Author Topic: LIVE: Delta-II - STSS Demo - Sept 25, 09  (Read 88157 times)

Offline jacqmans

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LIVE: Delta-II - STSS Demo - Sept 25, 09
« on: 07/17/2009 05:08 pm »
STATUS REPORT: ELV-071709

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Demonstrators
Program (STSS-Demo)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-10
Launch Pad: Launch Pad 17 B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: Sept. 15, 2009
Launch Window: 8:43 - 9:43 p.m. EDT

At Pad B on Launch Complex 17, liquid oxygen leak checks of the first
stage are scheduled next week on July 20. For this test, the first
stage will be filled with liquid oxygen during a simulated countdown.

At the pad the following day, July 21, a simulated flight test will be
conducted. This is an electrical and mechanical test of the Delta II
that exercises all of the launch vehicle systems in the same manner
as will occur during powered flight.
« Last Edit: 09/25/2009 09:43 am by Chris Bergin »
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 15, 2009
« Reply #1 on: 07/24/2009 10:04 pm »
STATUS REPORT: ELV-072409

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Demonstrators
Program (STSS-Demo)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-10
Launch Pad: Launch Pad 17 B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: Sept. 15, 2009
Launch Window: 8 - 9 p.m. EDT

At Pad B on Launch Complex 17, liquid oxygen leak checks of the first
stage were completed successfully on July 20. For this test, the
first stage was filled with liquid oxygen during a simulated
countdown.

At the pad on the following day, July 21, a simulated flight test was
completed without issues. This is an electrical and mechanical test
of the Delta II that exercises all of the launch vehicle systems in
the same manner as will occur during powered flight.

Also this week, first stage main engine preparation work is under way,
and the first stage RP-1 fuel is being tested in order to be
qualified for flight.
Jacques :-)

Offline Ford Mustang

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 15, 2009
« Reply #2 on: 07/31/2009 09:55 pm »
Mission: Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Demonstrators
Program (STSS-Demo)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-10
Launch Pad: Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: Sept. 15, 2009
Launch Window: 8 - 9 p.m. EDT

At Pad 17-B, no significant work is being undertaken to allow the
launch team to work on the Air Force Delta II on adjacent Pad 17-A.
The vehicle will loft into orbit the final Air Force Global
Positioning System navigation satellite in the current series on Aug.
17.

Offline edkyle99

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 15, 2009
« Reply #3 on: 08/01/2009 12:32 am »
Mission: Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Demonstrators
Program (STSS-Demo)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-10
Launch Pad: Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: Sept. 15, 2009
Launch Window: 8 - 9 p.m. EDT

At Pad 17-B, no significant work is being undertaken to allow the
launch team to work on the Air Force Delta II on adjacent Pad 17-A.
The vehicle will loft into orbit the final Air Force Global
Positioning System navigation satellite in the current series on Aug.
17.

After 49 years of Delta launches, this appears to be the final time that two Delta rockets will stand side by side at Pads 17A and B.  Complex 17 is going to essentially be shutting down after the STSS launch, thus the recently announced layoffs.  Only one more launch is planned from the Cape, from Pad B, in 2011 as I understand it.

You probably already know what I'm thinking right now, so I won't type it.....

 - Ed Kyle
« Last Edit: 08/01/2009 12:35 am by edkyle99 »

Offline Analyst

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 15, 2009
« Reply #4 on: 08/07/2009 08:52 pm »
After 49 years of Delta launches, this appears to be the final time that two Delta rockets will stand side by side at Pads 17A and B.  Complex 17 is going to essentially be shutting down after the STSS launch, thus the recently announced layoffs.  Only one more launch is planned from the Cape, from Pad B, in 2011 as I understand it.

You probably already know what I'm thinking right now, so I won't type it.....

 - Ed Kyle

This is sadly true for every US launch vehicle now:
- 36A and 36B gone
- 17A and 17B soon gone
- 40 and 41 (to be) used by different vehicles
- 39A and 39B (to be) used by different vehicles
- no dual pads at Vandenberg or WI too

Analyst

Offline jacqmans

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 15, 2009
« Reply #5 on: 08/08/2009 07:34 am »
STATUS REPORT: ELV-080709

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Demonstrators
Program (STSS-Demo)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-10
Launch Pad: Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: Sept. 15, 2009
Launch Window: 8 - 9 p.m. EDT

At Pad 17-B, no significant work is being undertaken while the launch
team works on the Air Force Delta II on adjacent Pad 17-A. The
vehicle will loft into orbit the final Air Force Global Positioning
System navigation satellite in the current GPS IIR series on Aug. 17.

Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 15, 2009
« Reply #6 on: 08/18/2009 05:49 am »
STATUS REPORT: ELV-081709

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Demonstrators
Program (STSS-Demo)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-10
Launch Pad: Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: Sept. 15, 2009
Launch Window: 8 - 9 p.m. EDT

At Pad 17-B, work has been on hold while the launch team focused on an
Air Force Delta II on adjacent Pad 17-A. The vehicle launched at 6:35
a.m. EDT with the final Air Force Global Positioning System
navigation satellite in the current GPS IIR series. This week the
launch team will begin processing for STSS-Demo.


Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 15, 2009
« Reply #7 on: 08/22/2009 08:57 am »
STATUS REPORT: ELV-082109

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Demonstrators
Program (STSS-Demo)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-10
Launch Pad: Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: Sept. 15, 2009
Launch Window: 8 - 9 p.m. EDT

Now that the launch of the Air Force Global Positioning System
navigation satellite was accomplished successfully on Aug. 17 from
Pad 17A, work has resumed on Pad 17B. The Delta II was powered on
this week for state of health checks and associated testing.
Configuring the pad for launch is also under way.

The STSS Demo payload is planned to arrive at the pad for hoisting
atop the Delta II next week. Spacecraft ground support equipment is
being brought to the pad this week in preparation for spacecraft
arrival.
Jacques :-)

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 15, 2009
« Reply #8 on: 08/22/2009 09:05 pm »
http://www.dodbuzz.com/2009/08/19/troubled-stss-readies-for-launch/


Troubled STSS Readies for Launch

By Colin Clark Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 11:25 am

5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Northrop Grumman employees will be holding their breath around Sept. 15 when the enormous billows of flame and smoke begin to spew forth from a rocket lifting a new generation of space sensors into orbit.

That launch will carry two demonstration satellites of a $1.4 billion program known as the Space Tracking and Surveillance System. Northrop Grumman employees will be holding their breath because STSS may mean billions in new business if the satellites perform as planned. And there is always the possibility of a launch failure. Given how long the program has been in gestation — more than a decade, after having been canceled once before — there is almost no hope of building more STSS birds. A new program would have to be started and this is a difficult time to get any new program approved by the Pentagon.

Offline jacqmans

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 15, 2009
« Reply #9 on: 08/31/2009 05:17 pm »
STATUS REPORT: ELV-083109

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Demonstrators
Program (STSS-Demo)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-10
Launch Pad: Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: Sept. 15, 2009
Launch Window: 8 - 9 p.m. EDT

The Delta II was powered on last week for state of health checks and
associated testing. Configuring the pad for launch also is under way.

The STSS Demo payload arrived at the launch pad for hoisting atop the
Delta II on Aug. 27. Spacecraft ground support equipment also arrived
at the pad this week.
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 15, 2009
« Reply #10 on: 09/04/2009 08:57 pm »
STATUS REPORT: ELV-090409

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Demonstrators
Program (STSS-Demo)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-10
Launch Pad: Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: No Earlier Than Sept. 17, 2009
Launch Window: 8 - 9 p.m. EDT

Prelaunch preparations at Pad 17B are going well and are on schedule.
The Flight Program Verification took place Friday. This is an
integrated electrical and mechanical test of the Delta II together
with the STSS Demo payload that includes both countdown and flight
event milestones.

The next major activity is the installation of the payload fairing
around the STSS spacecraft next week on Sept. 9.

Jacques :-)

Offline rdale

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 15, 2009
« Reply #11 on: 09/08/2009 07:21 pm »
KSC Tweet: NASA's Delta II launch of STSS Demo for the Missile Defense Agency has been rescheduled by one day to Sept. 18 at 8 a.m. in the morning.

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 18, 2009
« Reply #12 on: 09/09/2009 04:42 pm »
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Offline Ronsmytheiii

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 18, 2009
« Reply #13 on: 09/11/2009 07:06 pm »

Offline Jim

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 18, 2009
« Reply #14 on: 09/11/2009 08:08 pm »
That was the weather brief for pad ops.

Offline jacqmans

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 18, 2009
« Reply #15 on: 09/11/2009 09:18 pm »
STATUS REPORT: ELV-091109

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Demonstrators
Program (STSS-Demo)
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-10
Launch Pad: Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: Sept. 18, 2009
Launch Window: 8 - 8:58 a.m. EDT

The STSS Demo spacecraft Interface Verification Test with the Delta II
rocket and the spacecraft functional test that followed are both
complete. The Flight Program Verification test, an electrical and
mechanical test involving the Delta II and the spacecraft, has also
been completed. The installation of the payload fairing around the
STSS spacecraft is set for this weekend.

The Flight Readiness Review is scheduled for Sept. 14. Loading of the
hypergolic propellants aboard the Delta II second stage will follow
on Sept. 15. On Sept. 17 at 11 p.m., the mobile service tower will be
pulled away from the Delta II rocket. On launch day, Sept. 18, the
terminal countdown begins at 5:20 a.m. to start the loading of the
RP-1 fuel and liquid oxygen aboard the Delta II first stage.

Jacques :-)

Offline HIPAR

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 18, 2009
« Reply #16 on: 09/12/2009 03:44 pm »
After STSS Demo leaves, there's just one Delta II launch scheduled from the Cape two years from now.  What are the plans to manage the upkeep for the DELTA II launch complex at the cape during that idle period?

---  CHAS

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 18, 2009
« Reply #17 on: 09/12/2009 04:03 pm »
Several years ago I heard a Boeing presentation talking about Delta II.  They were eager to dispel the myth that the Delta II had to go away.  Boeing was willing to build more if somebody was willing to pay for them.

At that time they mentioned the possibility of a new classified contract coming up that they could bid for with Delta II.  Presumably this meant multiple launches of small satellites.  Clearly that has not emerged since then.

Online William Graham

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 18, 2009
« Reply #18 on: 09/12/2009 04:25 pm »
Several years ago I heard a Boeing presentation talking about Delta II.  They were eager to dispel the myth that the Delta II had to go away.  Boeing was willing to build more if somebody was willing to pay for them.

At that time they mentioned the possibility of a new classified contract coming up that they could bid for with Delta II.  Presumably this meant multiple launches of small satellites.  Clearly that has not emerged since then.

Alternatively it could have something to do with USA-193.

Offline Jim

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Re: Delta-II - STSS Demo - September 18, 2009
« Reply #19 on: 09/12/2009 07:30 pm »
What are the plans to manage the upkeep for the DELTA II launch complex at the cape during that idle period?


ULA is under contract to launch Grail and will do what is necessary to maintain the capability to launch it. 

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