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Official Artemis I Thread: Performing Powered Lunar Flyby Burn around 11:43 AM Today

Hopefully we will see SLS send Orion for a month long cruise around the moon in a month. Given the history of first launches of new rockets ( or just any large aerospace program ever ) I'd expect actual launch later in the fall.

The Artemis 1 stack rolled back to the VAB for further inspection and maintenance on July 2 and remains there still, being prepped for its impending liftoff.


Artemis 1 is a shakeout cruise designed primarily to show that SLS and Orion are ready to carry astronauts, but the mission has secondary goals as well. For example, 10 cubesats will hitch a ride on the huge moon rocket. These tiny spacecraft will perform a variety of off-Earth work, from hunting for water on the moon to solar sailing to an asteroid to testing how deep-space radiation affects yeast cells.


Artemis 1 will be a long mission, but the exact duration depends on the liftoff date, thanks to orbital dynamics. For instance, launches on Aug. 29 or Sept. 5 would result in a 42-day mission, but a Sept. 2 liftoff would kick off a 39-day flight. In every case, Orion will come back to Earth for a parachute-aided ocean splashdown.



Here is an infographic with a short mission overview, released last year.

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Hotel bookings, according to Florida Today, are already near capacity.

Just glancing at hotel room listings shows a rapidly dwindling supply among those that haven't been sold out.

The space-themed Courtyard by Marriott Titusville – Kennedy Space Center is one of the area's newest hotels. Completed this year and opened to the public in April, it boasts views of KSC and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station pads and even has a rooftop "Space Bar" specifically for launch viewing.

All the Courtyard's rooms, along with the Space Bar, are sold out for Artemis I.



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With the Artemis 1 mission just weeks away from launch, teams at NASA and the program’s contractors are carrying out final preparations for this major milestone in the effort to return humans to the Moon. NASASpaceflight sat down with Mike Hawes, the Vice President and Program Manager for Orion at Lockheed Martin to discuss how the company was preparing its spacecraft for this mission.

Artemis 1 is the first flight of Orion aboard NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). It is currently scheduled to launch no earlier than August 29 from Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the event of a delay, NASA also announced two backup launch opportunities in September

Orion teams ready for Artemis 1 as pre-launch preparations head into the home stretch​

written by Joseph Navin July 27, 2022

With the Artemis 1 mission just weeks away from launch, teams at NASA and the program’s contractors are carrying out final preparations for this major milestone in the effort to return humans to the Moon. NASASpaceflight sat down with Mike Hawes, the Vice President and Program Manager for Orion at Lockheed Martin to discuss how the company was preparing its spacecraft for this mission.

Artemis 1 is the first flight of Orion aboard NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). It is currently scheduled to launch no earlier than August 29 from Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the event of a delay, NASA also announced two backup launch opportunities in September.

Results from the Wet Dress Rehearsal
On June 20, NASA and contractors held a fourth Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) for the Artemis mission, which was deemed successful by the agency. During the event, the countdown got down to T-29 seconds.
This came after three other unsatisfactory WDR attempts that were conducted on the SLS launch vehicle and Orion stack out at LC-39B.


“We’ve learned a few things […] we got a couple of temperatures different than we had predicted,” said Mike Hawes, the Vice President and Program Manager for Orion. “So, we had to reevaluate some of our launch commit criteria, parameters, and things and so while the spacecraft has performed perfectly, we learned a handful of things that we have had to go off and reevaluate.”
The difference between the temperatures recorded on board Orion from the predictions that had been made prior to the WDR arose because this was the first time that Orion and SLS had gone through a combined and integrated cryogenic test.

Way OT-inflatable paddle boards?

Myself and a few others I work with are going to purchase an inflatable paddle board for my boss who is retiring soon. He’ll be traveling in a fifth wheel for a few years so the compactness of the inflatable version is paramount. Is anyone familiar with inflatable paddle boards? Are BOTE boards significantly better than other brands as their price would suggest? We’re planning to buy the fishing version of whatever board we decide on, fwiw.
Thanks in advance!

Kirby Smart - relationship with players is key

Seems obvious on the surface but ranking it up there with play calling is interesting...

From an Athletic article:

Smart said. “You better have buy-in with your players. And I think the older I’ve gotten, the more I acknowledge the relationship with the player matters much more than maybe the play you call, than maybe the practice habit you create or anything else. It’s ‘Will those players play hard for each other, and do they believe in their coaching staff, that their coaching staff cares for them?’

“And that allows you to sustain.”
...
“Georgia obviously has the best players, but they play harder than anybody in our league. You can see it on the tape. When you watch them, there’s so few loafs, and they have so many bodies around the ball on every play,” an SEC coordinator said. “It’s so hard to get kids to do that. Credit to Kirby. That’s a culture thing.”


The full article (for subscribers)

RIP to another Knight brother and fellow Dungeonite.

I got a text early this evening from a good friend that mentioned Papadragon passed away today. Papadragon (John Evans) was a coworker and friend for 20 years or so. John was an incredible human being, had a brilliant personality, was an extremely talented software engineer, and a huge UCF fan. He was a great chess player as well, winning many tournaments around the state.

For those that didn’t know him, he was wheelchair bound since he was a kid. Barely had use of his hands and typed with one finger or abs on screen keyboard. He has everything to be upset about or mad at the world about but he was always so positive and loving.

I don’t know much about what happened, I hope to learn more tomorrow. Please say a small prayer for John’s family tonight. His mother basically did everything for him and I’m hoping she’s okay tonight.

RIP Papadragon! I’ll miss you and I’ll miss talking to you about our Knights.

Charge On!

2023 Season Ticket Renewal Info with Changes to Parking Benefits

Email just came out. Worth noting:

Through fan feedback surveys, evaluation of tailgating experiences around FBC Mortgage Stadium, and parking allocation comparisons with our new Big 12 peers, a new parking allocation system will be implemented starting with the 2023 football season. Changes to the current system are intended to create a more equitable tailgating and parking environment for our season ticket members and donors, expand tailgating and parking opportunities to new fans, and provide areas for continued growth for UCF Athletics.

Over the years, FBC Mortgage Stadium has seen major changes including the creation of Field Cabanas, Loge seating, and the Stadium Club; as well as the expansion of the 3MG Club and Carl Black & Gold Cabana. With the growth of UCF Athletics through new premium seating areas, 3 consecutive season ticket sellouts, a significant increase in Shareholders Society major gift donors, and our upcoming enhancement of the Football Campus, our current parking allocation process is no longer sustainable or equitable to all season ticket members and donors supporting UCF Football.

Parking allocation changes:

1) Parking benefits will now be based on your total season ticket invoice amount including ticket costs and per seat contributions, which are not tax-deductible per IRS regulations. Previously, only per seat contributions were considered. Invoice amounts will be separated into 4 tiers.

  • Tier 1 - $6,000 football invoice (tickets & per seat contributions)
  • Tier 2 - $3,250 football invoice (tickets & per seat contributions)
  • Tier 3 - $1,300 football invoice (tickets & per seat contributions)
  • Tier 4 - $850 football invoice (tickets & per seat contributions)
2) Parking passes will now be available for donation through the ChargeOn Fund, with eligibility based on your season ticket invoice amount. Parking pass prices will vary based on location.
  • Tier 1 parking - $450 per pass
    • Lots E3, E6, E7, E8 and Baseball Lot
    • Who's eligible: Tier 1
  • Tier 2 parking - $350 per pass
    • Garage F and Softball Lot
    • Who's eligible: Tier 1 and Tier 2
  • Tier 3 parking - $250 per pass
    • Lots D1 & D2, Lots C1, C2, and C3, Arboretum Lot, and Garage D
    • Who's eligible: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3
  • Tier 4 parking - $150 per pass
    • Garage C
    • Who's eligible: Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4
3) Enhanced parking privileges may be available by supporting UCF Athletics through the Shareholders Society, with a minimum charitable gift of $5,000 or more, above and beyond your ticket invoice amount. To learn more about the Shareholders Society, click here. To join the Shareholders Society, click here to connect with a member of the ChargeOn Fund staff.

4) Parking passes will be strictly limited to 1 parking pass for every 5 season tickets purchased with a cap on the number of passes per account.

  • Tier 1 – Maximum 3 parking passes per account
  • Tier 2 – Maximum 2 parking passes per account
  • Tier 3 – Maximum 2 parking passes per account
  • Tier 4 – Maximum 1 parking pass per account
All season ticket members who had parking in 2022 will automatically see these changes reflected on their invoice. Fans looking to add parking or relocate their current parking are encouraged to complete the seat and parking relocation form HERE. Parking allocation will begin after the season ticket relocation process in early March. Additional parking privileges as part of being a Shareholders Society major gift donor will be allocated in July.

South Carolina transfer WR?

He’s on campus.


***Trent Whittemore 'blessed' to finish his career at UCF (interview + video) ⚔🏈

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Trent Whittemore will finish his college career following in his father's footsteps.

Whittemore, a 6-foot-4, 211-pound wide receiver who spent the last four years at the University of Florida, is transferring to UCF where his father Mark was a former standout player in the early 1990s. His dad was also his high school coach at Gainesville-Buchholz.

After committing over the weekend, Whittemore arrived in Orlando this week to finalize the enrollment process. UCFSports.com caught up with him to talk about his decision.

"It was a long process for me, between the dead period and the bowls and then the rush at the end to visit places," Whittemore said. "Coach (Gus) Malzahn had been on the phone with me several times throughout the process. He wanted me to see who the OC was going to be before I made my visit. Obviously that ended up being somebody I really like and I'm really excited about."

That OC is Darin Hinshaw, who was formally introduced last week. He played quarterback for UCF during the early 1990s and one his top receivers was Trent's dad, Mark Whittemore, who finished his career with nearly 2,000 receiving yards.

"I was on the road taking some visits and I got a call from Coach Hinshaw," Whittemore said. "I've known him for quite some time. He recruited me out of high school when he was at Kentucky. My dad and him played together back in the day. I decided to move up my visit date to UCF, so I came down here and really enjoyed it. I went back home, prayed on it and spent time with my family. We decided that's what the Lord had for me in this next phase of my life. I couldn't be happier with my decision. I'm blessed. I'm really glad to be down here."

Whittemore is also very familiar with Malzahn having been recruited by Auburn coming out of Gainesville Buchholz in the Class of 2019. More recently, UCF and Malzahn were active in recruiting his brother Creed Whittemore and cousin Malachi Singleton in the Class of 2023.

"Coach Malzahn has always been great to my family," Whittemore said. "I've known him since high school... I'm pumped to be able to play for him. He's one of the best coaches in the game and I'm fired up to be able to help him win some games."

Whittemore remembers going to UCF games as a kid in the 2000s.

"I remember watching Joe Burnett," Whittemore said. "Smokin' Joe. That takes me back. I'm pumped to be here. It's really cool to be playing at my dad's alma mater. It was cool to play for my dad in high school along with my brothers. I couldn't be more blessed in that aspect. I'm just hyped to be down here and be a part of Knight Nation."

Whittemore was a do-it-all player at Buchholz, playing quarterback, safety and cornerback in addition to wide receiver. After redshirting at UF in 2019, Whittemore saw action in seven games in 2020 finishing with 10 catches for 128 yards and one touchdown. In 2021, Whittemore started eight games, playing in 10, and totaled 19 receptions for 210 yards and a touchdown.

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His playing time decreased with the arrival of a new coaching staff in 2022 as he registered four catches for 87 yards in seven games played. Whittemore also battled through injuries at various points of his career. He graduated from UF last August with a degree in Sport Management.

"I was able to play a whole bunch of ball at Florida and really enjoyed it," Whittemore said. "Maybe didn't contribute as much as I wanted to at times, but at other points got to play a ton of ball. Looking back on it, I'm thankful for the opportunity and making the friends I did. All the relationships. That's probably what I'll remember the most. I just felt like it was time to go. I'm a graduate student and was ready for something new... I'm very thankful and blessed for the time I spent at UF."

Whittemore visited last Friday, meeting with Malzahn, Hinshaw and wide receivers coach Grant Heard. He's excited about what the Malzahn/Hinshaw offense will look like.

"I think I'm a guy who can be versatile within (Hinshaw's) passing game," Whittemore said. "If you go back and watch where he's been previously they were able to throw it down field vertically really impressively. He showed me some of that film. That was fun to watch. His ability to open it up as Coach Malzahn would say, combined with what this team already does well. Coach Malzahn has called an offense to a National Championship and won a National Championship as an OC. He's done tremendous things. To add Coach Hinshaw to that and his vertical passing threat will be something special. I'm excited to be a part of it."

Whittemore's past experience has mostly been playing slot receiver, but he's open to anything.

"I can do a variety of things," he said. "That's what Coach Malzahn, Coach Heard and Coach Hinshaw all said. I really want to be a leader on the team. Be someone who can be trusted and contribute in any way that presents itself. I don't know what that role will be specifically, but whatever it is I'm excited to fulfill it."

The highlights may be on VHS, but Trent has seen footage of his dad making plays for the Knights.

"I haven't watched them in a while, but when I was younger we used to watch them a good bit," Whittemore said. "He was definitely a force to be reckoned with on the field. He's a bit of a smaller guy, a speedster. He really looks like my younger brother Creed, honestly. I'm a bit bigger than he was, but I think I can definitely draw some ball skills that I have from him. He had great hands. Obviously scored a lot of touchdowns for the Knights and had a lot of production. I'm hoping to be able to match that. It'll be a tall task, but I'm hoping to add some production to the Whittemore name for the UCF Knights."

His father played for UCF as they were making a name for themselves in Division I-AA and preparing to make the jump to I-A (FBS). The Knights have been climbing that ladder ever since as 2023 will mark their entry into the Big 12 and a Power Five conference.

"I'm super excited about that," Whittemore said. "That was something Coach Malzahn talked about with me. Just being a part of that first team to take a step up into the Big 12, a step up in competition. I think this team will be ready for it. There's a lot of good players that are ready to prove themselves on that level. I can't wait to get into a new conference. It's always cool playing in new stadiums. I'm sure we'll go to some big-time places. I just know the guys are ready, just talking to some of them. UCF is a program that this is probably overdue honestly with the type of program they've had over the last decade. I'm just really thrilled to be on the team that finally gets the chance to prove it on a bigger stage."

Trent is familiar with a few UCF players. Fellow wide receiver Quan Lee is a former teammate at Buchholz. He played at UF with running back Demarkcus Bowman.

"I've already met a ton of guys," Whittemore said. "They all seem great. Can't wait to get to work with all of them. They were all very welcoming with me and made me feel at home. I appreciated that a lot as a guy who just moved in. I'm ready to get to work with them and can't wait to see what we can do."

He recently met quarterback John Rhys Plumlee.

"He's great. I can't wait to be on the field with him. I've been a fan from afar for a couple years. I think we were in the same class. I played against him in the SEC. We went to Ole Miss in the COVID season (2020). This is the first time I've gotten to meet him personally. He's great. He's got a will to win. He's great to be around."

Looking ahead to 2023 and goals, Whittemore is focused on the team first and foremost.

"I think it all starts with being that first team in the Big 12," Whittemore said. "Coach Malzahn has already said he wants to go compete for a championship. Whatever I can do to help the team do that. I'm not much of a huge goal-setter for myself statistically as I am reflecting on what I do each day. Did I give it my all? Am I helping the team in every way possible? If I can look back on the season and say that was the case, I can be happy with it. That's the goal for me, to go out there and help in any way that I can."
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