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Launch Attempt for Kodiak Star Tonight

Posted by timothy on from the launching-discoballs-from-alaska dept.

Jens Lönn writes: "The delayed Launch of the Kodiak Star is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29 (.pdf article). This is the first launch into Earth orbit from Kodiak Island. There is a three-hour launch window extending from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. The effect of the solar flare activity that forced launched cancellation earlier this week is being monitored. The weather forecast for Saturday is favorable for a launch attempt with approximately a 15% chance of weather criteria violation. However, after solar flare activity was factored in, the chance of not meeting the criteria is 60%. Launch coverage on NASA Television and NASA TV on the Web will begin at 8 p.m. EDT. So make sure you're seated, cuz now were gonna light those kick-ass engines and go out into space." Michael noted that this is the first launch from Alaska; one of the four science experiments on board will be the reflective Starshine 3, with mirrors ground and polished by students all over the world. Cross fingers for favorable launch.

5 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. Why Alaska? by Digitalia · · Score: 1, Interesting

    In my schooling, I was taught that the reason most launch facilities were built near the equator was to decrease the requirements for fuel needed for gravitational escape. So what advantage does this setup in Alaska give? Other than remoteness, I don't quite get it. Does anyone want to tell me what I'm missing?

    --
    Pax Digitalia
    1. Re:Why Alaska? by Burnon · · Score: 2, Interesting

      They've taken an interesting approach to dealing with the weather. It looks like they can prep the rocket for launch indoors, and then rotate the surrounding structure away prior to the launch.

      How far does something like this go toward getting a launch in bad weather?

  2. the weather by Capt.+Beyond · · Score: 3, Interesting

    One of the major problems with launching from Kodiak is weather (not to mention bears chasing around the scientists! :) ). That far north, not only can storms last for months, but solar weather (as demonstrated this week) is also a major player.

    If you've never seen aurora from that far north, you have yet to really live....

    --
    -- "Perceptions create reality. By changing your perceptions you change your reality."
  3. Ownership/control? by T.Hobbes · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Browsing around the Alaska Aerospace corp. page, I got the distinct impression that the launch facility is privately-owned; in fact, they specifically mention that they're the only commercial launch complex without an adjacent federal facility. Yet NASA is sending up the first rocket (or so it seems..). Does anyone here have a clear idea as to the ownership/control of this and other American space launch facilities?

  4. Talk about slow deployment time... by Smack · · Score: 3, Interesting

    One of the payloads is the SAPPHIRE satellite.

    It has a digital camera on board to take pictures, just as a freebie add-on.

    The interesting thing is the specs on that camera, the Logitech Fotoman Plus. A resolution of 496 x 360, with 256 levels of gray. Stores 32 pictures in RAM. A serial interface. A cost of $520.

    See... they had to pick the camera back in 1994. So they're using 7 year old technology. Amazing how far things hav come, isn't it?