Author: WaywardPlane

ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

posted on 12th April, 2021 11:46 am by

Hey, y’all.

Starting… uh, a couple weeks ago, Launch Rats is in the process of transitioning to new-ish ownership, becoming the sole dominion of Lupi alone.

The reason why: is here, and also here.

During this transition period, responses to personalized launch viewing info requests may be delayed or missed entirely. Sorry about that; we’ll do the best we can. Also, updates will be suspended until… whenever. I reckon there’s enough other info on this site to remain useful to y’all in the meantime.

Clear skies & safe landings,

Wayward

starlink, starlink… something about starlink…

posted on 2nd February, 2021 5:10 pm by

Two of ’em, in fact. Which are, right now, both scheduled for Thursday, February 4th: one from SLC-40 at 1:19 am local time (GMT-5) and one from LC-39A at 5:36 am.

I mean, okay, first of all, that is almost definitely NOT going to happen, one or the other of these launches is going to move. But also, both of those times can only get earlier, and that means that neither launch will be viewable from Playalinda Beach, which is favored for Starlink LC-39A launches. Alternatives include Parrish Park, the Max Brewer Bridge, anywhere along US-1 in Titusville, the beaches of Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach, y’know, the usual suspects…

…but also, it’s been cold lately. Like, not just Florida cold, but COLD, and any launch viewing area is going to be by the water and thus even colder… For that reason, our recommendation for this launch is, wherever you’re going to view it from, prioritize a place where you can stay cozy in your car (so, not the Max Brewer Bridge) and honestly, if you’re not local, come see a different launch, ‘cuz neither of these is going to be comfortable.

Keep an eye on Space Twitter for the most timely updates on launch schedules; we’ll add more info here as we can.

oh right, stuff’s (still) launching, whoops

posted on 16th January, 2021 6:19 pm by

Yes, I’m lazy. Yes, I’m gonna keep editing this post for as long as I can keep reusing the same two basic paragraphs. 😉

The last Starlink launch went up as planned (yay!) but now we’re hearing that Wednesday, January 27th, is another SpaceX Starlink launching from LC-39A. Hazard maps have safety zones active from 7:33 am to 8:54 am, so… somewhere in that range? Still waiting on more definite info, but for this launch, the best viewing location is still Playalinda Beach, due to its proximity to the pad. Get there early, bring water and bug spray and probably warm clothes; it’s been Florida-chilly lately.

SpaceX Transporter 1 launched like a bazillion cubesats from SLC-40 this morning, and now we’re waiting for JRTI to come back to port with the 8x flown booster – amusingly, it was held up by the hazard zones for the Transporter launch. Sources say it’ll be this afternoon or evening.

As always, keep an eye on social media in case of launch delays, and to get info on returning drone ships after the launch. Cheers!

“Planet Play” Is A Universe Of Fun (groan) at KSCVC

posted on 6th January, 2021 12:59 pm by

Hey, parents: I know you love your kids deeply and dearly, but c’mon, haven’t you wished sometimes – just for a moment – that you could send them off to another planet to play for a little while, so you could relax and sip a cup of coffee or glass of wine in peace?

Well. Have I got news for you…!

Check out the video below for more information on Kennedy Space Center’s newest attraction, which is – brace yourselves – truly out of this world.

…I’ll show myself out. 😉

Upcoming: Turksat 5A Launch, CRS-21 Dragon Return

posted on 4th January, 2021 8:22 pm by

It’s been a long, rough road… launch forecasts being issued and retracted, the recovery fleet heading out and then coming back, dates slipping and slipping, again and again… but at long, long last, we may actually have information on the Turksat 5a launch (woooo!)

As of the time of this post, SpaceX’s Turksat 5A mission is now scheduled to launch from pad SLC-40 on Thursday, January 7th at 8:28 pm local time (GMT-5) – but that’s slipped, what, three times in the past three days? so if you’re planning to drive more than a half hour to see this one, seriously, wait until the very last moment before making any plans or spending any non-refundable money on the trip. Due to the late hour and the launch trajectory (pretty much straight out to sea), the best viewing option for this one is probably the beaches of Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach, but other options like U.S. 1 in Titusville and the Max Brewer Bridge will also work. The 45th Weather Squadron is predicting an 80% probability of favorable weather for launch at this time, but also forecasts a cold front moving in, so make sure to bring warm clothing or blankets – and there is a four-hour launch window, so remember snacks and drinks, in case you end up having to wait.

Of course, what comes up must come down, and in SpaceX’s case, that usually means that a drone ship will come cruising into Port Canaveral with a Falcon 9 booster on its back within a few days after launch – as always, you’ll want to keep an eye on @Julia_Bergeron and @SpaceXFleet for further updates on the booster return.

And speaking of things returning from space via Port Canaveral: the Dragon spacecraft launched to the ISS on the CRS-21 mission is expected to splash down off the coast of Cape Canaveral on Monday, January 11th at 9 pm local time (GMT-5):

Stay tuned to Space Twitter for updates, folks!

Turksat 5A… um… well…

posted on 3rd January, 2021 7:34 pm by
Meme image, text reads: This is where I'd put my Turksat 5A update - if I had one

First it was going to be January 4th, then the 6th, and… there’ve been no updates, the recovery fleet is still in Port Canaveral, and we just don’t know what’s up with this launch.

Stay tuned, I guess? We’ll pass along info when we have some.

Next Up: SpX NROL-108

posted on 15th December, 2020 8:10 pm by

Aaaaaargh I forgot to update the site again, and this is important, yo:

SpaceX is launching the NROL-108 mission on a Falcon 9 rocket from pad LC-39A this Thursday, December 17th, within a three-hour window that begins at 9:00 am local time (GMT-5) and the reason why this matters is because this is a Return To Launch Site landing, expected to occur at LZ-1, and those are becoming rarer and rarer lately.

For this launch, Jetty Park is going to be the prime location, in order to get the best views of that landing booster. As a bonus, the booster from the SXM 7 launch is expected to arrive in port at dawn, so an exciting day to take a trip to Port Canaveral! Remember to buy your Jetty Park admission in advance; they will scan your admission code at the gate.

Cheers!

December 10th Launch Update: WTAF?

posted on 7th December, 2020 9:24 am by

ETA: Deadlock broken. ULA’s Delta IV Heavy is scheduled for the 10th; SpaceX will launch SXM7 on the 11th.

If you have looked at the latest launch schedule and noticed that two different launches seem to be happening on the same day, and are wondering what’s up with that?

It’s okay. None of the rest of us know, either.

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CRS-21 Launch Wrap-Up & Booster Return

posted on 6th December, 2020 8:42 pm by

So, CRS-21 launched this morning from LC-39A, and the view from Playalinda Beach was glorious…

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Next Up: Okay, Wait, What?

posted on 5th December, 2020 1:30 am by

As I write this, it’s 12:37 a.m. on the morning of the fifth and we don’t know yet whether SpaceX’s CRS-21 is going to launch today (ETA: it isn’t; Sunday the 6th at 11:17 am local (GMT-5), instead) and yet already I’m looking past that, because the launch schedule ’round these parts nowadays is just weird.

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