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Just days before the scheduled launch of the next Atlas rocket, a team finished the review of a failed Atlas launch on June 15. Blamed on a faulty valve, the failed launch put a top-secret spy satellite into a lower than necessray orbit.
The review team approved the Atlas V launch scheduled for Oct. 9 and the
Delta IV Heavy scheduled to launch no earlier than Nov. 2.
The Air Force, United Launch Alliance, National Reconnaissance Office and other launch team members agreed this week on the cause and approved the installation of a replacement valve, according to an Air Force press release.
The upper stage underperformed due to a hydrogen leak in the RL10 engine system. The leak continued during the long coast phase between the two Centaur main engine burns.
The three-month investigation identified all possible causes of the leak. The faulty valve was replaced with one of a design that has flown successfully on past Atlas and Delta flights.
"This has been a very comprehensive investigation and review which clearly demonstrates that our focus on mission success remains our number one priority," said Col. Sam Greaves, Commander of the Launch and Range Systems Wing.
The Tuesday launch window runs from 8:22 to 9:33 p.m.
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