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Good morning! Ready to try again for a rocket launch?
While you're waiting, remember that the Persiad meteor shower is also happening. You don't have to be in Florida to see it.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
While you're waiting, remember that the Persiad meteor shower is also happening. You don't have to be in Florida to see it.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
Granted, having written #thecalculatingstars there's a different resource to watching meteors while waiting for a rocket launch...
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
Stargazing while waiting for launch.
By which I mean looking at stars through a telescope.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
By which I mean looking at stars through a telescope.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
2am and the sky looks clear. Who's ready for a rocket launch?
Why is the Parker #SolarProbe launching at night?
Because during the day it would be too hot to visit the sun...
#NASAsocial
Why is the Parker #SolarProbe launching at night?
Because during the day it would be too hot to visit the sun...
#NASAsocial
We've arrived at the causeway and the rocket looks AMAZING lit up across the water. We're about 2.5 miles away.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
Make sure you follow #NASAsocial because my fellow attendees have much better night cameras than I do for the Parker #SolarProbe launch.
Many thanks to @torybruno for stopping and talking to us.
I asked what he was excited about and he said "watching this big beautiful rocket launch and set new speed records."
Same.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
I asked what he was excited about and he said "watching this big beautiful rocket launch and set new speed records."
Same.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
The other thing @torybruno said was that it was hard to get a sense of scale. He felt it most when he went to the top. It's essentially a 30 story building.
Looking over the edge is...vertiginous.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
Looking over the edge is...vertiginous.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
The MOC was built to consolidate range control into one location. Prior to this, Each SLC had a blockhouse to serve as mission control for the launch. They were only 100 yards from the rocket.
It was not...ideal safety conditions.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
It was not...ideal safety conditions.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
Now there's a single location to provide weather advisories to Patrick, the Cape, and KSC.
Lightning is the primary concern. Florida is a lightning capital with the 3rd highest strikes worldwide.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
Lightning is the primary concern. Florida is a lightning capital with the 3rd highest strikes worldwide.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
The pad is covered with these metal tabs. They exist to bolt 3/4 ply to in order to cushion the concrete from the weight of the crawler.
On the road, they use gravel.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
On the road, they use gravel.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
The hard part is that of the VAB driver's job is that they can't see everything. Parts of the path are built at the max turning radius, which is 6° so they have to hit their marks very precisely.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
They have spotters that are about 20 feet ahead and the drivers rely on them for hitting their marks. There are 30 people involved in every move.
Driving it takes about 8 hours. Then there's loading and unloading, so 12-16 hour days are not uncommon.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
Driving it takes about 8 hours. Then there's loading and unloading, so 12-16 hour days are not uncommon.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
There are Apollo era parts of the VAB because they don't take anything apart without a reason. Disassembly costs money.
But when they do... The copper wire they pulled out of the VAB, when sold for scrap, paid for the fiber optics.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
But when they do... The copper wire they pulled out of the VAB, when sold for scrap, paid for the fiber optics.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
They build full size "fit models" of everything to fake sure it will fit in the building.
The size of the VAB dictated the shuttle wing length. It had only 18 inches of clearance going through the doors.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
The size of the VAB dictated the shuttle wing length. It had only 18 inches of clearance going through the doors.
#NASAsocial #SolarProbe
We're sitting down for a Q&A with Dr. Nicky Fox, @Dr_ThomasZ, and Dr. Eugene Parker about the Parker #SolarProbe
Dr. Z just did the mic check count with triangular numbers.
#NASASocial
Dr. Z just did the mic check count with triangular numbers.
#NASASocial
Dr. Z says he was at a conference and someone giving a talk said, "It's consistent with Parker's theory."
A voice. "Which one."
"Well-- I mean, the famous Eugene Paker."
Voice. "That's me. I wrote more than one paper. Which one are you citing?"
#NASASocial #SolarProbe
A voice. "Which one."
"Well-- I mean, the famous Eugene Paker."
Voice. "That's me. I wrote more than one paper. Which one are you citing?"
#NASASocial #SolarProbe
Dr. Parker, "I was sitting in my office doing something, probably not work, or at any rate nothing useful. They called to if they could put my name on the #Solarprobe. I was stunned. After we got off the phone I had to run through it again. But, that's what he said."
#NASASocial
#NASASocial
Apparently buzzards used to circle the launch pads and one bounced off the nose of the orbiter. So they started setting up a BBQ station for buzzards to draw them away.
#NASAsocial
#NASAsocial
We're on site and ready for our briefing at #NASAsocial.
By which I mean that we are prepped to geek.
By which I mean that we are prepped to geek.
Lasers. In. Space.
NASA’s got ‘em! Next year we launch a satellite with lasers, @NASA_ICESat2, to measure Earth’s changing ice #NASASocial
NASA’s got ‘em! Next year we launch a satellite with lasers, @NASA_ICESat2, to measure Earth’s changing ice #NASASocial
To measure the height of ice, ICESat-2’s instrument ATLAS will send laser light to Earth, and time how long it takes to get back
The satellite will send 10,000 laser pulses EVERY SECOND to Earth. 1 pulse = 300 trillion photons. That’s trillion with a 'T.'
T-6 days until @CassiniSaturn burns up in the upper atmosphere of #Saturn. It's has flown for 13 years, and will take pics to #GrandFinale
I'll be highlighting my fav images from @CassiniSaturn over the next week in anticipation of the #GrandFinale on Sept 15. Starting with...
1/ @CassiniSaturn launched aboard a Titan IVB/Centaur in a spectacular night-time launch. Oct 15, 1997. 7 year trip to #Saturn #Grandfinale
