Virgin's Cosmic Girl on its way over to Cornwall for Sept satellite launch

[EarthLife]

I don't know if it was the problem that caused the failure or not but on the sensor bars they were showing the last we saw was the 2nd stage O2 tank level was at zero percent but the fuel tank was still at nearly 50% - they should be the same throughout the burn.

[DaveS]

 

[Captain Scarlet]

17 hours ago, Captain Scarlet said:

At 9km up and 500km away that’s only 1 degree up I think. Only 5 degs for me unless I’ve made a mistake

@Stu That was a very quick (2 minutes to launch!) back-of-envelope calculation assuming a flat earth (no jokes please ).

Allowing the earth to be spherical, it turns out that unfortunately the launch at 37,000 feet and 340-odd miles from your location would have been something over one degree below your horizon.

To see such a launch above one's horizon one needs to be within 235 miles. Of course if it stays bright and gets higher that might improve.

Cheers, Magnus

Edited January 10, 2023 by Captain Scarlet

[PeterW]

It goes UP rather fast, hence the maps with time to visible. More useful would have been some indication of what time period and what elevation would have been available…. Maybe needing a 4D plot.

 

peter

[DaveS]

More in depth on the Beeb website

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64223882

 

[DaveL59]

some analysis (not from Virgin Orbit tho)

 

[Guest]

You guys will get it right.  This is rocket science and there will be failures along the way.  We never seem to get it right the first time either and we have been doing it for how long now.  They will figure it out over a spot of tea.   It wasnt even mentioned that i saw on this side of the pond, but i was hoping it would work

[cajen2]

It was an American rocket anyway! 😉 

[Guest]

Just now, cajen2 said:

It was an American rocket anyway! 😉 

Doomed from the get go

[Alien 13]

I am amazed that we still allow excuses for failures these days, its not rocket science anymore its developing nearly 100 year old technology that we ought to have nailed by now. 

Alan

[DaveL59]

I'm just glad I changed car and got the insurance all sorted just before the launch, I'm sure the insurance sector will be looking to claw back that mega loss they just made from someone, they'll have to wait a year for my share 😉 

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

I am amazed that we still allow excuses for failures these days, its not rocket science anymore its developing nearly 100 year old technology that we ought to have nailed by now. 

Alan

We cant even build a good car without it breaking down in the first 10k miles.  We have been building them for how long now and still cant get it right. 

[DaveS]

For all the advances we're still at the wire and canvas biplane stage.

Space travel won't be routine until take off for orbit involves a conversation with ATC rather than a room full of techs ready to blow your ride out of the sky. V1, rotate, V2, and V3, orbital insertion. And the throttle quadrant goes all the way to 11 😂.

[DaveS]

Love these guys, mad as a box of frogs.

 

 

[malc-c]

15 hours ago, Alien 13 said:

I am amazed that we still allow excuses for failures these days, its not rocket science anymore its developing nearly 100 year old technology that we ought to have nailed by now. 

Alan

To be honest I think SpaceX have.  They launched around 60 rockets in 2022, and are aiming for 100 launches in 2023, whilst it's not as regular as the ATC post DaveS mentioned above, two a week is still very impressive.  Globally (according to Google) last year there were 176 successful rocket launches globally, with 8 failures.  SpaceX's Falcon rocket seems to be very reliable and with some boosters now being reused 10 or more times has made getting a satellite into space more affordable.

But getting back on topic, since January 2021 Virgin orbit have only succeeded four times in getting payloads to orbit.... and you would have thought taking it up to 40K feet under the wing of a 747 would make things easier than a ground based launch. 

[DaveL59]

1 hour ago, malc-c said:

 

But getting back on topic, since January 2021 Virgin orbit have only succeeded four times in getting payloads to orbit.... and you would have thought taking it up to 40K feet under the wing of a 747 would make things easier than a ground based launch. 

True, tho you are very dependent on the rocket motors performing properly for it to work, over time I expect they'll get the reliability up, they've not been in the game or developing as long I think?

Surprised the climate brigade haven't been wading in more tho, just how essential have all those launches been considering that his starlink project isn't really a must-have for the vast majority of the population. Its much more a big business money factory and do we really need that considering existing infrastructure already provides good service there?

[Mandy D]

Just now, DaveL59 said:

True, tho you are very dependent on the rocket motors performing properly for it to work, over time I expect they'll get the reliability up, they've not been in the game or developing as long I think?

Surprised the climate brigade haven't been wading in more tho, just how essential have all those launches been considering that his starlink project isn't really a must-have for the vast majority of the population. Its much more a big business money factory and do we really need that considering existing infrastructure already provides good service there?

I thought Skylink was "the other guy" not Richard Branson. But, totally agree that we do not need the number of satellites he is throwing up there for internet connections.

[Macavity]

I did track "Cosmic Girl" using Flight Radar 24 - SHE seemed to do the "loop" in an
opposite direction to that previewed - and took the commentators by surprise? 😏

The "drop" occurred on the 90 deg turn -- "bottom right"? Still a shame though. 😐

Edited January 12, 2023 by Macavity

[Mr Spock]

A damp squib. As it fell in the ocean, very damp... 😜 

[DaveS]

Now he's REALLY pi$$ed off

 

[DaveL59]

1 hour ago, Mr Spock said:

A damp squib. As it fell in the ocean, very damp... 😜 

we're 2 for 2 at that it seems 😉 

[DaveL59]

 

[DaveL59]

wow what is wrong with the british press?

Tho the express is one of the garbage bin/budgie cage lining variety I guess...

Edited January 21, 2023 by DaveL59

[DaveS]

Angry is right to be sceptical. Only brain-dead morons believe *anything* they read (If they can read) in the Excess.

[Alien 13]

23 hours ago, DaveL59 said:

ow what is wrong with the british press?

To the express is one of the garbage bin/budgie cage lining variety I guess...

I thought only the Guardian/Telegraph and Observer had that honor of lining a Budgie cage... its all they are good for..

Give me a proper newspaper any day 😀

Alan