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  STS-117: Day or Night Launch?

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Author Topic:   STS-117: Day or Night Launch?
James Brown
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Posts: 1287
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 12-14-2006 07:51 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for James Brown   Click Here to Email James Brown     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Does anyone know if 117 is to be a day or night launch? What time? Thanks.

James

Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 12-14-2006 07:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
According to SpaceflightNow.com's launch schedule the launch is targeted for March 16 at 1020 GMT (6:20 a.m. EDT). Sunrise on the 16th is at 7:31 a.m.

James Brown
Member

Posts: 1287
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 12-14-2006 08:17 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for James Brown   Click Here to Email James Brown     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks again Robert.

Glint
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Posts: 1040
From: New Windsor, Maryland USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 12-14-2006 10:36 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Glint   Click Here to Email Glint     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
According to SpaceflightNow.com's launch schedule the launch is targeted for March 16 at 1020 GMT (6:20 a.m. EDT). Sunrise on the 16th is at 7:31 a.m.

As far as watching from a distance (~1,000 miles up the coast) I prefer and highly recommend the morning twilight launches over the late evening launches such as last week's STS-116 launch of Discovery.

The morning launches are backlit by the sun. This makes the outgassing that occurs just after MECO quite spectacular as a large gas cloud gets belched out which then trails along behind the orbiter. Also at morning twilight near sunrise the orbiter & external tank could be sunlit, albeit mostly on its far side, and thus you'll still be able to follow it after MECO.

Tom
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Posts: 1597
From: New York
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 12-14-2006 02:30 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Tom   Click Here to Email Tom     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Absolutely. I remember watching the STS-48 launch from Long Island just after sunset. It is definately a different perspective.
However, watching "116" from here was very impressive!

All times are CT (US)

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