Team-BHP - The Astronomy Thread: FAQs, News & Trivia

Quote:

Originally Posted by diyguy (Post 4622726)

Thanks for sharing this info. I reached at 12:00am was not allowed beyond the first police check point that was about 5km from the launchpad, as I didn't have a vehicle pass. I noticed vehicles ahead of me did not stop but I did and was turned back. He told me cannot buy tickets there. Very upset to learn now that it was actually being permitted. Were you able to click pics of the actual launch rocket?

Hey @diyguy, We couldn't see the launch vehicle as such from the gallery due to the obstructing trees. With binoculars we could see something white when the trees sway around (which we assumed to be the launch vehicle). But the launch towers were very clearly visible. From the place where we were seated the launch should be very clearly visible. Were you able to see the launch vehicles from the outside view points?

In today's TOI news they have reported that the re-scheduled launch could be as early as July 21-22. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/70258753.cms

Quote:

Originally Posted by sud (Post 4622849)

From the place where we were seated the launch should be very clearly visible. Were you able to see the launch vehicles from the outside view points?

Hi @sud, we were about 5-6km from the launch site and could make out the lights of the launch pad area but was too far to see anything. We were at the lake bank and had a clear line of sight though. I hope to get my family to the viewing gallery whenever the launch date is formally announced. May not be a good spectacle if it is a day time launch but wanted my kids to be inspired by this event.

Quote:

Originally Posted by diyguy (Post 4622875)

Hey @diyguy, ISRO just tweeted confirming the launch window. It is at 2:43 pm IST on Monday, July 22, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by diyguy (Post 4622918)

@sud,do you know if your last booking for the gallery still holds good for the new date?

ISRO just tweeted sometime back that the registration for the launch is open from July 19th, 18:00. They also formed a whats-app group with old registered members and informed that we could download new pass with old registration numbers. People who cannot attend were asked to intimate them. So I guess they will open up those spots to others. But in any case my guess is they will have spot registrations open.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sud (Post 4623259)

ISRO just tweeted sometime back that the registration for the launch is open from July 19th, 18:00.

Thanks much, I have been hitting the SHAR site every 30 mins and saw they updated the launch timing about 2 hours back but the registration still says closed. I will try and register tomorrow if the site holds up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by diyguy (Post 4623272)

They will open up only from July 19th, 18:00 p.m. In the email/whats-app communication they have asked people who cannot come to intimate them by 19/07/2019, 01.00 PM. So post that they will open up the spots remaining.

Congratulations to the entire ISRO team. The dedication and sacrifice shown by the scientists are second to none in placing India on the world map in the quest for lunar knowledge. We have already shown that we are a formidable space power to be reckoned with and this launch only strengthens that rhetoric. All the best team in the further phases of Chandrayaan-2 and future missions.

Greetings from Germany.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sud (Post 4622607)

We have reached launch gallery around 10.00 p.m. on 14th July. The process of parking, ticket verification, security-check were well organised and no chaos. They also had spot registration counters for people who missed booking online.

From parking to gallery it is around 500 meters walk. But for elderly, differently abled and families with babies they had vehicle arrangements to drop very close to the gallery.

Plenty of snack counters and restrooms were available. Big screens were setup to show videos and the live countdown progress. There was also a small exhibit area setup beneath the gallery having scale models and information. This was good for keeping kids engaged.

The view was much better than what I had expected. But I haven't been to the other view points outside. So can't compare.

They had some event management folks to keep the crowd engaged and bring in some josh. But in my opinion they did a dull job.

When the countdown has reached 1 hour there was a huge excitement in the crowd. All were bit disappointed when the launch was aborted. But very happy that we had all the systems in place to avoid any mishaps.

Overall it was a smooth and good experience. Hoping to visit again when the launch is planned.

Second time we got lucky. We witnessed the launch from gallery. It was an awesome experience with all the crowd cheering up. Though the visibility was only for around 10 seconds due to cloud, we could hear and feel the sonic boom. There was more crowd than first time.

While going, on the way, I stopped at one of the viewing gallery to see the visibility from there. But I felt the launch gallery would have much better view.

Some random pics.

The following is from an account (which appeared first in India Today) of an expedition by a team of ISRO scientists & geologists at the Samudra Tapu de-glaciated valley in Himachal Pradesh.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/nort...392-2012-11-02

I am not sure if it belongs in this thread (I've posted it in the Spooky Experiences thread too) but since an ISRO team was involved, I felt that it might just squeeze through! Again mods, if it seems inappropriate, please delete it.