What seven years of work can look like
 

Been a long haul for the group I work with. Definitely a departure from the majority of the commercial projects I work. The next couple of months are going to be really crazy but, I see the light at the end....of this phase at any rate.

Atlas 5 rocket topped with Navy's newest satellite. Looking towards launch next week to begin dramatically improving the capacity for U.S. military mobile communications, a new breed of satellite was hauled to the towering Atlas 5 rocket assembly building Monday for mounting atop the powerful booster.

Spaceflight Now | Atlas Launch Report | MUOS 1 hoisted atop its launcher

I've been working on the same project for 11 years, 10 years full-time.

Very cool, If the weather is right, my mom could probably see the launch from her place (assuming the launch is from Canaveral/Kennedy)

If it is at night I can see them from my house and I'm on the west coast of FL.

So this is to keep our boys in the field from having to ask, "Can you hear me now?"

Canaveral yes......Can you hear me now?? God, I hope so......

SPAWAR??? SmileWavy Original solicitation for Primes went out in 2003.

It must be very fulfilling to work on an important project like that. I'm glad we have guys like you around. Congrats!!

Thanks Art. It is on a different level than providing another upgraded 9m antenna for Direct TV or Echostar. A little more on the line than missing out on the latest episode of True Blood.

There's only one other program our group has had that I regret not being available to work on and that's the antenna we designed for the ALMA VLA.:cool:

I still have another year or two to finish this program out and frankly I'm itching for something new. We are looking toward wider BW and higher commercial frequency applications. Everybody needs their YouTube on their phones.;)

+1

+2

Crazy to realize that the iconic Atlas now uses Russian engines. Will be interesting to see if Elon Musk is able to shake up the space biz to the extent he thinks he can. Certainly looks to be on track to do so.

Still using the Centaur for the upper stage.

Spaceflight Now | Atlas Launch Report | Landmark launch in rocketry: Centaur set for Flight 200

Beats the hell out of my 7 year project.
http://activerain.com/image_store/up...7053052862.jpg

Boy, that link launched me on the Wayback Machine!

I remember when the Centaur was first being developed. Lots of negative press because of the failures. Giving the press of that day some credit, however, they did emphasize the difficulty of getting the new technology cryo propellants to work correctly. the Atlas at the time was a 1.5 stage vehicle as I recall, and is now a single stage vehicle?

The link mentioned a couple of other missions that rang memory bells. When I was an undergrad I was head of the student AIAA chapter. One of my goals was to get some excellent speakers. One of those was Ewen Whitaker who was at the same University at the Lunar & Planetary Lab. He had found the Surveyor landing sites on the moon, and when I visited him in his office - which was stacked to the ceiling with photographs - he showed me the photos from which he found the Surveyor site and which later became an Apollo target. Very, very nice guy.

Another speaker I brought in was Jim Long (now deceased, unfortunately) from the JPL. He was involved with a project called the Grand Tour which later became the Voyager mission mentioned in the article. He not only gave a great presentation but also presented me with an invitation to JPL. I accepted with more than a small amount of enthusiasm.

Anyhow, sorry if I'm rambling but your link brought back some pretty vivid memories. Thanks.

Launch today
 

First MUOS Launch is currently scheduled for:

Thursday, February 16, 2012
5:46 p.m. – 6:30pm (EST)

The live simulcast of the launch broadcast will begin at:

5:26 p.m. – 6:30pm (EST)

2:26 p.m. – 3:30pm (PST)

Here is the Webcast URL:

:::: United Launch Alliance, LLC ::::

Good Luck!

I also hope a bunch of guys don't shoot it down from "tree cover" and don't "flee the scene on small motorized vehicles."

Cool job, Michael. Best of luck!

Looks like the launch was delayed due to wind - resched for Friday - Spaceflight Now.

Very, very cool. Here's hoping for a perfect launch.

Scrubbed again due to WX. Wednesday now...