MetOp Launch - GO for tonight

[flynn]

1 Hour and counting.<br /><br />http://www.esa.int/esaLP/LPmetop.html<br /><br />More infomation on MetOp than you can shake a stick at on the above link, I shalln't just copy it all here.<br /><br />Check out the Pic of MetOp on its Soyuz booster though, I don't think I've ever see a shroud that much bigger than the core of the Booster before. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[flynn]

P.S. You can see the moon in that pic as well. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[flynn]

Hmmm, in the threee minutes since I posted launch mat of been scrubbed.<br /><font color="yellow"><br />1h to launch, and the launch vehicle fuelling has been completed. The gantry is being prepared for removal. The spacecraft is in waiting mode. Weather is 'Green'. MetOp, the launcher and ESOC are 'Green' for launch. <br />3h 30m to launch, and the Russian State Commission has approved the readiness for launch and authorised the launch vehicle fuelling. The dataflow tests for chain A of the ESOC network have been completed successfully, so all the launch and early orbit phase (LEOP) stations are ‘Green.’ The weather is overcast with no rain, and the forecast for launch is ‘Green.’ MetOp, the launcher and ESOC are 'Green' for launch. <br /><br />4h 30m to launch, and final launch configuration telecommands have been loaded into the spacecraft. The Russian State Commission, which approves the readiness for launch and authorizes the launch vehicle fuelling, will convene shortly. The ESOC network countdown has begun, and the dataflow tests for chain B of the network have been successfully completed. The weather is overcast with light rain, and the forecast remains ‘Green’ for launch. The status of MetOp is ‘Green.’ <br /><br />5h 30m to launch, and the first set of checks between ESOC and the satellite has been successfully completed. The launcher team is now in place and the final launcher preparations have started with the installation of the flight hatches in the fairing. The weather is overcast with light rain, and the forecast for launch is ‘Green.’ MetOp, the launcher and ESOC are 'Green' for launch. <br /><br />7h 10m to launch, and the satellite flight software has been successfully loaded on MetOp. The ESOC team has taken its position in the mission control room. The weather is overcast with light rain, and the forecast for launch is ‘Green.’ MetOp, the launcher and ESOC are 'Green' for launch. <br /></font><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[flynn]

Yep, Launch aborted. More news to follow.<br /><br />http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMTNI8A9HE_LPmetop_0.html <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[flynn]

<font color="yellow">The launch of MetOp is postponed due to an anomaly which happened in the last 2 seconds before launch. <br /><br />A new launch date will be announced soon.<br /><font color="yellow"><br /><br />2 seconds, thats called cutting it close.<br /><br /></font></font> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[flynn]

Early reports seem to be exagerated<br /><br /><font color="yellow"><br />The countdown of the MetOp launch stopped 1m 10s before lift-off yesterday due to an anomaly related to the ground control system. The cause has been identified and corrected following overnight verifications. The new launch attempt will take place today Wednesday 18 October at 18:28 CEST (16:28 UTC; 22:28 Baikonur time).</font><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[flynn]

Great stuff, just this second got in from work thanks for the launch updates. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[flynn]

Europe’s new MetOp weather satellite reaches polar orbit<br /><br /> ESA PR 38-2006. For 28 years, Europe has been operating its famous Meteosat weather satellites in geostationary orbit. Today, they were joined by the first of a brand new generation of meteorological satellites. MetOp is designed to provide a closer view of the atmosphere from low earth orbit, delivering data that will improve global weather prediction and enhance our understanding of climate change.<br /> <br />The first of three satellites developed under a joint programme being carried out by the European Space Agency and the European Meteorological Satellite Organisation (EUMESAT), MetOp-A was successfully launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan by a Russian Soyuz 2/Fregat rocket operated by the Euro-Russian company Starsem. <br /><br />http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMNKWAUQPE_index_0.html <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>