Rockets and giftfic!
Jan. 27th, 2020 01:05 amI forgot to mention this recent gift in my last roundup!
Cafe of the Iron Cat by![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
yhlee (Iron Fist, 700 wds, the main four)
They're cursed into cat shape, and it is ADORABLE. xD A+ BEST CRACK EVER. <3
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I woke up at 4:30 a.m. this morning and went outside in -20F for ROCKETS and there were no rockets; woe. We live about 15-20 miles south of Poker Flat Research Range, the world's largest land-based rocket range according to Wikipedia. It's a university-owned rocket range that participates in Arctic research of the aurora and upper atmosphere. They're doing a series of launches this week between about 4-5 a.m. AK time (8-9 a.m. EST), observing nitric oxide and ozone interactions in the upper atmosphere. Last night was scrubbed for an unknown problem, but they're on track to launch again tonight; if you want, you can follow them on Twitter (they have Youtube livestreams which will be announced on the Twitter close to launch time; it's fun to follow if you're into this kind of thing).
We enjoy watching these, because as far away as we are, you can hear them from where we live (it's a deep rumble, like a jet taking off) and we can watch the rocket go up and the stages fall off. For the most part, they use decommissioned 1960s/70s military solid-fuel rockets to boost their payloads, which are not small! I honestly had no idea before the first time we watched one that they sound the way they do. It also gives me a profound sympathy for anyone who lives near Kennedy Space Center.
Still, they're often earlier - the previous times we've watched were much closer to midnight - and I don't know if I'll be up for it tonight.
Cafe of the Iron Cat by
yhlee (Iron Fist, 700 wds, the main four)They're cursed into cat shape, and it is ADORABLE. xD A+ BEST CRACK EVER. <3
--
I woke up at 4:30 a.m. this morning and went outside in -20F for ROCKETS and there were no rockets; woe. We live about 15-20 miles south of Poker Flat Research Range, the world's largest land-based rocket range according to Wikipedia. It's a university-owned rocket range that participates in Arctic research of the aurora and upper atmosphere. They're doing a series of launches this week between about 4-5 a.m. AK time (8-9 a.m. EST), observing nitric oxide and ozone interactions in the upper atmosphere. Last night was scrubbed for an unknown problem, but they're on track to launch again tonight; if you want, you can follow them on Twitter (they have Youtube livestreams which will be announced on the Twitter close to launch time; it's fun to follow if you're into this kind of thing).
We enjoy watching these, because as far away as we are, you can hear them from where we live (it's a deep rumble, like a jet taking off) and we can watch the rocket go up and the stages fall off. For the most part, they use decommissioned 1960s/70s military solid-fuel rockets to boost their payloads, which are not small! I honestly had no idea before the first time we watched one that they sound the way they do. It also gives me a profound sympathy for anyone who lives near Kennedy Space Center.
Still, they're often earlier - the previous times we've watched were much closer to midnight - and I don't know if I'll be up for it tonight.
