Author Topic: SCRUB: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 1 UPDATE THREAD  (Read 96485 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

Orbital Sciences ‏@OrbitalSciences 50m
The #Antares missions management team meeting began at 8am EDT this morning at #NASA_Wallops.
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Offline Chris Bergin

Orbital:

The Antares team has identified the cause of the early disconnect and developed a go-forward plan. Keeping a close watch on Fri. weather.

We are going to get an update on Wx 4 pm EDT, and expect to make a final decision on a Friday launch attempt before 5 pm today.
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Offline Lar

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Re: SCRUB: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 1 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #182 on: 04/18/2013 04:38 pm »
Orbital:

The Antares team has identified the cause of the early disconnect and developed a go-forward plan. Keeping a close watch on Fri. weather.

We are going to get an update on Wx 4 pm EDT, and expect to make a final decision on a Friday launch attempt before 5 pm today.

Any news on what the cause was? Anything to do with strongback/umbilical tower movement? or decals peeling off? (per the speculation posted here) ?

Might be proprietary I guess. :)
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Offline Lurker Steve

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Re: SCRUB: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 1 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #183 on: 04/18/2013 05:08 pm »
Orbital:

The Antares team has identified the cause of the early disconnect and developed a go-forward plan. Keeping a close watch on Fri. weather.

We are going to get an update on Wx 4 pm EDT, and expect to make a final decision on a Friday launch attempt before 5 pm today.

I assume the same t-storms that just dumped on the midwest last night and this morning will be showing up on the east coast late on Friday. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate over the weekend, but that's some pretty serious weather headed east.

Offline Chris Bergin

Orbital:
Update: it wasn't the wind that disconnected the umbilical. We are making two small preventative adjustments to address the anomaly. We will be posting a more detailed update reagarding the next launch attempt and the umbilical work on http://www.orbital.com/Antares-Cygnus/ soon.

----

So I wonder if it's the hydraulic cylinders?
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Offline Kabloona

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Re: SCRUB: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 1 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #185 on: 04/18/2013 06:14 pm »
excerpt from Orbital's statement on Antares/Cygnus web page:

"During the initial countdown on April 17, with 12 minutes left in the count, flight controllers saw that an umbilical providing data, which connects the Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) to the upper stage of the Antares rocket, became disconnected prior to the planned disconnect time. The team determined the cause was a combination of slight hydraulic movement of the TEL and not enough slack left in the umbilical to allow for any additional or unplanned movement. Neither issue alone would have caused the umbilical disconnect, however, the combination resulted in the anomaly. Small adjustments are being made early today to both the hydraulics on the TEL and to the umbilical.

“The good news is that this is a simple adjustment to the external support systems,” said Mr. Frank Culbertson, Orbital’s Executive Vice President and Mission Director for the Antares Test Flight. “Given that this is a first run for the rocket and the first time use of a new launch facility, the fact that all systems were performing as planned while the team proceeded through the pre-launch checklists is very encouraging. It speaks volumes about the quality of the work done by this team and our partners.”

Offline Chris Bergin

That sounds very much like what Kim heard before leaving last night!

Here's the full release:

ORBITAL’S ANTARES ROCKET LAUNCH UPDATE

 

– A-1 Mission Team Working Launch Turnaround Actions –

 

(Dulles, VA 18 April 2013) – Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world’s leading space technology companies, today announced that the Antares team has developed a go-forward plan to address the umbilical disconnect issue that resulted in the April 17 launch scrub. The program is currently working toward the next launch attempt on Friday, April 19 at 5 p.m. EDT, weather permitting.

 

During the initial countdown on April 17, with 12 minutes left in the count, flight controllers saw that an umbilical providing data, which connects the Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) to the upper stage of the Antares rocket, became disconnected prior to the planned disconnect time. The team determined the cause was a combination of slight hydraulic movement of the TEL and not enough slack left in the umbilical to allow for any additional or unplanned movement. Neither issue alone would have caused the umbilical disconnect, however, the combination resulted in the anomaly. Small adjustments are being made early today to both the hydraulics on the TEL and to the umbilical.

 

“The good news is that this is a simple adjustment to the external support systems,” said Mr. Frank Culbertson, Orbital’s Executive Vice President and Mission Director for the Antares Test Flight. “Given that this is a first run for the rocket and the first time use of a new launch facility, the fact that all systems were performing as planned while the team proceeded through the pre-launch checklists is very encouraging. It speaks volumes about the quality of the work done by this team and our partners.”

 

The next launch attempt is pending completion of the work at the pad and acceptable weather conditions. Mission managers will meet again later today to review weather and range conditions. At that time they will determine if the team will move forward with beginning the countdown tomorrow morning.

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Offline jsmjr

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Re: SCRUB: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 1 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #187 on: 04/18/2013 06:43 pm »
One of the range radar aircraft had to declare an emergency and land in NY - range is trying to make up with a large USCG Cutter's surveillance radar, but it's another threat.

Any further info on what happened here?  What are the air and sea assets being used?  I heard about land based tracking / telemetry sites in Bermuda, Coquina Beach NC, and Antigua.  (I guess maybe Ascension is beyond the range where instrumented flight will occur?) 

Offline Maverick

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Re: SCRUB: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 1 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #188 on: 04/18/2013 06:43 pm »
That sounds very much like what Kim heard before leaving last night!


That's one of the reason this site rocks!

So if they go with Friday, do we get a new live launch day thread?

Offline Chris Bergin



So if they go with Friday, do we get a new live launch day thread?

Yep. This one runs until the next launch day attempt. Then we move to a brand new thread.
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Offline robertross

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Re: SCRUB: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 1 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #190 on: 04/18/2013 06:55 pm »
That sounds very much like what Kim heard before leaving last night!

Here's the full release:

...
During the initial countdown on April 17, with 12 minutes left in the count, flight controllers saw that an umbilical providing data, which connects the Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) to the upper stage of the Antares rocket, became disconnected prior to the planned disconnect time. The team determined the cause was a combination of slight hydraulic movement of the TEL and not enough slack left in the umbilical to allow for any additional or unplanned movement. Neither issue alone would have caused the umbilical disconnect, however, the combination resulted in the anomaly. Small adjustments are being made early today to both the hydraulics on the TEL and to the umbilical.


I'd be interested to know, based on this note, if the cylinders were being constantly powered to maintain a vertical position, or if load holding valves were at play and one leaked due to insufficient holding pressure?

If the mast is designed to angle away at/just prior to launch (for clearance to the vehicle), you would likely need to provide constant pressure to both cylinder ends and then create a sufficient differential to allow the cylinder to move.

Offline Kim Keller

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Re: SCRUB: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 1 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #191 on: 04/18/2013 07:03 pm »
I'm hearing Friday's weather carries a 90% POV, so look for a Saturday attempt, I'd think.

Offline Chris Bergin

I'm hearing Friday's weather carries a 90% POV, so look for a Saturday attempt, I'd think.

That would be handy for my fingers, given there's a Russian launch and a Russian Stage EVA on the ISS through tomorrow! :o

(Disclaimer: I wouldn't care if there were 50 events tomorrow, so long as Antares gets of to a successful debut).

Orbital noting they will be making a call in around one hour's time on Friday.
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Offline Chris Bergin

Just trimming the thread as we've got several people posting different dates here.

Wait for the official news.

(We are hearing Saturday - NOT official).
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Offline smith5se

 Orbital Sciences ‏@OrbitalSciences now

The next launch attempt for #Antares will be no earlier than Saturday, April 20, at 5 p.m.

There is it...
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Offline Chris Bergin

There we go.

Orbital Sciences ‏@OrbitalSciences
The next launch attempt for #Antares will be no earlier than Saturday, April 20, at 5 p.m.

New thread on Saturday.
« Last Edit: 04/18/2013 10:11 pm by Chris Bergin »
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Offline Chris Bergin

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Offline Lee Jay

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Re: SCRUB: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 1 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #197 on: 04/18/2013 10:32 pm »
The team determined the cause was a combination of slight hydraulic movement of the TEL and not enough slack left in the umbilical to allow for any additional or unplanned movement. Neither issue alone would have caused the umbilical disconnect, however, the combination resulted in the anomaly. Small adjustments are being made early today to both the hydraulics on the TEL and to the umbilical.

Does anyone "in the know" (Kim?  Antonio?) know if this was a leak-down issue (pump off, oil bleeding by a valve) or a control issue (pump on, servo commanded to zero flow, but actually not quite perfectly zeroed)?

Offline Chris Bergin

ORBITAL SCHEDULES NEW ANTARES ROCKET LAUNCH WINDOW

 

– A-1 Mission Team Working Toward an Attempt on Saturday, April 20 –

 

(Dulles, VA 18 April 2013) – Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world’s leading space technology companies, today announced that the next launch attempt for the new Antares rocket will be no earlier than Saturday, April 20, at 5 p.m. The mission management team met this afternoon to evaluate weather forecasts and optimum crew work schedules to provide two back-to-back opportunities for a launch attempt.

 

Weather conditions deteriorate on Friday, April 19, but improve significantly over the next two days increasing the chances for acceptable conditions at launch time. This also allows the Antares launch team a day of rest before back-to-back opportunities on Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21.
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Offline Kim Keller

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Re: SCRUB: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 1 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #199 on: 04/19/2013 12:39 am »
Does anyone "in the know" (Kim?  Antonio?) know if this was a leak-down issue (pump off, oil bleeding by a valve) or a control issue (pump on, servo commanded to zero flow, but actually not quite perfectly zeroed)?

No, not a leak-down issue. I don't want to get into specifics (I'll leave that for Orbital to explain, if they choose), but the issue won't recur.

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