No, seriously, I didn’t have anything prepared for today, but wanted to get out an article, so, I thought I would share this – one of the best photos I’ve ever seen of my favorite satellite launch vehicle ever, the Titan IV. In this case, a Titan IV-B. This is the same type of vehicle […]
Here we have, as always, the launch highlights from last weeks Atlas V SBIRS launch. It was an early evening launch with spectacular views, as is usually the case for an Atlas V launch. This particular clip is interesting to me in that this being Launch Complex 41, it’s the same one that Cassini, and […]
Here we have the launch highlights video for the United Launch Alliance Delta IV launch of NROL-47. As is standard for these launch highlights videos, it covers the usual pre-launch preparations, and contains many views of the vehicle which were not shown during the actual launch live stream. It includes some quite beautiful views of […]
On October 15th, 2017 a United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 40 carrying a “Satellite Data System” communications satellite into orbit for the United States Department of Defense. This launch was interesting in that it was originally planned earlier in the month, but was repeatedly delayed […]
This film just got uploaded to YouTube by regular historic footage source Jeff Quitney, and what a film it is! A very to-the-point 10 minute or so film about a B-52 Stratofortress which lost it’s fail fin during a test flight over Colorado! Now, under most circumstances, an aircraft without a tail fin would lose […]
Getting back to the grind, we might as well start with this video, uploaded today , which is a digital conversion of a 1966 film about the process of filming and photographing rocket launches at Vandernberg Air Force Base. Launches from VAFB were more common than launches from the Eastern Test Range and Cape Canaveral […]
The Space Shuttle wasn’t just the NASA follow up to Apollo – oh no, it was intended to replace all expendable launch vehicles, both those in use by NASA for civilian payloads and military launches. The specifications of the payload bay and the overall design of the shuttle were driven by military payload requirements, namely […]
Normally, following an event like the death of John Glenn, a blogger like me would share video of his Mercury flight. It is, of course, what he was most famous for, being the first American to orbit the Earth back in 1962. My personal experience with John Glenn, however, is a bit more unique – […]
Ah, project Mercury – the United States “Man In Space” program. Sure, it wasn’t the first to put a man in space, or in orbit (The Soviets would do that with Vostok 1 in 1961) but it was still a necessary step towards what we eventually would accomplish. Of course, anything going into space needs […]
This video, released a few weeks ago, is an amazing way to experience Junes NROL-37 launch, via use of full 360 degree cameras placed around the launch complex. It’s exactly as it sounds, no more, no less: multiple views of the launch, with you being able to look around much like you were there. 360 […]
50 years ago today, on November 3rd 1966, the United States Air Force launched the 6th Titan III-C booster on a very unique test flight. Sitting atop the powerful launch vehicle was an extension made from a spare Titan I rocket oxidizer tank classified as OPS 0855, built to simulate an orbital laboratory payload, and […]
When the United States Air Force began its space reconnaissance programs in the 1960’s, it needed a way to stabilize its camera and signal interception payloads on orbit. Under normal circumstances of the day, satellites were either spin stabilized, or left to drift along on their orbit, maybe, if things were working right, the satellite […]
As is common post launch, United Launch Alliance has published a video compiling highlights and best views of the launch of AFSPC-6 on its Delta IV rocket. As is equally common for me, I present this video here for those of you who enjoy such, and don’t feel like sitting through the entire launch video […]
At 12:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time this morning, August 19th, a Delta IV booster carrying the twin AFSPC-6 satellites successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. These satellites are, as best i can tell, intended to monitor on orbit activities of other satellites and the like for the benefit […]
Coming up tonight, or early tomorrow morning I should say, will be the launch of a Delta IV rocket carrying a pair of “Space Situational Awareness Program” satellites into a near geosynchronous orbit. Like most military payloads, these satellites are a bit of a mystery, but from what I can gather they will provide a […]