NASA ATREX launch tonight, maybe

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weilke

Touchdown! Greaser!
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weilke
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/missions/atrex-launch.html

If the weather holds up tonight, NASA is going to launch a salvo of 5 rockets in short succession (80sec intervals) from the Wallops range on the eastern shore of Virginia. The sounding rockets will to to different altitudes ranging from 98 to 232miles and disperse a tracer visible from the ground. All this is part of research into the upper jetstream. The launch window is between midnight and 5am, updates are available via recorded phone message at (757) 824-2050 .

Appended is a map of the area from where the rocket tracks and the tracer clouds should be visible.

So, for anyone with insommnia on the east coast, pack a beach chair and a sleeping bag tonight :)
 

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NASA fireworks postponed

Some fog at the camera sites last night. Rescheduled for tonight:



Next launch attempt will be midnight to 3 a.m., Thursday, March 22. Countdown will begin at 7 p.m. tonight and the webcast will begin 8 p.m.

http://sites.wff.nasa.gov/webcast/
 
Re: NASA fireworks postponed

TangoWhiskey said:
I'm surprised that this launch has no TFR!
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They sort of do. Wallops has its own R-area (6604-B ) and is bordered on the east (where the rockets go) by Warning areas 386 and 387B off-shore.

I believe Tim Metzinger did some flying job there where he would patrol off-shore with telemetry equipment during the launches.
 
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Gary said:
Oh well, maybe Sunday morning, but weather isn't looking too good.

Gary
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I was following the webcast last night. They need to have clear weather on the coast in NC, VA and NJ for the experiment to work. Also, they have a safety area that has to be free of boats. When they scrubbed it last night, they had an intruder who was not willing to alter his course....
 
Also, they have a safety area that has to be free of boats. When they scrubbed it last night, they had an intruder who was not willing to alter his course....
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So a boater can blast through a military op. unmolested, just wondering what would happen if that was an airplane.
I sense a difference standard here, hope I am wrong.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
So a boater can blast through a military op. unmolested, just wondering what would happen if that was an airplane.
I sense a difference standard here, hope I am wrong.
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It is a civilian experiment conducted by NASA. As the range director explained last night, a vessel operating in international waters can voluntarily heed their request to stay out of the hazard area but they have no enforcement power to keep him out.

You could take your plane and fly out into the warning areas during the launch. Same thing, international waters, there is very little NASA can do as long as you stay out of their very localized R-area.
 
weilke said:
I was following the webcast last night. They need to have clear weather on the coast in NC, VA and NJ for the experiment to work. Also, they have a safety area that has to be free of boats. When they scrubbed it last night, they had an intruder who was not willing to alter his course....
Click to expand...

Would be neat to see. I'll keep an eye on it as well. We are within the viewing area.

Gary
 
Maybe tonight. T -15min and holding. Sky is clear, wind has died down enough to get ther rockets out of their shelters. I'll be tired tomorrow :D
 
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