NASA is less than 24 hours from trying to launch two missile defense satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. The latest forecast from the Air Force's 45th Weather Squadron shows a 50-50 chance of acceptable launch conditions, with the remnants of Hurricane Fred possibly pushing clouds and showers into the area.
The launch window opens at 8 a.m. and extends for one hour.
If the weather does not cooperate Wednesday, the forecast improves over the next two days: 60-percent favorable on Thursday and 70-percent on Friday. The launch time would remain the same.
The launch had been delayed five days while data issues with the two Missile Defense Agency spacecraft aboard the Delta II were sorted out.
Managers fueled the 12-story rocket's second stage and a held a successful countdown dress rehearsal Sunday, and on Monday gave a "go" for Wednesday's launch attempt during a Launch Readiness Review.
At 11:30 tonight, the Mobile Service Tower will be rolled back from Launch Complex 17-B.
Launch teams will be called to their stations at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, and the countdown will pick up at 5:20 a.m.
If weather allows, liftoff will occur at the 8 a.m. opening of the launch window, or it can be held until any time during the hour.
The two spacecraft are technology demonstrators equipped with sensors designed to track enemy missiles during the boost phase and pass tracking data to missile defense interceptors to enable them to intercept and destroy the enemy missiles.
Click here to read an official Missile Defense Agency fact sheet on the Space Tracking and Surveillance System.
This ULA mission overview provides additional background.
And click here to read Todd Halvorson's profile of Steve Agid, ULA's launch commentator.
NASA's Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy Space Center, is managing the launch.
IMAGE NOTE: On Aug. 27, the enclosed Space Tracking and Surveillance System – Demonstrators, or STSS-Demo, spacecraft is being lifted into the mobile service tower on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B. The United Launch Alliance Delta II launch vehicle is already in place in the tower. The STSS Demo is a space-based sensor component of a layered Ballistic Missile Defense System designed for the overall mission of detecting, tracking and discriminating ballistic missiles. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It is scheduled to be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency between 8 and 8:58 a.m. EDT Sept. 23. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
2 comments:
Another Delta launch!!??
Looks like the Cape will be downsizing. Wouldn't it be a good time to finally move the Houston assets to the Cape?
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