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Video credit : NASA
This is the edited NASA video from todays Atlas V rocket launch from Vandenberg AFB in California. The Atlas rocket carried the latest Landsat satellite LDCM into a polar orbit.
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NASA Successfully launch LDCM satellite on Atlas V
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Atlas V LCDM Launch (Credit NASA)
A new Earth-watching sentinel is presently circling the globe in near-polar orbit, following today’s beautiful launch of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The spacecraft – which represents the eighth in a series of satellites, dating back to July 1972 – was successfully boosted aloft by United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket at 10:02 am PST (1:02 pm EST), right on the opening of the 48-minute ‘window’. Liftoff occurred from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex (SLC)-3, under clear skies, and was watched by NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.
The launch kicks off a planned five-year mission which will provide moderate-resolution imaging of the Home Planet’s terrestrial and polar regions at visible and infrared wavelengths. This is expected to support future land planning, disaster response and water-use monitoring, together with maintaining a watchful eye on Earth’s climate, ecosystems, water cycle, surface and interior dynamics. The LDCM spacecraft is part of a collaborative effort between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. According to Project Scientist Jim Irons of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., it is quite simply “the best Landsat satellite yet launched in terms of quality and quantity of data”.
Atlas V to launch NASAs Landsat Satellite from Vandenberg AFB today
Atlas V Landsat Mission (Credit ULA)
An Atlas V rocket stands proud on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 3 (SLC-3) at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The launch is planned for 10:02 PST (18:02 GMT) with a launch window extending to 10:50 PST.
The Atlas V is in the 401 configuration with a 4 meter payload fairing, no solid rocket boosters, and a single Centaur upper stage. Sitting at the top of the stack is the NASA Landsat satellite, a spacecraft designed to monitor the environmental characteristics of fragile areas of the planet, along with providing valuable planning data for future land developments and conservation.
Vandenberg Air Force Base is used when spacecraft are inserted into polar orbits, as opposed to Cape Canaveral which is used for equatorial orbits. The launch complex at VAFB is subtly different to the Cape Canaveral Atlas V facility. Here there rocket is encased in a mobile service tower that is rolled back from the launch pad rather than the rocket being rolled out to the pad.
Atlas V launches with NROL-36 from Vandenberg AFS in California
Launch of Atlas V NROL-36 from Vandenberg AFB (Credit Pat Corkery,ULA)
Yesterday afternoon after a six week delay the United Launch Alliance Atlas V streaked into the sky to deploy the National Reconnaissance Office secret spy payload.
There was a thick sea mist which had been present all day hanging over the launch complex, but this posed no threat to the launch. As the countdown proceeded all stations reported GO FOR LAUNCH.
After a built in hold at T-4 minutes the countdown was picked up again and the seconds ticked away whit a green launch board until just before T-0 the main RD-180 engine roared into life. The rocket was held down for a couple of seconds as the booster built up to full thrust. Finally the hold-downs were released and the Atlas 5 soared into the sky.
Immediately after lift-off the rocket was shrouded in the sea mist, but we were able to follow it via infra-red cameras on a perfect flight. The main Atlas V booster powered the rocket towards orbit for just over 4 minutes at which point the booster engine was cutoff, and thrusters were fired to separate the Atlas V from the Centaur upper stage. This was followed by the ignition of the Centaur’s RL10 engine and the jettison of the payload fairing.
As with all the NROL missions the launch entered a news blackout to protect the secrecy of the deployment of the payload immediately after the payload fairing jettison.
However as a bonus the mission also carried a secondary payload: 11 cubsats shared the ride into space and were deployed after the main payload had been successfully placed in orbit. These cubsats allow universities to place experiments in space at a low cost.
The following is an edited version of the ULA Launch video:
Launch pictures and the full press release from United Launch Alliance follows:
Atlas V rocket with NROL-36 ready to launch at 2:39pm PDT
Rollback of Atlas V NROL-36, VAFB; second time (Credit ULA)
This morning shortly after 10:30am PDT the Mobile Service Tower was rolled away from the Atlas V rocket carrying the NROL-36 spy satellite and was locked into its launch position. Since then the countdown clock has been running smoothly getting the rocket prepared for the terminal countdown.
The picture to the left was taken in the morning sea mists after the MST had been rolled back. By now the mists should have burnt off and the sky should be clear for a beautiful launch.
Currently the rocket booster and the second Centaur stage are being fuelled and the engineers are making some final checks of the systems. The countdown will continue until T-4 minutes when there will be a scheduled hold. When the hold is complete at 2:35pm the clock will restart and count-down to T-0 at 2:39 when the engines will fire up and the rocket will blast off.
Preparations continue for the Atlas 5 – NROL-36 Launch today
Atlas V NROL-36 standing on Launch Pad at VAFB (Credit Pat Corkery, United Launch Alliance)
The latest launch of an Atlas V carrying the secret NROL-36 payload is continuing to target an on-time launch at 2:39 PDT (9:39 GMT) today. A mission controllers meeting yesterday reviewed the status of the rocket, payload and range readiness and approved the launch today.
A ULA spokesperson said “Everything is continuing on track for an on-time launch this afternoon of NROL-36 at 2:39 p.m. PDT. The team has been given the clear for tower rollback and is not working any technical issues at this time.“. The weather has been declared perfect for the launch attempt and things seem to be progressing well.
If you are not able to go to view the launch in person then the next best thing is to check out the ULA launch broadcast. This will start at 2:19pm PDT (9:39 GMT) and continue until about 5 minutes after the launch when there will be a media blackout.
Atlas V – NROL-36 On track for a Thursday launch from Vandenberg AFS
NROL-36 Mission Badge (Credit ULA)
The much delayed launch of the National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite is scheduled for a new attempt on Thursday 13th September at 2:39pm PDT (21:39 GMT). The initial scrub was called due to a small incompatibility with the range tracking transmitter on the Atlas V rocket.
This was cleared for flight and the new launch attempt was arranged for Thursday. According to United Launch Alliance the weather is expected to be 100% go at launch time. An early afternoon launch time is ideal as it allows the early morning oceanic weather to dissipate providing good clear skies with about 10% cloud cover. If a scrub should occur then the weather prospects for a Friday launch are exactly the same. It is a long time since we have had a 100% GO forecast weather for two consecutive days.
The Atlas V rocket is in the 401 configuration with a 4 Metre payload fairing, no strap-on solid rocket boosters and a single Centaur upper stage.
