ULA Delta IV Heavy

[ddewees]

Got about 10 minutes till launch...

 

Big MOFO.

 

http://www.ulalaunch.com/webcast.aspx

[OldMarine]

Awesome!!!!

[PhoenixRising]

Enjoyed a nice cup of tea while watching that, thanks.

I believe they said it was consuming a little more than 4,800 lbs of fuel every second? Geesh!!

[lloyd]

Just saw about 10 arc-minutes of the smoke trail before it got hidden by the clouds.

 

However, JUST THIS VERY MOMENT, we heard the lift-off rumble (being close enough to the Cape to hear it, if the wind is right!)

 

LLoyd

Edited June 11, 2016 by lloyd

[OldMarine]

That's better than Viagra right there!

[PhoenixRising]

Just saw about 10 arc-minutes of the smoke trail before it got hidden by the clouds.

 

However, JUST THIS VERY MOMENT, we heard the lift-off rumble (being close enough to the Cape to hear it, if the wind is right!)

 

LLoyd

 

That means you live near the Space Coast and Indian River, some mighty good fishing I hear.

[lloyd]

I'm about 80 miles north and slightly west of the launch complex. Although that sounds like a long way, we usually are able to actually watch the launches.

 

I'm about 25 miles west of the "Intracoastal Waterway" ( more often called The Indian River further south, but just called 'The Intracoastal' here).

 

Lloyd

[PhoenixRising]

Living in Louisiana, we most often take a vacation to Florida every year. The most popular places for folks around here are Biloxi MS, Gulf Shores AL, Pensacola to Panama City FL. (although I personally like Port St. Joe much better, and I hope it never catches on.)

 

Okay, done hijacking, sorry.

 

I still can't get over how much fuel that rocket was burning, it's crazy to think you can control that much power without a catastrophe.

[OldMarine]

In my post-USMC pre- daddy/husband days I worked security for several groups. One was a missile manufacturer with a test ground in NM. I was working perimeter security once over 3/4 mile from the "bench test" and it shook the ground so much I thought it had exploded until realized an explosion wouldn't have lasted over 30 seconds. Never saw the actual test firing but I still remain impressed!

 

Afterthought: I never knew anything about what they were testing but anyone downwind was required to wear a Scott AirPak prior to and for several minutes afterward.

Edited June 11, 2016 by OldMarine

[OldMarine]

I can see right now I'm going to watch an evening of rocket launch videos.

[ddewees]

Shockwave just passed the 145 mile mark...

 

http://i1149.photobucket.com/albums/o588/SaltLakeAreaPyros/2016_06_11_15.08.22_zpstawwb0vq.png

 

I was gonna drive down, but I didn't have enough gas..

 

http://i1149.photobucket.com/albums/o588/SaltLakeAreaPyros/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160611_151357_zpsovfyupul.jpg

Edited June 11, 2016 by ddewees

[ddewees]

some fun info...

 

The Delta IV Heavy uses two additional Common Booster Cores as liquid rocket boosters instead of the GEM-60 solid rocket motors used by the Delta IV Medium+ versions. At lift off, all three cores operate at full thrust, and 44 seconds later the center core throttles down to 55% to conserve fuel until booster separation. The boosters burn out at 242 seconds after launch, and are separated as the core booster throttles back up to full thrust. The core burns out 86 seconds later, and the second stage completes the ascent to orbit.^[3]

 

 

Thrust 3,140 kN (710,000 lb_f) Total thrust 6,280 kN (1,410,000 lb_f)

 

 

If you think that thing consumes a lot of fuel... wait until you see the rocket Blue Origin is in the process of building. It will stand 320 feet tall, and use (7) BE-4 Engines... with a Total Thrust of 3,850,000 lbf. That's almost 3x as powerful!

 

I'd post a picture... but the Amazon drones would probably invade my home...

[lloyd]

Yeah, I'm just slightly south and about 20miles west of Palm Coast.

 

(It really rumbled here, too!<G>)

 

Lloyd