this post was submitted on 04 Oct 2024
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Time for the second launch of Vulcan!

| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2024-10-04 11:25 | |


|


| | Scheduled for (local) | 2024-10-04 07:25 (EST) | | Launch site | SLC-41, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida. | | Launch provider | United Launch Alliance (ULA) | | Launch vehicle | Vulcan Centaur (VC2S configuration*) | | Mission success criteria | Successful launch and deployment of payloads into desired orbit |

VC2S configuration breakdown:

  • V: Vulcan first stage
  • C: Centaur V upper stage
  • 2: Two GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters on the first stage
  • S: Standard size fairing, 15.5 m in length

Livestreams

| Stream | Link | |


|


| | ULA | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAUatH8O6Ng | | NASASpaceFlight | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPztD5zwgYY | | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec_4DHUylEg | | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yTZpKycf-w | | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lIdTeAs5As |

Stats

☑️ 2nd Vulcan mission of 2024

☑️ 2nd Vulcan mission overall

☑️ 5th ULA mission of 2024

☑️ 163rd ULA mission overall

Payload info

Certification Flight 2

Replacement Vulcan test launch with inert payload, experiments, and demonstrations for certification with the USSF after delays caused by payload testing of the Sierra Space Dreamchaser CRS SNC-1 mission, the original planned payload.

| Target orbit | Heliocentric Orbit | |


|


| | Payloads | 1 | | Total Mass | 1,500 kg |


Previous ULA launch: USSF-51

Next ULA launch: [TBD]

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[–] Morphit 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

In space now. Chilling second stage.

Launch looked a bit chunky but I guess that's just the solids.

[–] Morphit 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Actually rewatching it, it looks like might have been a nozzle failure on one of the GEMs. There's a big flare before clouds obscure the rocket - much bigger than the ice. After this, one side looks to have a bigger exhaust plume than the other, and burns out slightly sooner.

Yeah, NSF are speculating about it.

[–] llamacoffee@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] Morphit 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, NSF are pulling in other angles and it definitely blows chunks and yaws slightly. Centaur burn went long - I wonder if that impacts the second burn.

Meanwhile ULA: "Everything performing nominally"

[–] Morphit 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Tory Bruno confirms "Observation on SRB#1".

An SRB blowing its nozzle off is certainly one hell of an "observation". Pretty impressive that the rest of the vehicle was able to compensate for the funky thrust.