Re: VirginOrbit LauncherOne launch from Cornwall/Ireland on Jan 9th?

From: Marco Langbroek via Seesat-l <seesat-l_at_satobs.org>
Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2023 18:57:52 +0100
Op 9-1-2023 om 18:40 schreef tristan.cools_at_gmail.com:
> Belgian press are saying that the launch would be visible from Belgium.  With a 
> southerly launch direction I really have my doubts !


In fact it *theoretically* is, attaining a maximum sky elevation of about 12 
degrees in the SW some 6 minutes after launch, if my launch trajectory 
reconstruction is realistic.

But the whole launch trajectory is NOT illuminated by the sun, so no sunlit 
exhaust clouds and sunlit rocket. All the light has to come from the rocket 
engine, at 1000+ km.

And given that LauncherOne is not a very big rocket (and by the  time it rises 
over the horizon for Belgium, the first stage already will have burnt out), that 
makes it more problematic, although perhaps not impossible (with optical aid).

- Marco


-----
Dr Marco Langbroek  -  SatTrackCam Leiden, the Netherlands.
e-mail: sattrackcam_at_langbroek.org

launchtower:    http://launchtower.langbroek.org
Station (b)log: http://sattrackcam.blogspot.com
Twitter:        _at_Marco_Langbroek
-----



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Received on Mon Jan 09 2023 - 11:58:26 UTC

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