THREE NASA Launches in November!

[albiats]

There are three NASA Launches scheduled to occur in November.

On Thursday Nov 7 at 6:47am, there will be a launch attempt for a Delta 2 Rocket with a GPS Satellite onboard. It is an unmanned rocket.

There is a Space Shuttle launch attempt for the Endeavor. The launch window starts at 10:30pm on Nov 9 (Saturday evening) and continues until 2:30am on Nov 10th (Sunday morning).

On Wednesday Nov 20th at 10:36pm, an Atlas 2A Rocket with one of NASA's tracking and relay satellites is scheduled to be launched. It is also an unmanned rocket.

It looks like some good viewing opportunities for cruisers that will already be at Port Canaveral the evening before their cruise on Nov 7th and Nov 21st could see an unmanned rocket launch.

I just realized, on November 7th, there will be a lot of people already awake and sitting down to their breakfast on the Wonder as they retuen to Port Canaveral. I can see it now, 'pass the orange juice, and what was that loud noise?'

And the ones that are sleeping in the Radisson before their cruise that embarks that day, what a wake up call!

hope that helps

 

[peagreenid]

We are on the Magic on November 9th. Does anyone know how far you can spot these if the weather is clear?

smiles Patty

 

[Diva of Dragons]

Wow!!! This is awesome news!!!
Patty, we should be able to see it (at least a little) from the ship if it does launch that night! Since we only go to Key West the next day, I'm hoping the ship won't be moving too fast away from Port. We saw a Shuttle launch while on the Magic in '98. We were right outside the Port (3:30am, clear skies, full moon)!! It was amazing!!

We can see unmanned rockets launch from Vandenberg AFB in CA and we are 200 miles away! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the launch goes on sched.!!!

 

[fudget]

We get there on the 21st. Will just miss it!!
Unless they are delayed and go when we are there

 

[RIDISNEYLOVERS]

We are going to be on the Wonder Thursday, November 7th so I am hoping and praying that we will be able to see it launch.

I have always wanted to see this so I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is on time and there are beautiful blue skies!!

Thanks for posting this info!!

Lisa

 

[jel0511]

This would be GREAT!! We'll be docking on the Wonder on Nov 7th, DH would love this!!! Hopefully, it will be good weather and blue skies!!!

 

[Target]

My husband works for the FAA in the "Commercial Space Division." In layman's terms, he regulates the missile launches.

(By the way Diva of Dragons, we used to live in Santa Maria, CA and my husband, Mark, would launch missiles from Vandenberg! We would sit on our back deck and watch them fly for the past 16 years. Just moved to Washington DC last year to the FAA - pretty cool to see the launches.....I miss them!)

Anyway, here is the most current updates on the November launches from the Cape:

The Delta 2 scheduled for November 7th was "messed up" yesterday when a worker did something wrong and the missile was "smashed." An investigation is underway. No launch on the 7th.....

The Shuttle launch has been put on hold indefinately because the "2 hold down bolts didn't fire during the last mission" and they need to figure out why. Do I understand this jargon? No. But my husband does....No shuttle launch on the 9th of November.

The Atlas 2A launch on the 20th is still on at this point.

Good news though....there is a Delta 4 launch scheduled for November 16th at 5:35 PM. That is also still on schedule.

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I would rather you know now and not be disappointed on that day!

 

[leanne2255]

DARN! I was so hoping to see at least one of those launches on the 7th or 9th. Oh well!

 

[nanc]

Any launches scheduled for December??

 

[Target]

December's schedule (tentative at this point, as they always are...):

mid-December is a Pegasus. Unfortunately, this is launched from a plane, not from the pad.

The Delta 2 should fly in December at some point....

The shuttle should end up going sometime in November, but the repairs need to be made.

December is a slow time on the range.....holidays and all. They take the time to do maintenance on the launch pads.

Hope this helps!

 

[nanc]

I appreciate all the info for December. We will keep checking to see if anything is going on while we are there.

Thanks!!

 

[opsomyo]

DH, DD3, DD6 & I will be doing the 7 day land sea Nov.17-24. SOOO, The last night at Disney before we board the ship will be the launch on the 20th. I can't believe we have a chance to see them launch a shuttle!!!! Where should we go? It is late for my girls but WOW! Any suggestions for good viewing areas? I will definetly be investigating this more! Thanks for any input!

 

[Target]

Here is an article describing what happened to the missile that was supposed to be launched on Nov 7:

Posted: October 29, 2002


A Boeing Delta 2 rocket was damaged in a freak accident last week as
workers attached a Global Positioning System satellite to the booster at
Cape Canaveral's launch pad 17B, the Air Force acknowledged Tuesday.


The $50 million replacement satellite for the U.S. military's GPS
navigation network had been scheduled for liftoff November 7. But repairs
are expected to delay the mission at least a month and could also push back
the January launch of NASA's fourth Great Observatory.


Air Force and Boeing officials have begun a fact-finding investigation to
determine what happened in Friday's mishap.


Initial reports indicate the pad's lifting crane tried to pull upward the
canister containing the satellite after the structure had been bolted to
the rocket, possibly due to miscommunication between workers.


The Lockheed Martin-built GPS 2R-8 satellite was tested and prepared for
launch inside a government building at the Cape. Before traveling to the
launch pad, workers mounted the craft atop a solid-fueled motor that serves
as the Delta 2's third stage.


The satellite and motor were then enclosed in a protective canister and
transported to pad 17B. The duo was hoisted into the service tower and
lowered into position for mating with the vehicle's second stage.


"During the pre-launch mating process, the canister holding the combined
stack of the GPS 2R-8 spacecraft and third stage was inadvertently lifted
from the second stage of the Delta 2 after it had been secured," said Air
Force spokesman Joe Davidson. The Air Force oversees GPS launches.


"No one was injured. However, some flight hardware was damaged. Full extend
of the damage will be determined by inspection following return of the GPS
and the Delta 2 third stage to the processing facility."


Early reports suggest the damage is "mainly" on the rocket.


It's the second time in three years a GPS satellite has been involved in an
incident at the launch pad. In May 1999, the third GPS 2R craft got wet
when the pad's clean room leaked during a severe storm. The craft was
disassembled for inspections and awaits future use.


The launch of GPS 2R-8 has been delayed since the spring due to Air
Force-ordered reviews of changes made to the rocket's safety destruct
system and wiring concerns.


The military hasn't launched a fresh GPS satellite since January 2001
because the constellation has been healthy.


The GPS network features 24 satellites working in concert to provide
precision location, speed and timing information to guide U.S. military
troops, aircraft, submarines, ships and weapons around the globe. The two
dozen satellites are split into six groups, or orbital planes, with four
primary spacecraft in each.


NASA satellite faces possible delay, too
The delayed GPS launch from pad 17B could cause a ripple effect, postponing
the next Delta flight from that seaside pad.


Complex 17 has two pads -- A and B. Both can be used for launches of Delta
2 rockets that are propelled by 40-inch diameter strap-on solid-fueled
boosters, such as GPS missions. But only pad B has been modified to handle
the larger, 46-inch solid rocket boosters used by the Delta 2-Heavy and
Delta 3 launchers.


NASA's Space Infrared Telescope Facility, or SIRTF, is scheduled for
liftoff January 9 aboard the first Delta 2-Heavy rocket for a $720 million
mission to observe planets, stars, galaxies and other celestial objects in
the Universe.


Space agency sources said Tuesday that SIRTF's liftoff could be delayed
three to four weeks -- the amount of time needed to repair the GPS rocket,
launch it, refurbish the pad and then assemble SIRTF's Delta 2.


One possibility -- still in the early stages of discussion -- would see the
GPS rocket destacked and moved to the vacant pad 17A for launch. Pad 17A
can't accommodate the solid boosters for SIRTF but can support GPS. Such an
option, if approved, could allow the SIRTF rocket to be stacked in December
to permit an on-time launch January 9.


NASA wants to launch SIRTF during a two-month window that extends to March
9.


SIRTF is the fourth and final member of NASA's Great Observatories series
to study the Universe in a different kind of light -- visible, gamma rays,
X-rays and infrared. The three earlier spacecraft are the Hubble Space
Telescope, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory and Chandra X-ray Observatory.

 

[Niagara2]

Thank you for all this info. I have printed it out for the kids to read. We were undecided between a night near the airport or the Radisson at the port on Nov. 20th and this clinches it. Just cancelled the airport hotel and keeping the Radisson ressie! We arrive MCO at 8:30 pm, car, luggage - 9:30 - on the bridge at launch or hopefully Radisson parking lot before the traffic hits. Again thank you.

 

[fireplug]

I hope they do a launch of something in Dec. We were at the MK in Dec of 2000 and were at MVMCP. During the "fireworks in the round" there was a shuttle launch. We got it on video, and are the envy of many friends. It would just foam them up to get another launch on video.



Steve

 

[Target]

The Shuttle IS NOW SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER......READ ON:

Shuttle Endeavor (mission STS-113) has a launch date of 11 Nov. between
0000 and 0400 EST from pad 39A. Exact launch times are classified until
L-24 hours due to security. This is an ISS mission and is scheduled to
return on the evening of 21 Nov.

Good luck.....I don't cruise til December 14th!

 

[nanc]

Thanks for the info to all of us. I don't cruise until Dec 14th either.
I know this is off the subject but what ages are your children?

this is off the subject but I have a couple of girls that would love to have some communication with some girls their age that are going.

There are eight of us in our party
DH
DHM
me
my mom
DS-9 1/2
DS 5
DD 10/12
DD 13

We were on the Magic in January and are taking advantage of the $99 offer but we couldn't just go for three days so we are doing a 4/3 day back to back. I will miss the Magic and warmer weather. Any ideas on how warm/cooler it will be?

nanc

 

[Bob Noble]

Not sure if it is accurate or not but the Florida today and the NASA web sites have the endeavor launch listed for Sunday morning the 10th of November betwen midnight and 4 AM.

I sure hope so because we will be on the Magic heading to Key West at that time and will hopefully have a view.

 

[Target]

nanc,
My kids are Daughter 6 (will be 7 in March) and Daughter 14 (will be 15 in February)

My DD6 is a true girlie girl who is friendly to everyone. She is currently emailing with another boy on our cruise who is 6. She would love to email your son who is 5.

My DD14 is a little different story. She is a HUGE TOMBOY (she is not huge...) She likes ice hockey, the Washington Capitals hockey team, anything hockey and drawing. She likes anime type cartoons. She is an incredible artist. She is also shy. If you would like, you can have your daughter email mine with some of her interests. I think if they share a common interest, my daughter might "take the plunge" and write back. It is worth a try.

Do you know how to send a private message to me? Click the "PM" button on my message and you can send me a message that no one else will see. We can arrange for the emails there. What do you think?

By the way, my birthday is September 4, 1963 and I was born in Mason City, Iowa!!

 

[Target]

Shuttle is now scheduled no earlier than Monday, November 18, due to crews
fixing the oxygen leak. That date may also be in question due to USA
repair crews accidentally knocking the shuttle's robotic arm while
repairing the O2 leak, tearing thermal insulation and possibly doing other
damage.


Hope someone gets to see this!