Delta IV Heavy launch tonight from Vandenberg (Weather permitting)

[monkeyswrench]

Well this sucks...had one of my boys and we were watching the live feed

 

[SoCalDave]

Damn did I miss it?

 

[flat540]

Shit, scrubbed again......

 

[bobbytheboozer]

Here's a thought. Since this is a government spy satellite, switch out every switch, sensor or regulator that will possibly stop this launch again and light that fuckin candle tomorrow night.

 

[Sandlord]

Are we sure?


View attachment 711619

A friend posted this a few minutes ago and my neighbor called me cause he saw something on his way home from work.

saw this on Twitter

 

[boat 569]

I believe Friday would be the earliest that we could launch and even that would be hard to do. Probably Saturday

 

[riverroyal]

Elon would have launched by now

 

[boat 569]

SpaceX scrubbed this week as did Blue Origin and the Soyuz. It happens.

 

[Ziggy]

SpaceX scrubbed this week as did Blue Origin and the Soyuz. It happens.

Right? No pulling to the curb to check the fuel filter on these machines.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Going to be a long night for me. Four hours to offload LOX and hydrogen before we can even get on the pad. Then roll the tower back in and if we have to go back into engine section that sucks

I had just told my boy that I was pretty sure they were offloaded if not launched. He asked how long that would take...Right then you posted this^.
He's 12, and was in awe of the concept that someone was there, and posting here. He wanted me to ask what you were, a mechanic, a machinist...a real life rocket scientist? Thank you for some of the pictures you posted. When a kid hears 230ft rocket, it's different seeing it before it gets ready to launch. Next to people, vehicles or buildings, he could see how massive it really is.

 

[4Waters]

I had just told my boy that I was pretty sure they were offloaded if not launched. He asked how long that would take...Right then you posted this^.
He's 12, and was in awe of the concept that someone was there, and posting here. He wanted me to ask what you were, a mechanic, a machinist...a real life rocket scientist? Thank you for some of the pictures you posted. When a kid hears 230ft rocket, it's different seeing it before it gets ready to launch. Next to people, vehicles or buildings, he could see how massive it really is.

My daughter is shocked as well that one of the inmates here is there working on it. She said "RDP has at least 1 of everything"

 

[boat 569]

My job title is missile test technician but in the real world I’m a mechanic. I turn wrench’s not a glamorous job but a cool job. Looks like the launch date won’t be until the 29th. I can’t get into details but flight batteries and safe and arm devices will expire and need to be changed out.

 

[monkeyswrench]

My job title is missile test technician but in the real world I’m a mechanic. I turn wrench’s not a glamorous job but a cool job. Looks like the launch date won’t be until the 29th. I can’t get into details but flight batteries and safe and arm devices will expire and need to be changed out.

You're a "Rocket Surgeon"

...I am on the trailing edge of technology. I have spent a large portion of my life working on flathead Fords, and carburetors. My kids are far brighter than me. The boy that was watching with me has a curiosity that is well beyond my answers. I'm glad he shows interest in these things, and also glad that things like this are still being done stateside. You surely have a job you can be proud of.

As a side note, my grandfather was a machinist for Aerojet General, and also Rocketdyne, in the 1960's. I don't know much about his time at either, but one of them had to do with flachette firing missiles for Vietnam. I never had a chance to meet him, would have made for some interesting talks.

Keep up the good work!

 

[boat 569]

A couple of pics before we roll the tower back in. [GALLERY=][/GALLERY]

 

[monkeyswrench]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/b...rvice-says/ar-BBRd0Od?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=U452DHP

...aliens keeping the launch down...

 

[185EZ]

friends got these pics from their jet last night
they thought it was the rocket but I guess it was a meteor
IMG_14311 by 185 EZ, on Flickr
IMG_14321 by 185 EZ, on Flickr
IMG_14331 by 185 EZ, on Flickr

 

[DRIVE BYE]

friends got these pics from their jet last night
they thought it was the rocket but I guess it was a meteor
IMG_14311 by 185 EZ, on Flickr
IMG_14321 by 185 EZ, on Flickr
IMG_14331 by 185 EZ, on Flickr

I watched this as well, It was in the Northwest Sky, Not a meteor, Something Serious.... Someone out there knows something.......

 

[buck35]

I watched this as well, It was in the Northwest Sky, Not a meteor, Something Serious.... Someone out there knows something.......

Where about did you see it from?

 

[DRIVE BYE]

Where about did you see it from?

I saw it from my place, Paso Robles area......It was definitely off the coast ofCentral Cali.... Looked to me like a Sub Launched something.....

 

[DrunkenSailor]

@boat 569 thank you for the updates here. My kids think this is the coolest thing ever. I think it's pretty cool too. Keep the updates coming!

 

[90 Laveycraft]

Latest per the ULA website...

Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018
(Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Dec. 20, 2018) – The launch of a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy carrying the NROL-71 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office was scrubbed yesterday due to indications of elevated hydrogen concentrations within the port booster engine section.

The team is currently reviewing all data and set the next launch attempt no earlier than Dec. 30, 2018.

 

[DrunkenSailor]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/science...ights-sky-abandoned-rocket-launch-SOLVED.html

officially it was a meteor...

 

[nowski]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/b...rvice-says/ar-BBRd0Od?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=U452DHP

Meteor My Ass...

Just moments before the launch were to take place we see a vapor trail up in the sky. The first thing that came to mind, did they launch at the 5:44 time instead of the 5 minute delay launch time of 5:49???

What an amazing coincidence, we see a vapor trail up in the sky at about the same time we should be seeing a vapor trail in the sky but the launch has been scrubbed. I've seen many vapor trails from rockets launched from Vandenberg over the years and what I saw last night surely looked like the typical rocket vapor trail.

Good thing we have one of RDP's own up there reporting first hand (Critical Payload, "National Security Mission") otherwise I'd say we'd have a launch coverup...

 

[boat 569]

We saw the vapor trail here out over the ocean and thought maybe it was a weather rocket trail that had drifted west. They launch weather balloons prior to the launch and at the cape they used to launch small weather rockets. I don’t know if they still do. Odd thing is I have a friend that lives five hours north of here and he texted me a picture of the same vapor trail. We rolled the tower back in last night and started gaining access back into the rocket. Looks like they are flying us back home Sunday for Christmas and back out the 26th to support a launch on the 30th

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

That vapor trail was our enemies trying to shoot the rocket out of the air. It was intercepted by our missile defense system and destroyed.[emoji41][emoji41]

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[HitIt]

That vapor trail was our enemies trying to shoot the rocket out of the air. It was intercepted by our missile defense system and destroyed.[emoji41][emoji41]

Are you sure you are kidding?

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Are you sure you are kidding?

I have no clue. First thought that came to my head.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[monkeyswrench]

We saw the vapor trail here out over the ocean and thought maybe it was a weather rocket trail that had drifted west. They launch weather balloons prior to the launch and at the cape they used to launch small weather rockets. I don’t know if they still do. Odd thing is I have a friend that lives five hours north of here and he texted me a picture of the same vapor trail. We rolled the tower back in last night and started gaining access back into the rocket. Looks like they are flying us back home Sunday for Christmas and back out the 26th to support a launch on the 30th

Where's your base of operations? I honestly forgot that the launch pad is probably not in your backyard. It also means those boosters, on the thirty foot wide hauler from hell, have to make a pretty good trip.

Also, in my warped mind, I picture ogres or giants from the Hobbit pushing the tower back, shutting the door, and crossing arms in front like bouncers Way too many kid movies over here...

 

[707dog]

Meteor My Ass...

Just moments before the launch were to take place we see a vapor trail up in the sky. The first thing that came to mind, did they launch at the 5:44 time instead of the 5 minute delay launch time of 5:49???

What an amazing coincidence, we see a vapor trail up in the sky at about the same time we should be seeing a vapor trail in the sky but the launch has been scrubbed. I've seen many vapor trails from rockets launched from Vandenberg over the years and what I saw last night surely looked like the typical rocket vapor trail.

Good thing we have one of RDP's own up there reporting first hand (Critical Payload, "National Security Mission") otherwise I'd say we'd have a launch coverup...

View attachment 711710

That's pretty much how it looked up here in the bay area on the bay... I thought we had a launch even had the kids at home looking outside.

 

[boat 569]

Where's your base of operations? I honestly forgot that the launch pad is probably not in your backyard. It also means those boosters, on the thirty foot wide hauler from hell, have to make a pretty good trip.

Also, in my warped mind, I picture ogres or giants from the Hobbit pushing the tower back, shutting the door, and crossing arms in front like bouncers Way too many kid movies over here...

I live in Florida and work at the cape. We have two pads in Florida and two at Vandenberg to launch both the Atlas and Delta rockets. The flight hardware is shipped mostly on the Delta Mariner. A ship built just for this purpose. Sometimes the Atlas hardware including the booster is flown in on an Antonov cargo plane. The ship is a lot easier to offload.

 

[monkeyswrench]

I live in Florida and work at the cape. We have two pads in Florida and two at Vandenberg to launch both the Atlas and Delta rockets. The flight hardware is shipped mostly on the Delta Mariner. A ship built just for this purpose. Sometimes the Atlas hardware including the booster is flown in on an Antonov cargo plane. The ship is a lot easier to offload.

Very cool. Coast to coast is rough sometimes, but glad they'll fly you home for Christmas. Very interesting job you have, probably quite a different set of tools than shade tree mechanics.

 

[RiverDave]

Did it launch?

 

[Racey]

Did it launch?

2 weeks


(i think someone said the 30th is the new date)

 

[4Waters]

Here is what we all saw in the sky last night.

 

[HB2Havasu]

Here is what we all saw in the sky last night.

Meteorite?

 

[HCP3]

Meteorite?

Meteor.

 

[boat 569]

Where's your base of operations? I honestly forgot that the launch pad is probably not in your backyard. It also means those boosters, on the thirty foot wide hauler from hell, have to make a pretty good trip.

Also, in my warped mind, I picture ogres or giants from the Hobbit pushing the tower back, shutting the door, and crossing arms in front like bouncers Way too many kid movies over here...

I live in Florida and work at the cape. We have two pads in Florida and two at Vandenberg to launch both the Atlas and Delta rockets. The flight hardware is shipped mostly on the Delta Mariner. A ship built just for this purpose. Some of the Atlas hardware including the booster is flown in on a antonov

 

[Kachina26]

You're a "Rocket Surgeon"

"It ain't rocket surgery" is one of my favorite expressions.

 

[FreeBird236]

Any updates? I know the 29th was mentioned and another suggested not before the 30th. Thanks.

 

[4Waters]

Any updates? I know the 29th was mentioned and another suggested not before the 30th. Thanks.

It was the 30th but that was scrubbed yesterday and the new date is 1/6/19 @ 5:31pm

 

[FreeBird236]

It was the 30th but that was scrubbed yesterday and the new date is 1/6/19 @ 5:31pm

Thanks.

 

[Kachina26]

Damn

 

[KENDOG689]

NASA at it's best.

 

[Big B Hova]

New date 1/6/20

 

[boat 569]

NASA at it's best.

This has nothing to do with NASA. Funny how most of the public thinks NASA is in charge or involved with every rocket launch. They aren’t. Believe me, we want this thing out of here more than anyone. I’m ready to go home but finding this hydrogen leak is proving difficult. I wish I could post pictures of the engine section to show you how much plumbing is involved. No leak was detected under low pressure testing and we are waiting on test equipment to arrive today for high pressure testing. The fear is that the leak will only show itself under cryogenic
Conditions which means loading the tank once again. That is a hazardous task and takes days of preparation. There are also components on the vehicle that have a “ shelf life” and have to be replaced after so many days. I should mention that this isn’t a blowing leak or even a fuzz leak we are looking for. It is very small but enough to fail the allowable % of hydrogen in the engine section.

 

[Cal509]

Agreed - 99.99% of people have no clue what a Naflex seal is anyway, nor a mass spec detector, nor vacuum jackets, nor burst discs, nor how dangerous LH2 is to work around. Until you see dripping liquid air, this is just make-believe stuff but in reality launching rockets is not for the faint-of-heart. You are likely touching some of our hardware if you are either the LOX or fuel side.

 

[boat 569]

Agreed - 99.99% of people have no clue what a Naflex seal is anyway, nor a mass spec detector, nor vacuum jackets, nor burst discs, nor how dangerous LH2 is to work around. Until you see dripping liquid air, this is just make-believe stuff but in reality launching rockets is not for the faint-of-heart. You are likely touching some of our hardware if you are either the LOX or fuel side.

I’ve worked both LOX and Fuel sides when I was in the prop department. Now I’m in the mechanical group and mostly turn wrenches. Pretty cool that there are members on here that build parts for our rocket. The rocket industry creates a lot of jobs.

 

[riverroyal]

Hopefully this top secret pay load can launch once the mystery meteors stop coincidental enter the atmosphere at exactly the same time and location.

I want to believe....

 

[Kachina26]

Hopefully this top secret pay load can launch once the mystery meteors stop coincidental enter the atmosphere at exactly the same time and location.

I want to believe....

I saw a big one the other night while at the beach in Ventura.

 

[SoCalDave]

Status check