Gordy Takes A Cruise!

[11Fan]

Teen Aged Bride

Bob, when he said "his wife of 18 years", that's not what he meant.

Here's the launch video.

[Boudreaux Bob]

Gordt says this is the Official Launch Photo.



https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...20435439_o.jpg

[Gordy]

I'm back.....Thanx Bob for putting some pictures up while I could not log on, we had internet, phone radio, tv but for some reason Pprune was blocked.I will go through the thousand or so pictures I took and put some more up in a day or so....But a few for starters:

The rocket ready to go:



The launch from inside the helicopter---we were spooled up ready to go



Helicopter on the deck---we had just landed:



I have been officially "mooned" as I fly across the equator:

[Brilliant Stuff]

Thanks Gordy for sharing. So you had two helicopters?

What was your role during lift off if I may ask?

[Gordy]

Yep---two helicopters. The S-76 is primary and used for people transport between the Launch Platform, (LP), and Assembly & Command Ship, (ACS). The Jet Ranger is used for optic flights---basically picture and video taking and is a back up should the S-76 break. We have two pilots, and always fly the S-76 with 2 except one time during an optics flight when we each flew one helicopter.

Most of the transfers are done via a link bridge between the two vessels, (pics to follow), but during transit and from the day prior to launch till 6 hours after, all people are moved by helicopter.

During launch, we are spooled up ready to fly, and get airborne at L+3 minutes for a safety check of the LP and then assuming all is well, we insert critical personell who ssecure and check the vessel for safety and security.

Pics coming in a day or so.

[krypton_john]

Looks like optics flight is for looking at man bottoms based on photos so far!

[Boudreaux Bob]

I sure hope Gordy remembered to put down the Seabag first when he got home!

When he gets caught up on the Honey Do list, I guess he will finally get around to posting those photos.

[sycamore]

Thought he might have taped the gnomes to the booster for the ride.....

[Gordy]

Yep---sea legs take a little getting used to shaking off---also the constant noise on a ship.

Here is a bunch of pictures, (I have HUGE files which could be used as a calendar pic), I will try keep them in order:

The LP in transit----once at the equator, they flood the tubes and it sinks about 70 ft:



Landing with pax from the LP:



At the equator in launch position about 3 miles from each other:



Pushing the Jet Ranger into the hangar:

[Gordy]

Rocket raised and ready for launch the day before:



Command vessel:



Shout out to the girls who take care of us---they have many roles: room cleaning, laundry, bar tenders, kitchen staff:



Day of the launch we start moving people early---pitch black, (photos did not turn out), then we have a break till sunrise and move more people:

[Gordy]

The launch:







The launch pad at L+ 5 minutes:

[Gordy]

We then flew back essential personnel, the rest went back later in the evening on the "link bridge" which is where the two vessels get within about 100 ft of each other and we swing a bridge over:





The trip back had a LOT of happy rocket engineers.......the bar was open each night.......

Total of 19 days at sea, a little under 6,000nm, and learnt a lot.....

[Robbo Jock]

Thanks Gordy. Excellent photos and what looks to be a fascinating job - in the air near a space launch, brilliant!

[Brilliant Stuff]

Please Gordy send your awesome pictures for the desktop calendar to this email if you could and have the time I think we would all love that...

rotorheads.calendar.pictures at gmail dot com

[belly tank]

What a fantastic experience that must have been!. Loving the pics