Great flight today.


Gerry Peterson
Merritt Island, Fl

AlexPeterson said:

I'm not Paul or Nasa, but I'd guess to allow additional strap-ons as needed for payload increases?

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Yep, increase payload for sure.

But why in a row, not triangular configuration.

Guess that is why I am not a rocket scientist

Mike, what would support the second stage if the first stage boosters were a triangular configuration?

The footage referred to the center booster being throttled down for a portion as well, so this configuration eliminates asymmetric thrust during that phase.

A few years ago we watched the last night shuttle launch from 10,000ft over Orlando. It was spectacular!

Ted,

I was out there this morning too, having left Massey Ranch Airpark (X50) a little before 7 AM. Unfortunately for me, the beautiful sunrise sky disappeared and I was in a little rain shower at the time of the actual launch.

I also went up to New Smyrna Beach (EVB) after the launch, but just for one landing and then back to Massey.

Here are a couple of the shots I got....the sunrise pic and then the inside-the-rain-shower pic:
.

Arlen said:

Ted,

I was out there this morning too, having left Massey Ranch Airpark (X50) a little before 7 AM. Unfortunately for me, the beautiful sunrise sky disappeared and I was in a little rain shower at the time of the actual launch.

I also went up to New Smyrna Beach (EVB) after the launch, but just for one landing and then back to Massey.

Click to expand...

Arlen,

I saw you left Massey and was ahead of me on my ADS-B display. On my post #2, the EFIS display picture shows a target 300' above me a few miles to the south west and it was you. I pulled the power back and slowed to 95 kts to keep outside of Space Coast Regional during the launch. I heard you going to EVB. Since I was doing 100 kts it took me much longer to get there. Hope to meet you sometime.

Ted

2 Boosters

Mike, I think there are two boosters attached to the center "rocket". They all appear to be about the same diameter, so it does look like there are three boosters attached to the main rocket assembly.

I haven't been following this as closely as I did the Apollo missions (way back in the last century), so I'm just going off what it looked like to me on the photos I've seen. Maybe one of our resident rocket scientists will chime in.

The rocket

Mike S said:

Here is a link to footage of the event-----cool on ship video also.

Question for Paul or other NASA types out there, why three boosters in a row, instead of triangle???

Are these solid fuel boosters??

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152742459151336

Click to expand...

No these are not solid rocket boosters. The Delta IV launch vehicle is a modular design. The three boosters comprising the first stages are essentially identical in design, all three thrust at 100% initially at liftoff, then the center core throttles down to 55% to manage maximum dynamic pressure which then saves fuel. At about 240 seconds the outer boosters are jettisoned and the core stage continues at full thrust. Each booster engine is 700,000 lbf of thrust and has a specific impulse of 362 seconds. The two boosters have consumed 442,000 lbm of propellant each and the core stage burned 442,000 lbm. The Delta core stage and boosters are built in Decatur Alabama and are shipped down the Tennessee river and Tom Bigbee waterway to the Gulf of Mexico. The second stage is 5.1 meters (16.7') and is 13 meters long (42'). It is a liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen stage with 25,000 lbf thrust and and isp (specific impulse) of 465 seconds. ISP is a measure of efficiency and it makes a huge difference in the amount of fuel mass you have to carry. I am not sure of the mass, but it is in the 1,600,000 lbm range, and about 85% of it is fuel. So a fill-up is quite expensive. The bulk of the fuel is in the first stage and you burn it in 245 seconds. After about 6 minutes off the launch pad, it is traveling about 17,000 mph.

Ben, thanks that clears up a question or two.

Smoke was wrong for most solid fuel that I am can remember seeing, but the statement about the "chamber pressure reducing as expected" threw me off a bit, that made it sound like a solid fuel / a star core in the grain. Now, if they has said it was throttled down, then no confusion.

Anyway, glad all went as planned for the test.

Ted,

Somehow I don't think you were paying attention in front of you when the launch happened Congrats on the great video.