Rocketry Planet

WORLD WIDE WEB — On Thursday, February 12th, 2009 at 5:09PM EST, Arianespace will launch an Ariane 5 rocket with the HOTBIRD™ 10 and NSS-9 dual-satellite payload. Rocketry Planet has made arrangements to broadcast the launch live in one of our chat rooms. The webcast will begin at 4:49PM EST, with a 55 minute launch window opening at 5:09PM EST. 

Arianespace mission poster. Display and right click, select "Save as..."

The Launch Readiness Review (RAL) took place in Kourou on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 and authorized count-down operations for the launch.

For its first launch of the year, Arianespace will orbit two communications satellites: HOT BIRD™ 10 for the European operator Eutelsat, and NSS-9 for the global operator SES New Skies, part of the SES group. The mission will also launch two micro-satellites for the Spirale demonstration program.

It will be launched from the Ariane launch complex N° 3 (ELA3), in Kourou, French Guiana.

The webcast is only available to registered users, but registration is easy and free. You must be logged in prior to entering the webcast and you must enter the special Arianespace Live Webcast link to view the webcast. To enter the webcast, simply click the link below:

Enter the Arianespace Live Webcast

Note: Users may need to download and install the Adobe Flash Player plugin for their browser to view this Rocketry Planet webcast. Plugins can be found at the Adobe Player page. Firefox users may need to download and install the Windows Media Player plugin for the Firefox browser to view Windows Media webcasts. Plugins can be found at the Firefox Plugins Page.

Reader comments:

#1 Re: Article: Join Rocketry Planet for live webcast of Arianespace launch

This webcast will be an experiment, as Arianespace has moved away from Windows Media as the streaming format, and started using Flash. I have the preliminary feed already working, but there is no guarantee the feed will work properly at launch time. I'll just have to wait until then to see. Viewers will have to enter the webcast and then click the start button on the video to begin their stream.

ddmobley on 02-10-2009 06:17 PM

#2 Re: Article: Join Rocketry Planet for live webcast of Arianespace launch

Cool! Will try to tune in.

Arianespace rings a bell from my programming days regarding divide by zero error and a serious flight fault...

Diosces on 02-10-2009 06:27 PM

#3 Re: Article: Join Rocketry Planet for live webcast of Arianespace launch

DD - is there any way you could arrange a test during the day today to let folks get a feel for how this new method works?

UncleVanya on 02-12-2009 10:25 AM

#4 Re: Article: Join Rocketry Planet for live webcast of Arianespace launch

It's online now.

ddmobley on 02-12-2009 01:34 PM

#5 Re: Article: Join Rocketry Planet for live webcast of Arianespace launch

By the way, I have added an option so people can select their video stream. By default, you are initially brought into the Windows Media stream, but there is a link at the bottom of the page to go to a Flash stream. This way if the Flash version doesn't work right, we can use the Windows media version. Options!

ddmobley on 02-12-2009 02:54 PM

#6 Re: Article: Join Rocketry Planet for live webcast of Arianespace launch

The webcast has begun...

ddmobley on 02-12-2009 04:51 PM

#7 Re: Article: Join Rocketry Planet for live webcast of Arianespace launch

Great launch, beautiful flight.

ddmobley on 02-12-2009 05:21 PM

#8 Re: Article: Join Rocketry Planet for live webcast of Arianespace launch

Quote:

Great launch, beautiful flight.

Thanks for covering the launch I enjoyed it!!

Sheri on 02-12-2009 06:59 PM

#9 Re: Article: Join Rocketry Planet for live webcast of Arianespace launch

And, readers, Sheri didn't get into an argument with anyone! Not even the guy talking in French.

Nice user title, Sheri. Heh.

ddmobley on 02-12-2009 07:14 PM

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