After weeks of delays, United Launch Alliance is ready to launch its first-ever Vulcan rocket. This test flight will also be the first to send a commercial lunar lander to the moon. But if you want to see a historic launch, you need to know when and how. All space fans are welcome to use it.
The Vulcan Centaur rocket will launch from ULA’s Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. 2:18 a.m. ET (07:18 GMT) Cert-1’s mission is to certify readiness for commercial and government flight. You can watch the Vulcan rocket launch live online starting at 1:30 a.m. ET (6:30 GMT), courtesy of NASA and ULA.
The rocket also carries the Peregrine Lunar Lander, a civilian mission built by the US company Astrobotic to conduct six NASA experiments as the first flight of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services Program. The mission will be the first U.S. attempt to land on the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972, and if successful it will be the first civilian mission to safely land on the moon.
Astrobotic’s Peregrine has also delivered more than a dozen other payloads for paying customers, including packages for delivery service DHL, a digital art gallery, and human DNA samples and cremated remains for space burial companies Celestis and Elysium. carrying it to the moon.
What time will ULA’s first Vulcan Centaur launch?
Currently, ULA is targeting January 8th. 2:18 a.m. ET (07:18 GMT) The first Vulcan Centaur test flight is scheduled to launch, but the launch could occur at any time within the 45-minute window. 3:03 a.m. ET (8:03 GMT). The mission was previously scheduled to launch on December 24, but ULA postponed the launch to January to allow room for a full refueling rehearsal.
This is the longest of ULA’s launch windows for this week’s four flyovers, which include preliminary dates on January 9, 10 and 11. The launch time slots for these preliminary days are 9 minutes, 1 minute, and 3 minutes, respectively.
The forecast for the January 8 launch promises perfect weather conditions for four launch opportunities this week.there is 85% chance of good weather upon Release date: January 8thbut The chance of good weather on January 9th drops to 40%. Because of the thick clouds, 45% on both January 10th and 11th.said Melody Robin, a meteorological officer with the 45th Weather Squadron at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Can I watch ULA’s first Vulcan launch online?
Yes, you can watch ULA’s Vulcan Centaur Cert-1 test flight launch online.
As NASA conducts several experiments aboard Vulcan’s payload, the Peregrine Lunar Module, heading to the moon, the U.S. space agency plans to provide a live webcast of the launch.If liftoff is currently set 2:18 a.m. ETNASA’s webcast begins at: 1:30 a.m. Eastern Time (GMT 0630). You can watch the webcast live in the window at the top of this page, or you can watch the webcast directly. NASA+ app, NASA YouTube Channel and NASA television broadcasts.
ULA will also host its own webcast. ULA’s YouTube channelsimilarly ULA’s Vulcan Centaur Cert-1 Mission Page.
Both webcasts will cover the last hour before launch and then follow the Vulcan Centaur rocket through launch, stage separation, and the first major milestone in orbit. The Peregrine lunar module is scheduled to separate from Vulcan’s Centaur upper stage four hours and 24 minutes after liftoff, but ULA may end live streaming before that milestone. We may share updates via Xformerly Twitter.
How long will ULA’s first Vulcan Centaur rocket mission last?
ULA’s Vulcan Centaur Cert-1 test flight, from launch to end of mission, Expected to last approximately 4 hours and 24 minutes, according to the mission summary. During that period, the Vulcan rocket will lift off, drop off its first stage, and deploy the Peregrine lunar module about 50 minutes after liftoff, placing it on a so-called “translunar” orbit toward the Moon. Meanwhile, the Centaur upper stage will continue alone into deep space and eventually orbit the sun.
If all goes well, Peregrine Landing on the moon on February 23rd It is located in an area known as Stickinnes Cave, or Stickiness Bay, near a series of landforms known as Gruyteisendome. Below is the timeline of the Vulcan Centaur Cert-1 test flight.
Time (hour:minute:second) | event |
---|---|
T-0:00:04.9 | BE-4 engine ignition |
T+0:00:01.1 | unload |
T+0:00:07.9 | pitch/yaw maneuver |
T+0:01:09.9 | mach 1 |
T+0:01:16.1 | Max Q |
T+0:01:50.3 | SRB Jettison |
T+0:04:58.9 | booster engine cutoff |
T+0:05:05 | Booster/centaur stage separation |
T+0:05:14.9 | Centaur main engine start |
T+0:05:23 | Payload fairing jettison |
T+0:15:45.4 | Centaur 1st main engine shutdown (MECO) |
T+0:43:35>7 | Centaur 2nd main engine start |
T+0:47:37 | Centaur 2nd main engine stopped |
T+0:50:26 | Isolation of peregrine falcon |
T+1:18:23.9 | Centaur 3rd main engine start |
T+1:18:43.8 | Centaur 3rd main engine stopped |
T+4:24:44.5 | Mission completed |
What happens if ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket doesn’t launch?
If ULA is unable to launch its Vulcan rocket’s Cert-1 mission on January 8, the company will have three more days to try again before canceling for several weeks. ULA has a four-day window to launch the mission, with opportunities on January 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th.
“These four days are an opportunity,” Gary Wentz, ULA’s vice president of government and commercial programs, told reporters on Friday, January 5. “Obviously, when going through a flow, the number of consecutive attempts depends on how far you advance the count and how much fuel and supplies you burn in the process, assuming delays such as weather. ” Just like that. ” Technical glitches and issues may cause longer delays.
The graph below shows the launch time and launch window length for each day within the period. The length of the launch window will be determined by the orbital dynamics required for Vulcan to launch Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander to the moon.
release date | Launch time | window length |
---|---|---|
Monday, January 8th | 2:18 a.m. ET (07:18 GMT) | 45 minutes |
Tuesday, January 9th | 12:15 a.m. ET (07:15 GMT) | 9 minutes |
Wednesday, January 10th | 12:12 a.m. ET (07:12 GMT) | 1 minute |
Thursday, January 11th | 12:14 a.m. ET (07:14 GMT) | 3 minutes |
If ULA is unable to launch the Vulcan Cert-1 mission within the four-day period, the company will Will have to wait until January 23rd Wentz said the orbital mechanics needed to deliver the Peregrine lander to the moon will require another attempt.
Correction: This article was updated on January 7 to correct the timing of the events of Peregrine Lunar Module separation and Vulcan Centaur test flight mission end. The Peregrine lander will separate approximately 50 minutes after liftoff, and the Centaur upper stage will complete its mission 4 hours and 24 minutes after liftoff.
Correction: This article was updated on January 7 to correct the timing of the events of Peregrine Lunar Module separation and Vulcan Centaur test flight mission end. The Peregrine lander will separate approximately 50 minutes after liftoff, and the Centaur upper stage will complete its mission 4 hours and 24 minutes after liftoff.
Editor’s note: Visit Space.com on Monday, Jan. 8 to learn that ULA’s first-ever Vulcan Centaur rocket will land on Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lunar Lander at 2:18 a.m. EDT (7:18 p.m. JST) Watch the launch. The live webcast is scheduled to begin at 1:30 a.m. ET (6:30 GMT).