Thursday, January 20, 2011
Spy in the Sky
Vandenberg just launched a Delta IV Heavy missile carrying a spy satellite payload bound for a polar orbit (say "Cheese!" Russia and China). This is what the missile looked like on TV:
And this is what it looked like from 180 miles away:
Too bad they didn't launch this one near sundown - those are always spectacular.
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3 comments:
Are you sure that isn't a con trail from a jet?
Sure looks like it, right?
I know you're kidding Duane, but there is a way to tell the difference. A contrail behind a jet will all be at the same altitude and will all be affected by the same winds. Consequently, they tend to stay in straight lines.
Rocket contrails are going up through the different layers in the atmosphere, so they're affected by different winds at different levels. That's how you end up with the jagged look after just a few minutes.
Ah, beautiful downtown Vandyland. Haven't been there since '86. Never got to see a launch, but I heard one thru the fog.
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