Progeny Mk6 Block I Flight 3 (Radiation Field Study 3)

let's get back to launching rockets!! Ascension Mk1 flight is still NET end of May but here are the next Progeny MK6 Block I flights:

#2🚀 4/26 @ 17:58 UTC
#3🚀 5/2 @ 18:18 UTC
#4🚀 5/8 @ 18:38 UTC

tickets are on sale for all three upcoming launches - if previous launches are any indication better move fast of you want one. Non-ticketed areas will be available as well - you may not see the rocket light off on the pad but will still get a great view of ascent

pad inspection carried out this past day cycle reports no issues. Launch base is now aligned to 135°. Tracking station reports ready & range drills have been ongoing since yesterday with MSV Hoodall, a new vessel in our contract fleet

VAB is getting ready to button up the payload and is running the airbrakes through their final checkouts. Lead Engineer Simon reports they are on schedule to load up the rocket onto the carry vehicle by the end of the day

Flight Director Lanalye says they have wrapped up flight drills with the launch team and range drills working with the new Maritime Service Vessel, all is ready on their end for lift off tomorrow

🌅Sunrise/Sunset🌄
@ KSC (UTC-4)

5/2
#2🌅07:32:11 🌄11:22:40
#3🌅13:33:02 !!🚀!! 🌄17:23:31
#4🌅19:33:53 🌄23:24:22

5/3
#1🌅01:34:44 🌄05:25:13

[L-4h10m] the rocket was successfully rolled out and mounted to the launch base earlier today and we are on schedule proceeding into pre-launch operations, following the same timeline as the last launch. Expect updates at the following major events

[L-3h40m] launch team is assembling for Flight Director Lanalye to give the final briefing on today's operations. No changes have been made to the ascent profile or recovery stage

[L-3h10m] we are GO from weather kerbs to begin waking up the rocket and loading up the operations code. Rain passed through 2 day cycles ago but the regional reports are looking good now. No change other than launch time & payload code made to bit.ly/AFCS_KSA

[L-2h55m] just after sunset now, rocket is initialized and setup for tanking operations to begin. Crews on the pad will hook up the fuel trucks one at a time to first load 49kg of oxidizer followed by 60kg of liquid fuel (that is Sarnus rising)

[L-2h40m] tanking ops have completed and the rocket now weighs in at 1.721t fully fueled and ready to go - if the fuel stays in the tanks that is. Pre-flight checks continue as fuel levels are monitored closely for any leaks

this launch did not sell out (tickets still available for the next launch as well) so you can still purchase front-row seats upon arrival to KSC if you did not plan ahead. Free spectating areas are still open also

[L-1h55m] all systems remain nominal, fuel tank levels are holding. Workers are clearing the launch pad back to 300m with a few sheltering in the bunker for quick response in event of a fire or explosion. Engine testing will soon be underway

[L-1h30] rocket continues to look good, issues board remains clear as the pre-flight phase closes out and team transitions to external tasks of range setup, securing the launch pad and ensuring good RF comms across the launch network

[L-1h20m] a team out in the Grasslands to the WNW has released a high-altitude KerBalloon to begin its hour-long ascent into the upper atmosphere (>18km) to report back on wind conditions that could affect the rocket in flight. Surface conditions for launch remain green

[L-45m] proceeding now into a full dress rehearsal to ensure all systems are properly initialized for flight and controllers know their duties. MSV Hoodall especially will receive close scrutiny to ensure their training has them properly prepared

[L-30m] Flight Director Lanalye has given the GO for final countdown to begin after a clean rehearsal in conjunction with weather officers confirming conditions outside remain good. Range Safety Officer finalizing setup for monitoring the launch corridor

sunrise from outside of Launch Control with the rocket off in the distance. Winds are moderate out of the WNW which for this launch is pretty much a tail wind so no major concern except for possibly flattening out our trajectory a bit

[L-15m] RSO has confirmation from Hoodall that the waters are clear along the launch corridor and launch pad has also been cleared of all crew. Rocket boosters are now ARMED and Flight Termination System has been initialized

HOLD!! Final readiness poll returned a no go from weather, balloon is showing wind shear conditions in excess of flight limits at just over 18km, which is during an unpowered flight phase & could really knock the rocket around

balloon crew already had a second balloon (of three) ready for release and it will soon be on its way up. Hoodall will recover the first one, reaching its max altitude any minute now. Countdown will recycle to L-15m with new L-0 set for 19:35 UTC

2nd weather balloon is nearing the upper atmosphere for new readings. If conditions are still poor we will have to scrub the launch to the next day cycle as waiting for a third balloon would put the recovery zone in darkness by the time the rocket splashed down

[L-15m] countdown has resumed to bring us back to L-5m at which point we'll get a go/no go on upper-level wind conditions. Rocket is once again ARMED, FTS active and range/pad confirmed still clear. Skies are overcast but high enough for RSO to see the initial ascent

[L-5m] Final readiness polls complete: Wx: GO, all wind conditions nominal; Range: GO; Flight: GO; Tracking: GO; Ops Director: Launch permission granted! 🚀 GO PROGENY 🚀 FTS transitioning to internal power

[T-2m] terminal count! AFCS has assumed control of the flight from here on out, with manual override ability at any point should controllers deem it necessary. Rocket is switching over to internal power and RF comms

[T-1m] if you haven't already, be sure to head over to ops.kerbalspace.agency/?vessel=progen… and follow the flight via our Ops Tracker for updates on planned events

we have booster ignition and LIFT OFF of the third Progeny Mk6 Block I rocket to further explore the hazardous radiation region above our planet! Clear of the launch base, ascending nominally tracking SSE before disappearing into the clouds

powered flight continues as the final stage boosts into space, all previous stages fired and detached without issue, rocket remains centered along the launch corridor and is now visible over the horizon by MSV Tongjess 300km downrange awaiting its recovery

we are back in space once more after an error-free ascent and coasting up over the next 8 minutes to an apokee of just 483km thanks to the extra payload mass carried on this flight along with the increased orbital inclination (and that tail wind we mentioned earlier)

don't worry, we wouldn't deprive you all of a launch photo, seen here heading up into mostly cloudy skies from atop the VAB. Range Safety Officer still had plenty of visibility before it vanished into the clouds to confirm good trajectory

just now passing through apokee, radiation readings once again peaked prior to this highest point on our trajectory but notably failed to reach the highest values seen on earlier flights. Focus now turns to re-entry. Rocket is currently 164km downrange

the rocket should by now be entering the lower atmosphere & extending its air brakes to slow for chute deployment. Signal was lost over the horizon just prior to atmospheric interface. Coming down slower than our last flight, we are expecting good news from Tongjess later today

post-launch ops underway and MSV Hoodall did an excellent job, recovering the second deployed balloon and tracking the spent stages to their watery graves. First stage booster splashed downrange 19km @ L+3m4s and the second stage 46km @ L+4m33s

flight report for this week's launch is now available with all the nitty gritty details to accompany the telemetry data released yesterday. No major changes needed that will delay the next launch: kerbalspace.agency/?p=7119

time to call it a week! Catch up on anything you may have missed and/or learn additional details via bit.ly/OpSummary4-30-…