Cool Explosion, Geocaching Related.

[JohnX]

The topic title says it all.

 

Loss of GPS satellite, click

[+rogueleader1977]

Now I know why I DNF'ed all those caches. If they just hadn't blown up that satelite I would have found them all!

 

But did anyone listen to the audio on the video "it was later discovered a seventeen foot crack in the rocket was reponsible for the explosion." Seventeen foot!!! Now who missed that?

[Clan Riffster]

Wasn't that about 10 years ago?

[+sbell111]

Hello, State Farm? I need to file a claim. A flaming rocket fell on my car.

[+DavidMac]

And here I was expecting another "cache destroyed by bomb squad" thread.

[+Colorado Cacher]

Hate to have to pay the insurance claim on that sucker.

[+Renegade Knight]

And here I was expecting another "cache destroyed by bomb squad" thread.

It was. They just won't admit it.

[winston24]

Where was the Toyota pick-up?

[+mgbmusic]

Now I know why I DNF'ed all those caches. If they just hadn't blown up that satelite I would have found them all!

 

But did anyone listen to the audio on the video "it was later discovered a seventeen foot crack in the rocket was reponsible for the explosion." Seventeen foot!!! Now who missed that?

 

That was my big question.

 

Engineer, "Hmmmm.....I think....Yes....I think maybe okay."

 

I'm guessing he's not in the union anymore.

 

Did anybody else get a kick out of the phrase, "We just had an anomaly in the launch vehicle..."

 

ANOMALY????? I'd call that a big freakin' explosion! Anyone else like going out of the 4th of July to watch the anomaly displays?

 

--MGB

[+cache_test_dummies]

Wasn't that about 10 years ago?

Yup. That was the Delta II rocket that self destructed a few seconds after launching from Cape Canaveral on Jan 17, 1997.

 

CNN article

[+BuxCamper]

A friend works for Lockheed-Martin whose GPS satellite ended up as toast in that explosion. They have a piece of debri with the perfect imprint of the frog it smashed into. Its in their most valuable archieves and he couldn't sign it out to show to our radio club.

[+Confucius' Cat]

And here I was expecting another "cache destroyed by bomb squad" thread.

It was. They just won't admit it.

i knew a guy at NASA whose job it was to blow up the rockets (including the shuttle if need be) if they went off course and threatened civilization.

 

I wonder if that happened here? I still wonder that about Challenger- as I watched it from Orlando, it seemed to be on an unusual course b4 it blew up. I am sure this is something they would never say out of respect for the families.

 

The truth is OUT THERE but we will never know

 

Anyway, it clearly shows why the launch pads are so far from the observation points and the incredible destructive power of these machines.

[+pghlooking]

A friend works for Lockheed-Martin whose GPS satellite ended up as toast in that explosion. They have a piece of debri with the perfect imprint of the frog it smashed into. Its in their most valuable archieves and he couldn't sign it out to show to our radio club.

Are you suggesting Signal had something to do with this?

[+Ambrosia]

I'm wondering what this has to do with geocaching, when it happened long before geocaching even exsisted.

[+sbell111]

Where was the Toyota pick-up?

Not far.

[Team CDCB]

Did anybody else get a kick out of the phrase, "We just had an anomaly in the launch vehicle..."

 

ANOMALY????? I'd call that a big freakin' explosion! Anyone else like going out of the 4th of July to watch the anomaly displays?

Yeah, I noticed that too. Any "anomaly"... that's got to be the bigggest freakin' understatement of the decade.

 

(And yes I know I used three G's there... it's that freakin biggg.)

[+sbell111]

Did anybody else get a kick out of the phrase, "We just had an anomaly in the launch vehicle..."

 

ANOMALY????? I'd call that a big freakin' explosion! Anyone else like going out of the 4th of July to watch the anomaly displays?

Yeah, I noticed that too. Any "anomaly"... that's got to be the bigggest freakin' understatement of the decade.

 

(And yes I know I used three G's there... it's that freakin biggg.)

In another article on this, it stated that the anomoly caused the rocket to veer from the planned trajectory. This triggered an automatic self-destruct.

[+BuxCamper]

A friend works for Lockheed-Martin whose GPS satellite ended up as toast in that explosion. They have a piece of debri with the perfect imprint of the frog it smashed into. Its in their most valuable archieves and he couldn't sign it out to show to our radio club.

Are you suggesting Signal had something to do with this?

 

Maybe that's why he has the antenna sticking out of his head! He has become one with the GPS satellite.

[+Road Rabbit]

I wonder if that happened here? I still wonder that about Challenger- as I watched it from Orlando, it seemed to be on an unusual course b4 it blew up. I am sure this is something they would never say out of respect for the families.

 

The truth is OUT THERE but we will never know

 

I think your aluminum foil hat is a wee bit tight!

[+Juicepig]

A friend works for Lockheed-Martin whose GPS satellite ended up as toast in that explosion. They have a piece of debri with the perfect imprint of the frog it smashed into. Its in their most valuable archieves and he couldn't sign it out to show to our radio club.

 

That would make for an interesting TB

[+Sommers]

When was this? I have family in Titusville and never heard of it.

[+sbell111]

When was this? I have family in Titusville and never heard of it.

January 1997

[+ShutterBug98027]

Hate to have to pay the insurance claim on that sucker.

 

Unfortunatly, we all are paying for it. It's kind of how insurance works. I'm just glad those rockets are unmaned.

 

Did anyone notice one of the rocket motors didnt fire?

[+RockyRaab]

As a former NASA countdown commentator (the guy who does all that speaking), here are some facts:

 

It's an Air Force guy (not NASA) who sits at the Range Safety Destruct Panel. He watches for the vehicle to stay within set lines on his monitor during launch. The computer predicts where the vehicle would impact if the flight path continued at the current speed, direction and acceleration. If that predicted impact point crosses the Range boundary, the AF officer sends the radio command to destruct.

 

Two things happen once that signal is sent. The main engine (if liquid-fueled) is shut down. Also, any solid rocket boosters, plus the main vehicle tanks, are ruptured with shaped charges. Both actions insure that no further thrust is produced and the vehicle will land in a safe area.

 

That's where the 17-foot "crack" came from: it's the result of the shaped charge firing down the length of the solid rocket.

 

The commentator is very carefully trained to never say anything like "Holy crap!" no matter what. If something "unusual" or "unexpected" happens, it's an anomaly not a "big friggin' explosion."

 

There aren't any huge coverups or secrets here, folks; just a tremendous amount of just-barely-controlled energy in a vehicle made up of mechanical parts. Rarely, but inevitably, one or more of those parts fails. When it does...

 

Oh, and on the Delta rocket, not all the solid rocket boosters ignite at liftoff. They use either a 5/4 or a 6/3 sequence for the nine strapons. Some at liftoff and the rest when the first batch burn out.

Edited November 8, 2006 by RockyRaab

[+sbell111]

... Two things happen once that signal is sent. The main engine (if liquid-fueled) is shut down. Also, any solid rocket boosters, plus the main vehicle tanks, are ruptured with shaped charges. Both actions insure that no further thrust is produced and the vehicle will land in a safe area.

 

...The commentator is very carefully trained to never say anything like "Holy crap!" no matter what. If something "unusual" or "unexpected" happens, it's an anomaly not a "big friggin' explosion."...

Just out of curiosity, but are you also trained to say 'land', instead of 'crash'?

 

[+RockyRaab]

Well, "impact" is certainly a more accurate term in the case of a Command Destruct. Fo'sho!

 

I was the commentator for three launch failures, an AF Titan III, A Delta and an Atlas-Centaur. Believe me, it is not easy to retain a calm, stentorian voice when something that big blows. Especially when the near-silence in your headphones instantly turns to high-speed and high-pitched cacophony.

[+Confucius' Cat]

Good posts Rocky. I bet I have listened to you many times. While I lived in Orlando and Titusville, I never missed a launch... even the "secret" ones to the best of my knowledge. (I was privy to a few unlisted radio frequencies)

 

To outsiders there isn't much differentiation between the scope of responsibilities of NASA, Martin Marieta, USAF, Morton Thiokol, Lockheed or any of the hundreds of other contractors or agencies. the man I knew might have worked for the Air Force... 20 year old memories...

 

I really don't think there was any conspiracy going on with Challenger, but I found it very interesting that someone DOES have their finger on "the button" so to speak- even on manned launches.

 

The people involved know they are not just out for a Sunday drive.

 

Interesting to hear I was right about the Delta in the video being a commanded distruct. I know the criteria are a lot tighter for manned launches (as well they should be). That is one job I would not want. And I doubt if a person pushed the button on a manned launch that they would want the job any longer either. I am certainly glad that this important of a task is not left AUTOMATICALLY to a computer without direct human oversight.

[+RockyRaab]

Thanks, Cat.

 

Here's a rather poignant (and painful to me) anecdote.

 

I was the tour guide and answer guy for the astronaut class that included Judy Resnick and Mike Smith. When I took them through the Range Safety blockhouse and explained the system, Judy was amazed and almost shocked to learn that destruct systems were in place even for manned launches, including the Shuttle. She was visibly subdued when I explained that they were in fact live systems, and that some anonymous AF officer would indeed have his finger on the Destruct switch when she flew.

 

And then, she and Mike both were aboard Challenger...

 

And by then, I had left NASA to be the media spokesman for Thiokol. That cold January morning was the start of the worst two years of my life - and I'm including my year in combat as being not as bad.

 

On a MUCH brighter note, the next GPS launch aboard a Delta will be next week. To quote a news release:

 

"A Boeing Delta 2 rocket is set to launch a new global positioning system (GPS) satellite for the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 14.

 

The rocket, set to launch during a 13-minute window that opens at 2:25 p.m. EST (1925 GMT), will orbit the GPS 2R-16 navigation, the third modernized navigation satellite to aid military and civilian users.

 

The upcoming launch follows a successful September launch of the USAF navigation satellite 2R-15 and last year's GPS 2R-M1 flight. The spacecraft are aimed at upgraded GPS navigation services by adding an additional civilian signal and hardy military channels that are less susceptible to jamming. "

 

Anyone interested can watch it live via NASA TV or via direct link on www.space.com

[+Confucius' Cat]

Thanks for the site address. I will try to get to a terminal for the launch on the 14th.

 

I was so fascinated with the launches while I lived down there... I have not been able to follow too much up here (no cable TV, no time).

 

I really miss the commentary and watching the launches. Although there is no substitute for standing on the Titusville river bank or US 1 or Jetty Park, I would still like to hear the launches when possible.

 

It is sad that the news media don't think it is worth their time anymore to cover even the manned launches, much less the satellite launches and misc unmanned missions. Just an audio feed would suit me.

 

A ham friend K4GCC used to rebroadcast all the launches on his 146.94 repeater. I even had the priveledge of helping him with some of his repeater maintenance. Everybody I knew on the coast (even some of the off-duty NASA folks) listened to his repeater. It was automatic... if NASA provided a feed, it took over the repeater.

 

Gee i wish there was something like that available nationwide!

 

The attitude about the space program was different down there. When there was a launch (especially the shuttle), EVERYONE stopped what they were doing and went outside to watch. When the rocket was out of sight, life went on.

 

I play a game that revolves around LEO satellites, yet I no longer even have basic knowledge of their launch and ultimate demise.

 

I think this is a really good thread even if it is only remotely geocaching related.

[+RockyRaab]

That's why I posted the space.com link, my friend. They relay most launches, even Russian, Kourou and those privately-developed ocean-based ones. I only have dial-up but I can still get audio of most of them.

 

There are four launches this month, and eight in December, worldwide. I hope that helps feed your launch fix! (Oh, and you haven't lived until you've seen a launch from the press site. Only 6,000 feet away for Deltas, and three miles for Shuttle. It literally makes your guts shake.)

[+Road Rabbit]

The launch of the third modernized Navstar Global Positioning System satellite is now scheduled for Thursday, November 16th between 2:17 pm and 2:30 pm EST from Cape Canaveral AFS.

 

There is a weather front, however, that will push through Florida on Thursday which may cause a delay.

[+Confucius' Cat]

(Oh, and you haven't lived until you've seen a launch from the press site. Only 6,000 feet away for Deltas, and three miles for Shuttle. It literally makes your guts shake.)

I've had several NASA passes, but I don't think I've ever been that close. It seems like US1 in Titusville is just about as close as some of the pass viewing areas. I lived 2 blocks from the river in Tville. Except for the trees, I could watch from my front porch, (bummer to have to walk to the end of the street)

 

"Earthshaking" is a great description of the launches even from my old house.

 

(Totally off topic but the view from the roof of the VAB is fantastic, too - obviously not allowed there during launch- a little scary though, no parapet wall)

Edited November 14, 2006 by Confucius' Cat

[+RockyRaab]

I've watched a Shuttle landing from the roof of the VAB, and it WAS spectacular. I was never able to get close to the edge of that thing, although I was able to rather blithely walk across the open-gridwork catwalk across the high center bay inside the VAB - a jaunt that made more than one reporter gasp and clutch reflexively at the chain-link walls!

 

The press site is the closest they allow anyone to a launch. I know those lying weasel reporters are expendable, but they required an escort and that was usually ME!