Author Topic: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.  (Read 154359 times)

Offline Skyrocket

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #140 on: 02/24/2009 09:17 am »
Dang.  Anybody know how much the fairing weighs?  Would the final stage and attached OCO still make some sort of orbit?
The last time something this way happened (Ikonos 1 on an Athena-2) the payload did not reach orbit.


Offline dawei

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #141 on: 02/24/2009 09:18 am »
Does fairing sep failure automatically stop the spacecraft sep command?  Could the spacecraft be banging around inside the fairing and unable to deploy solar arrays?

Online ugordan

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #142 on: 02/24/2009 09:19 am »
This is strange because the separation of the fairing was announced by the launch team. Is this based on write procedurs or is there any kind of indication that this has happened?

Perhaps the separation command was given, but it didn't actually separate? I looked carefully to see anything in the IR tracking footage but didn't see any objects receding behind the LV. The previous stage was clearly visible seconds earlier, though. Even though the stage was red hot I still figured fairing halves ought to be detectable.

It could be that the first indication of failure came through lower than expected vehicle acceleration.
« Last Edit: 02/24/2009 09:23 am by ugordan »

Online William Graham

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #143 on: 02/24/2009 09:19 am »
This is strange because the separation of the fairing was announced by the launch team. Is this based on write procedurs or is there any kind of indication that this has happened?

It's not unknown for expected events to be announced even if they didn't happen. IIRC, during the first Delta III launch they were still calling out events after the rocket exploded.

Offline dawei

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #144 on: 02/24/2009 09:19 am »
I wonder if anybody can predict where reentry is about to take place if they didn't reach orbit.  Would any pieces be expected to reach land?

Online Ronsmytheiii

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #145 on: 02/24/2009 09:20 am »
might not be the best video file right now.....

« Last Edit: 02/24/2009 09:21 am by Ronsmytheiii »

Offline DirtyDeeds

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #146 on: 02/24/2009 09:20 am »
Whoa, weird. I think I'm in a time warp or something. I'm watching on NASA TV and they just came out of the T-12 minute hold for like the third time but definitely no launch yet... I guess the video froze up on me when I was in the bathroom or something, or they have some sort of fairly lengthy delay? This is like taping the game to watch later but having someone spoil the final score for you. Back to bed.


Oh, UGH, Dumby McDumberson! The darn video player froze at some point and then started to repeat the parts that already played. I was reading and had this in the background and was not paying close attention, so I didn't realize I was hearing the same thing three or four times. I got up for nothing. Didn't even see the launch.
« Last Edit: 02/24/2009 09:25 am by DirtyDeeds »

Offline Zachstar

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #147 on: 02/24/2009 09:21 am »
Get ready for the conspiricy theories to fly on this one folks.

Online Ronsmytheiii

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #148 on: 02/24/2009 09:21 am »
Whoa, weird. I think I'm in a time warp or something. I'm watching on NASA TV and they just came out of the T-12 minute hold for like the third time but definitely no launch yet... I guess the video froze up on me when I was in the bathroom or something, or they have some sort of fairly lengthy delay? This is like taping the game to watch later but having someone spoil the final score for you. Back to bed.

It launched and the fairing failed to separate resulting in a loss of mission

Offline dawei

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #149 on: 02/24/2009 09:21 am »
Nasa TV has terminated live coverage.  All we can do is wait for the presser in 2 hours.

Offline Launch Fan

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #150 on: 02/24/2009 09:22 am »
might not be the best video file right now.....



Awful placement. Right after showing off about winning an Emmy from a "local chapter" which they give away to PBS programs written by kids. Hardly worth shouting about.

Offline dawei

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #151 on: 02/24/2009 09:25 am »
Thanks to all who got up in the middle of the night to cover this.  Condolences to all involved in this mission.  Everyone on the planet actually loses a bit as the lost science will not be easy or cheap to replace.

Online ugordan

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #152 on: 02/24/2009 09:25 am »
Get ready for the conspiricy theories to fly on this one folks.

Funny how that occured to me as well. Let's not go down that road on this forum, though...

Online Chris Bergin

Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #153 on: 02/24/2009 09:25 am »
ALRIGHT, Let's keep down the chatter. This thread is about the launch and will continue through to the information that will follow in a few hours.

Let's keep the chatter down to a minimum, otherwise those waking up later will have to trawl through it to get info.
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Online Chris Bergin

Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #154 on: 02/24/2009 09:29 am »
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Online Ronsmytheiii

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #155 on: 02/24/2009 09:30 am »

Online William Graham

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #156 on: 02/24/2009 09:31 am »
Still trying to evaluate the status of the spacecraft.

Online Chris Bergin

Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #157 on: 02/24/2009 09:32 am »
George Diller update:

OCO did not achieve orbit successfully. Still looking at the telemetry. Appeared there was indications of problems with fairing sep, but not sure.

Checking the status of the spacecraft, to confirm location and orbit. However, the data around fairing sep is not what we expected to be. We believe that is what happened.

Gathering information over the next hour and a half to pass on to you at a press conference. Right now we do know we have not had a successful launch and will not be able to have a successful mission.
« Last Edit: 02/24/2009 09:33 am by Chris Bergin »
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Offline dawei

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Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #158 on: 02/24/2009 09:33 am »
Data regarding fairing sep is "not what we expected to see" and "looking to see what configuration the spacecraft is in".  No confirmation of orbit or lack of orbit.

Loss of OCO mission confirmed.

Online Chris Bergin

Re: FAILED: Taurus XL - OCO - Feb 23/24, 09.
« Reply #159 on: 02/24/2009 09:34 am »
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