A Voyage to Mission Success: Transit Day 14

Wow so much to cover yesterday and a lot of photographs to process so I apologize for my late posting...but here it is Have Fun!

L+1 Day - Still recollecting and celebrating yesterday's successful launch of Eutelsat 70B... Here are some additional shots taken from the ACS Bridge...

The LP and ACS Marine crew on board the ACS Bridge at L-1:41:51

Liftoff as seen from the 500mm lens of ACS Chief Officer Terje Ulset

So you give a camera to a Rocket Scientist and a Sailor and ask them to take some photos of a rocket lifting off from a floating platform in the Pacific; The Rocket Scientist's camera follows the Rocket and the the Sailor's camera never leaves the platform...

An impressive photo of the LP showing the response after 500 tons of launch vehicle lifted off from the aft, pitching the forward pontoons deep into the water... Thanks to Chief Officer Ulset for this great photo...

Ahhh… the day after a successful launch, what a different dynamic on board the vessels. You can visibly see the difference in people’s stress levels, smiles abound everywhere you look, everyone is congratulating each other on a successful launch, discussions turn from work related to holiday plans and when we expect to be back to Home Port. It is still a work day but it is a different kind of work day in that the stress is gone and the team can accomplish their tasks of packing up equipment and returning systems to initial conditions and preparing them for the transit home without the intense pressure prior to launch. The marine crew executed a total of 3 link bridge operations today to transfer crew and equipment. The teams from all segments returned their systems to initial states, placed covers over equipment/instruments, and prepared their systems for the transit back to Home Port. Although, necessary work was being performed it was a celebratory atmosphere with a ritual customer visit to the LP for a post launch inspection.

L+1 Day 08:00 Link Bridge in High Dynamic Range Format

Mission Director Dr. Valery Aliev leads way up steps to Link Bridge

Mission Director Dr. Valery Aliev leads delegation across link bridge for LP post launch inspection

A quick glance through the Link Bridge open grate to the equatorial water below...

SDO Yuzhnoye (Zenit 2S Designer) and ILV Complex Technical Manager, Sergii Lytovchenko overlooks the launch pad flame deflector...

TsENKi Deputy Technical Manager & Launch Support Equipment Operations Manager, Veniamin Veretennikov inspects the launch support equipment on the launch pad...

ELUS's Bill Rujevcan, Sea Launch Operations Manager (SLOM) complains to LP Chief Catering Officer, Gary Rae that there is no milk on the ACS to go with his donuts and can he please spare some...

Eutelsat Spacecraft Mission Manager, Craig Williamson (R) and Astrium's Program Director, Pierre-Yves Barat looking satisfied with the results of the launch...

Eutelsat Backup Spacecraft Mission Manager, Peter Newell and RSC Energia's Rocket Segment Operations Manager (RSOM), Alexey Khvatov look over the launch pad...

Eutelsat Spacecraft Mission Manager Craig Williamson adds the 34th star to the Butan...

Keeping our customer smiling...

The Moon shining down on the newest star...

Astrium's AIT Manager, Florent Fauthous

Larisa Adelman, Artie Donahue, Alexander Naumenko and Mission Director Dr. Valery Aliev all smiles after the successful launch...

The Best of the Best- Payload Unit Ops Team members, Javier Vallin, Jimmy Harkins, Mikhail Bess and Lance Neal...

Souvenir coins embedded in the thermal protection material protecting the high speed film cameras by Photo Optics Specialist Larry Trotter survived the heat and overpressure from the Zenit RD-171M main engine...

Mission Director Dr. Valery Aliev selects his souvenir...

RSC Energia's Deputy Mission Director, Igor Bogachev just can't decide which one to take...

After returning to the ACS it appears like the SLOM was able to convince the LP to share some milk for his donuts...

Following the third and final link bridge operation at 17:00, Chef Geir and the catering team put on a fantastic BBQ for the team on the 3^rd Bridge Deck around the swimming pool. It is also at this time that Captain Lars bids farewell to the LP with 3 prolong blasts of the ships horn , signaling that we are underway. LP Captain Atle Knutsen responds with a corresponding sounding of the LP’s horn and the ACS sets course to Port of Long Beach. The LP will begin the long process of de-ballasting and will set sail early the following morning.

The ACS pointed towards Long Beach and the LP off of her stern...

1st Cook Peter Navarro prepares the sausages...

BBQ by the pool...

That's a long line the food must be great...

Freshly grilled meat, a beautiful day at the equator, and a very successful launch...Priceless!

Transportation Coordinator/Security, Galia Kaplan and Payload Integration Manager, Jason McLaughlin debating life...

Semco Lead, Steen Nielsen keeping his svelte figure with a Diet Coke...Or preparing for an International Balut Federation (IBF) sanctioned Balut game later that evening...I am guessing the later.. More to come on that subject...

The LP getting smaller in the background...

RSC Energia Operator ILV LOx Loading, Oxana Chernysheva and ELUS Translator Elena Pysher enjoying the sun..

Later that evening, following the BBQ, the Mission Director hosted a traditional Champagne toast in the ACS bar for the entire team. Very nice speeches were given by the Mission Director, Dr. Valery Aliev, ACS Captain Lars, myself and Eutelsat’s Spacecraft Mission Manager, Craig Williamson. Following Craig’s toast he had the honor of coloring in the last milestone on ELUS’s Commitment Countdown poster. The night continued with DJ Scarlet spinning tunes in the bar, dancing and teams breaking down cultural barriers one cocktail at a time. It is always amazing to watch how well people communicate when there is music, dancing and libations even though they do not speak the same language.

I had the honor of giving the opening toast...

Mission Director Dr. Valery Aliev thanks the team for a job well done...

Captian Lars Haaheim expresses his thanks for a job well done..

Eutelsat's Craig Williamson, thanks the team for delivering perfection...

I express my thanks to Eutelsat and let them know that we were almost perfect with only 6km off on apogee dead on for perigee and inclination... Send us a new satellite and we will try again...