http://www.noozhawk.com/article/atlas_v_set_for_launch_from_...
The documentary The Engines That Came in from the Cold is an interesting look at these engines and the NK-33's, and US/Russian collaboration.
Update: Second stage engine cutoff (SECO), now coasting until second stage reignition.
Update 2: Second stage reignition should occur at 3:08pm PST (about 6 minutes from now) and burn for about 1min 11 seconds.
Update 3: "second stage restart burn successful. Orbit looks nominal" - @SpaceX
Update 4: "Spacecraft separation confirmed! SES-8 is now in its targeted GEO transfer orbit." - @SpaceX
All in all, looks like a good launch. Can't wait to hear about the second burn, which was last flight's sticking point.
Plus, he's rarely wrong
But getting to space is easy. The problem is staying there.
Lets say we fly a rocket up to earth sun L4 at a really slow speed. When we reach L4 we fire retro rockets to slow down as to not overshoot.
It seems to me that we never have to reach a high speed to stay in space at that point. The two bodies would be holding us there?
Is that correct? Is there a certain speed to fly out to L4 which uses less fuel than speeding up to 8km/s like you would need to stay in space orbiting earth?
http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/appel/ask-academy/issues/vol...
This knocked out command module electrical systems, and it took some damned fast thinking from ECOM (electrical and environmental systems) who recalled an earlier incident and gave the instruction "SCE to AUX", resetting electrical systems.
Actual launch: http://fixyt.com/watch?v=eWQIryll8y8
Dramatization: http://fixyt.com/watch?v=TMYNy3JsHTE
Reddit open thread for this launch: http://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/1ryy1n/rspacex_falco...