23-story rocket blasts off in California

[Hot Mega]

If you were in Southern California on Thursday afternoon and happened to notice what looked like a skyscraper darting across the sky, you weren't seeing things. That was the Delta IV Heavy Launch Vehicle, the largest rocket ever to launch from the West Coast.

Since the craft is 235 feet tall -- roughly 23 stories -- officials were worried that the force of the liftoff blast might break windows or spread earthquake fears in the area, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The launch took place at 1:10 p.m. Pacific time at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County, near Lompoc.

The three-engine rocket is thought to carry a top-secret U.S. spy satellite, the Times said, that is "capable of snapping pictures detailed enough to distinguish the make and model of an automobile hundreds of miles below."

Continued at link....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110121/us_yblog_thelookout/23-storey-rocket-blasts-off-in-california

 

[Jagger69]

Wow....that's an impressive launch from Vandenberg! That's a huge rocket....only 128 ft. shorter than the mammoth Saturn V moon rocket from the Apollo missions!! :eek:

I hope they use the satellite to find bin Laden instead of my 2002 Chrysler.

 

[Facetious]

What happens to the spent thrusters... just more space junk?

 

[domshooter]

What happens to the spent thrusters... just more space junk?

either that or they fall back to earth. then theyre picked up

 

[Jagger69]

What happens to the spent thrusters... just more space junk?

either that or they fall back to earth. then theyre picked up

There's no "either" about it. The boosters (not "thrusters") separate from the vehicle in Earth's atmosphere, gravity does its thing and they fall back into the sea. They are then reused or recycled depending on the type and makeup of the booster.

 

[D-rock]

I hope they use the satellite to find bin Laden instead of my 2002 Chrysler.

Even worse is if you get stuck or your car breaks down they're probably not going to send anyone out to help.

 

[Facetious]

There's no "either" about it. The boosters (not "thrusters") separate from the vehicle in Earth's atmosphere, gravity does its thing and they fall back into the sea. They are then reused or recycled depending on the type and makeup of the booster.

It would seem to me like they provide a thrust much greater than they provide a boost.
I know... I know

Aside: What if one of those hunkin things came down upon your tuna fishin vessel! :surprise:

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