One of the world's most powerful rockets is being fueled at Cape Canaveral today for the planned launch tonight of a classified national security spacecraft.The 23-story Delta IV Heavy rocket is slated to blast off from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 5:58 p.m. Its payload is a top-secret spacecraft designed and built for the National Reconnaissance Office.
Engineers in nearby Launch Control Center started filling the rocket's fuel tanks with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The fueling operation will continue through the afternoon. No technical issues cropped up during initial fueling operations.
An initial launch attempt last Friday was scrapped after anomalous temperature readings were recorded during fueling operations. Temperatures must be within specified ranges in order to proceed with launch. The problem was traced to faulty temperature sensors that have since been replaced.
ABOUT THE IMAGE: Click to enlarge and save the still image of the Delta IV Heavy rocket after its massive Mobile Service Tower was backed away from the vehicle earlier today. Photo credit: Pat Corkery/United Launch Alliance.
2 comments:
It's too windy. I really don't see why NASA and the USAF don't look for the best times in a year to launch instead of burning so much money for scrubs due to poor planning. Stop wasting so much money dammit!
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