*** Warning *** Long Rambling Post ***

Well gang, my ass is stuck on this big garbage scow of a boat for a month as we head down to the Equator (0 deg, 154 deg West) to launch this satellite. Maybe one of the Aussies could load a few blue Stooks onto a barge and come meet us and I can smuggle them back into the States for us Yanks.

For anyone who hasn't heard about XM Radio here is a little blurb:

In two consecutive launches, Sea Launch will place two XM satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit for XM Satellite Radio Inc., based in Washington, D.C. The satellites - called Rock (XM-2) and Roll (XM-1) - will transmit up to 100 channels of digital-quality music, news, sports, talk, comedy and children's programming to subscribers across the continental United States. The company will create and package its programming at a state-of-the-art, all-digital broadcast center. XM-2/Rock will be launched in March. XM Radio is one of only two companies licensed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to provide Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service in the United States.

Built by Boeing Satellite Systems of El Segundo, Calif., the 702 model satellites are the most powerful ordered to date. Each will provide 18 kilowatts of total power at beginning of life. To generate such high power, two solar wings employ five panels each of high-efficiency, dual junction gallium arsenide solar cells. To provide 15 years of service, the Boeing 702 carries the flight-proven xenon ion propulsion system (XIPS) for all on-orbit maneuvering. Boeing Satellite Systems is the world's leading manufacturer of commercial communications satellites. Alcatel Space of Toulouse, France, is providing the high-power, S-band, Digital Audio Radio Service payload.

What this means in English is that they are basically like DIRECTV for radios.

I am the payload engineer for the launch platform. I stacked it onto the rocket back at Long Beach and now am in charge of care and feeding of it on our 12 day journey to the Equator. Then we light the big candle.

Bored silly already as you can tell by this post. 30 knot winds and 15 foot seas are pounding on us and slowing us to a crawl. This scow can only do 12 knots on a good day and today we are only doing 5 knots.

Here is a photo I took from the helicopter before we left port.

 

that's pretty freakin' cool! i only wish i could get a free trip to KSC to see the spacecrafts my section built launched.

hmm...maybe i'll go in '03 for the twin rover launch...

 

Sometimes you just have to sit back and say "Now that guy has a cool job!"

 

Agreed!! The exact words that I uttered upon reading this and seeing the picture, "HOLY CRAP thats COOL!"

 

Stop riding his wave. . .it's not like it's rocket science

Woohooo.....I got a chance to use that line somewhere!!!

 

I use that line all the time.

"Hey, Its not like its rocket science. Oh shit, I guess it is!"

 

I bet it's way cool the first couple of times. I'd love to witness a launch like that.

But I bet after spending extended periods on a 5 knot barge, all for 45 seconds of excitement, it could grow a little taxing. Think of the S2000 withdrawal symptoms.

Oh well, at least you've got access to S2000online

 

You hit the nail on the head with that one. Launching cool. 1 month with no nookie or Stook bad.

 

Still, It's more exciting then being a salesman

 

That was my point, it might get tedious and redundant for TrojanHorse but what an opening line.