Delta 4 Inaugural Launch A Success

brandido writes "Space.com is reporting that the Delta 4 has lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 5:40 pm EST. According to the Article: 'Boeing's Delta 4 has lifted off from pad 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Everything appeared to be working normally with the rocket as it made its initial climb out over the Atlantic Ocean during the first minute.' It will now take the two-stage rocket some 37 minutes to deliver the Eutelsat W5 spacecraft to orbit, so keep your fingers crossed all continues to go well.'" Looks like everything went swimmingly well.

cams?

[dirvish]

Were there any mounted cameras for cool launch vids?

dv?

[RalfM]

but did they strap a video camera to it???

Fingers crossed...

[YahoKa]

I would cross my fingers, but this happened at 5:40. It's 8:20 now.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

no crash

[pyr0]

Heh...I'm guessing they *didn't* get John Carmack to design the onboard computer :)

New update: It crashes into Bagdad.

[heldlikesound]

Rueters:

The Delta 4 swerved suddenly of course at 5:45pm today and headed for Iraq with uncanny precsion eventually crashing into Saddam Hussein's secret, undergroud, booby trap filled hideout. A Pentagon spokesperson said "Our plan is working wonderfully, uh, I mean... to bad about the whole rocket foul-up."

Here's hoping.

[FreeLinux]

Here's hoping that Boeing doesn't acquire Armadillo Aerospace. I'd hate to see what would happen if John was launching a Delta 4.

launching objects into space is against god

[GoatPigSheep]

How can people so viciously attack the heaven with these 'rockets'. Hasn't anyone learned anything from the bible? God lives in those skies and we best not be attacking his realm for he may wreck havoc on us for this obvious contempt over His will.

When will people learn?

range

[Clay Pigeon -TPF-VS-]

So can one of these puppies actually break orbit. I mean we DO need something capable of delivering a thermonuclear warhead to Mars to preemtively stop those Martians from developing nuclear weapons...

All this technology available...

[soulctcher]

...and we still don't use flying cars.

Re:Should be interesting

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah I heard N'Sync and Lance Bass are finally going to space on this one.

Eat your Heart out Carmack!

[Liquidity]

Boeing:1
Carmack:0

I would not really call it successful until

[teamhasnoi]

Lance Bass, Bill Gates, John Ashcroft, and the PanIP bastard all have a meeting underneath it at launch time.

I kinda like the Delta III better

[Burgundy Advocate]

Well, purely from an aesthetic standpoint.

There's just something about a liquid fueled center surrounded by a bunch of boosters [boeing.com].

The whole thing just looks beefy.

Re:I kinda like the Delta III better

[GigsVT]

here's just something about a liquid fueled center surrounded by a bunch of boosters [boeing.com].

<homer>

mmmmmm..... nougat

</homer>

Re:Can I see too?

[oaklybonn]

When I was about 14, my parents moved to Jacksonville, FL. I came home from boarding school (ahem, military school) to visit there. We drove down to the cape and did the normal touristy tours of the facilities. They spent a bit of time talking about lightening detectors. Then they announced that there would be a launch today! Gosh was I excited!

But you know what? My iron bitch mother decided that we had best drive back home *now* before the launch because she didn't want to get caught in traffic. Much whining and pouting later found me crying in the back of the station wagon as we drove away without seeing the launch. (No, I didn't do very well at military school.)

But you know what? That launch vehicle was hit by lightning and exploded shortly after takeoff.

And I missed that too. Fuck you, mom.

Re:Actually yes. Re:went well?

[user32.ExitWindowsEx]

Taking out Disneyland is a BAD thing?

Meanwhile...

[fenix down]

*FWHOOOOOOMMM*
"SON OF A BITCH!!!"
"Uh oh. I think they hit Azrael..."
...
"Why the fuck is the can always a launch window for these people?! I swear, if I hadn't gotten up just then, those little bastards would've been in such a world of shit..."
"Heheh. I bet they're trying to get you back for Soddom! Get it? Soddom? Heh."
"Do you have to use that one every chance you get, Michael?"
"Yes. Wait... World of shit! Ha! I missed that one!! You're hilarious, man... angel... whatever."
"RrrrrAHHH! WHERE'S MY FLAMING SWORD? I will bust some DIVINE JUSTICE on ALL YOUR ASSES!"
...
"Come on, Enoch, that was pretty funny. Asses. Ha."
"Michael, you are such a dork. Why didn't he read the note He put on the door?"
"You're the only one who can ever read His handwriting."
"Oh, right. I wish He's use that label maker we got him..."
"Who writes 7-dimensional "E"s anyway?"

Re:Eat your Heart out Carmack!

[Docrates]

Actually, if you follow HIS rules, it's more like:
Boeing:1
Carmack:-1

Re:Delta what?

[PortWineBoy]

It was a NEWER rocket that can put BIGGER things into SPACE. BIG things in space are IMPORTANT to adults.

This was the FIRST time this type of rocket had been launched. SOMETIMES rockets blow up when they are launched, instead of going into space.

An UNTESTED version of this rocket will be able to lift almost as much as the SPACE SHUTTLE, at a LOWER cost. This was an important MILESTONE in space technology.

Meanwhile, off the coast of Canaveral...

[mtec]

Chinese Radar Operator: Comrade Colonel, you better have a look at this radar.
Comrade Colonel: What is it, son?
Chinese Radar Operator: I don't know, sir, but it looks like a giant--

American Jet Pilot on patrol: Dick! Dick, take a look out of starboard.
Co-Pilot: Oh my God, it looks like a huge--

Woman on Cruise Ship: Pecker!
Man on Cruise Ship: [raising binoculars] Where?
Woman on Cruise Ship: Over there. What sort of bird is that? Oh goodness, it's not a bird, it's--

Uninformed Canaveral Sergeant: Privates! We have reports of an Unidentified Flying Object. It has a long, smooth shaft, complete with--

Baseball Umpire near Kennedy: Two balls! [looking up from game] What is that? It looks just like an enormous--

Comrade Colonel: Wang!
Chinese Radar Operator: Yes, sir?
Comrade Colonel: Get on the horn to Wu and let him know about this.

Re:All Looked good from a live view

[soupdevil]

Why are people intolerable pussies these days? Things like dentistry, cable TV and skepticism about the afterlife make us a bit less likely to "climb on top of a fucking rocket and light it."

Rocket engineering is great!

[Anonymous Coward]

...just don't become an editor... ;)

Re:Here's hoping.

[Anonymous Coward]

And on a related note, Boeing would probably not do as good a job on Doom 3 either...