Friday, September 18, 2009

Live At The Cape: Delta Launch Slips To Next Week

BLOGGER UPDATE, 7:40 p.m.: The planned launch of the Delta II rocket and two Missile Defense Agency satellites now is scheduled to take place on Wednesday during a window that will extend from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

BLOGGER UPDATE, 12:50 p.m.: As our eagle-eye reader notes in the comments below, the United Launch Alliance now says the planned launch of the Delta II rocket and two Missile Defense Agency satellites is being targeted for no earlier than Tuesday. Thanks to the commentor for the heads up!

The planned launch of a Delta II rocket and two missile defense satellites is slipping until at least Monday due to potential technical problems with the spacecraft.

The 12-story United Launch Alliance rocket and its payload -- a pair of technology demonstrators owned by the Missile Defense Agency -- had been slated to blast off from Launch Complex 17 today. But stormy weather last weekend and then technical issues with the payload triggered delays to No Earlier Than Saturday, Sunday and now Monday.

Mission managers are meeting at this hour and the launch could slip further.

Stormy weather that forced NASA to send Discovery to California a week ago today held up the installation of the Missile Defense Agency payload on top of the Delta rocket. That prompted a delay earlier this week from a launch attempt planned for today to one targeted for Saturday..

Then the Missile Defense Agency discovered a potential payload issue and ordered up a data review that still is ongoing. NASA, who is managing the launch for the Missile Defense Agency, canceled a countdown dress rehearsal that had been scheduled to take place Thursday.

The fueling of the Delta II's second stage also was delayed.

Mission managers are looking at the possibility of shifting the launch to a nighttime window of opportunity that would extend from 8 p.m. to about 9 p.m. There is concerns that remnants from Tropical Storm Fred could cause morning showers by early next week.

At least for now, though, it appears managers are sticking with a morning window that extends from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The prototype spacecraft will sensors that are designed to not only track enemy missiles during the boost phase but pass tracking data directly to missile defense interceptors with the accuracy and timeliness necessary to enable them to intercept and destroy the enemy missiles.

Officials with the Missile Defense Agency say the spacecraft are expected to yield the data and information required to field an operations set of satellites as a key component of the nation's Ballistic Missile Defense System.

Check out an official Missile Defense Agency Space Tracking and Surveillance System Fact Sheet.

The Delta II launch services were procured from United Launch Alliance, which operates both the Delta and Atlas fleets of expendable launch vehicles.

ABOUT THE IMAGES: Click to enlarge the NASA images of the Delta II rocket being readied for flight at Launch Complex 17 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

FYI ULA's website now says launch NET Tuesday Sept. 22. I guess that came out of the meeting this morning.

Anonymous said...

Now scheduled for Wednesday 8:00 am.