New Zealand Local Weather Forum
Climate and Science => Space, Science and Nature => Topic started by: JennyLeez on June 22, 2018, 09:12:04 PM
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MetService on site for planned Rocket Lab launch
A good winter's day in-store for the team and spectators
Locals, spectators and the team at Rocket Lab should experience some settled weather and sunshine on Saturday as the company prepares for its second orbital launch off the Mahia Peninsula.
(http://nzpws.net/nzwn/images/rocket_lab_mahia.jpg)
MetService are the official weather consultants to Rocket Lab, and have an expert meteorologist on site, easily accessible for up-to-the-minute advice, given the complexity of this launch.
"Weather is such a critical component of this activity which is why we're here," says Expert Meteorologist Mark Schwarz. "Close consideration of not only the surface conditions but also the upper atmosphere play an important role in the launch."
As the official Rocket Lab forecaster, Mark is currently at Mahia Peninsula providing launch forecasts to the team dealing with critical factors such as wind at a very high altitude, icing, turbulence and potential cloud cover.
"The weather outlook for Mahia on Saturday is looking like sunshine which is encouraging for the potential launch. The ridge of high pressure pushing over New Zealand from the Tasman Sea gives us this window of opportunity," says Schwarz.
"A good winter's day is in store with light winds turning northwesterly as the day progresses and temperatures reach about 14C."
MetService have been onsite with Rocket Lab since its first launch.
(http://nzpws.net/nzwn/images/rocket_lab_mahia2.jpg)
Rocket Lab successfully reached orbit with the test flight of its second Electron orbital launch vehicle, Still Testing. Electron lifted-off at 14:43 NZDT from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand.
Following successful first and second stage burns, Electron reached orbit and deployed customer payloads at 8 minutes and 31 seconds after lift-off.
More re January's Launch from Rocket Lab. (https://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/rocket-lab-successfully-reaches-orbit-and-deploys-payloads-january-21-2018/)
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Rocket Lab's delayed second launch has been scrubbed and postponed to Monday, weather pending.
Rocket Lab announced at 4:00pm on Saturday that the the first attempt at launching the Electron rocket's first fully-commercial flight had been scrubbed.
The launch had been due to take place during a four-hour window from 12:30pm from Rocket Lab's launch complex at Māhia Peninsula in the Wairoa District near Gisborne.
Kiwi chief executive Peter Beck tweeted shortly after that issues with the company's 'down-range tracking dish' in the Chatham Islands had affected the launch and its live stream, which only lasted 39 seconds.
The launch window for the rocket remains open until July 6 from Māhia Peninsula.
The US satellite launch company will not attempt to launch the rocket again tomorrow due to weather and has sent crews to the Chatham Islands with spare parts for the dish that caused Saturday's scrub.
Rocket lab Website (https://www.rocketlabusa.com/)
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It is really great to see that NZ is playing a major role here!