NASASpaceFlight.com Forum
Commercial and US Government Launch Vehicles => NGIS (Formerly Orbital ATK) - Antares/Cygnus Section => Topic started by: Chris Bergin on 04/20/2013 11:44 am
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LIVE LAUNCH DAY THREAD FOR ANTARES A-ONE SECOND ATTEMPT.
T-0 is aiming for 5pm Eastern (9pm GMT, 10pm UK). Window will be 10-15 mins once the T-0 is confirmed.
Please note the difference between this thread and the other threads. This thread should be UPDATES ONLY. Posts that are not will be deleted without notice.
FIRST ATTEMPT - SCRUB:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31663.0
DISCUSSION THREAD (2):
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31662.0
For everything else, here's the Party Thread:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=30923.0
Viewing Opportunities/Going to the Launch:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31517.0
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MAIN PRE-LAUNCH RESOURCES:
Orbital’s Antares closing in on debut launch following pad arrival:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/10/orbitals-antares-closing-debut-launch-pad-arrival/
Flight of the Antares – Orbital closing in on long-awaited debut:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/01/flight-antares-orbital-long-awaited-debut/
Hot fire success for Orbital’s Antares:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/02/hot-fire-success-orbitals-antares/
Stars align for Orbital's Antares – A-One debut set for mid-April:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/03/orbitals-antares-debut-a-one-mission-april/
Orbital’s Antares: An eye on the present and the future:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/04/orbitals-antares-eye-on-present-future/
LAUNCH DAY ARTICLE (ATTEMPT 1, SCRUB, ATTEMPT 2):
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/04/orbital-antares-debut-launch-attempt/
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Previous pre-launch flow update thread:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=30921.0
Orbital GENERAL Forum Section:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=46.0
Orbital (Antares/Cygnus) News Articles (Recent):
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/tag/antares/
L2 Antares/Cygnus Section:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=tags&tags=orbital
(Includes updates, videos, graphics, presentations and specific interactive posts with engineers etc.)
As always, stay on topic and use the correct threads.
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Any confirmation of call-to-stations this morning? Thanx.
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Checklist was opened around 09:13, about the same time as Wed. Working minor issue with the PPOD reply loopbacks, was cleared before the checklist was opened.
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Early WX balloon run of the Overpressure safety criteria (which was marginal on Wed) was reported as "good." It's the last balloon before launch that counts, though...
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WX Briefing in 6 minutes
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Checklist was opened around 09:13, about the same time as Wed. Working minor issue with the PPOD reply loopbacks, was cleared before the checklist was opened.
Thank you, sir. Good luck today.
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Some images from today of Antares have been added to this set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/sets/72157633278343080/
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Just got WX briefing. As far as basic constraints are concerned, the POV is 10% today and 35% tomorrow. Problem with upper level (35K-40K) winds - unusually strong jet stream. We are evaluating.
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Antonio, your contributions are most gratefully appreciated!
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Just got WX briefing. As far as basic constraints are concerned, the POV is 10% today and 35% tomorrow. Problem with upper level (35K-40K) winds - unusually strong jet stream. We are evaluating.
Yes, very appreciated. POV is probability of violation [of constraints]?
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Yes. But that's only the "hard" range criteria (including some that come from us.) There are also the high-altitude winds, which are more of a qualitative call than hard values.
Our dilemma is the wind shear around 20K produced by the strong jet stream: the trajectory (we can choose from a small set sometime around T-45) that lowers the loads on the vehicle also bring us uncomfortably close to the North destruct line. Paul Baumgartner and Tracy Chisholm are running trajectories as we speak. They will have to make a judgement call on the traj, and then Mission Director will have to make a go/no go call from that.
Oh, well, TANSTAAFL...
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Recent reports from OSC at Twitter:
Orbital Sciences @OrbitalSciences (1403Z)
#Antares The count pick up at T-8 hours has started. The team is targeting the
opening of the window at 5 PM local, 2100 UTC.
Orbital Sciences @OrbitalSciences (1409Z)
#Antares update: Voice checks are currently underway.
Orbital Sciences @OrbitalSciences (1447Z)
The Red Team is leaving the pad. Range and Facility setup continues. Range Checks are in work. #Antares
Orbital Sciences @OrbitalSciences (1508Z)
The engineering team is reviewing telemetry displays with simulated data. ECS operations at the pad are being verified. #Antares
Orbital Sciences @OrbitalSciences (1518Z)
#Antares T-6 hours: Wx 90% go for launch time. Upper level winds are marginal based on earlier balloon data.
Orbital Sciences @OrbitalSciences (1527Z)
Pre-pwr checks are complete. MACH Ethernet testing completed. Poll for sequencer start and warm helium charging has been completed. #Antares
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Why a 7 minutes delay? COLA?
NASA Wallops @NASA_Wallops
#Antares Launch is now scheduled for 5:07pm EDT.
EDIT: that delay has disappeared! :o
NASA Wallops @NASA_Wallops
Launch time correction. Launch time remains 5:00pm EDT.
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Orbital Sciences @OrbitalSciences (1604Z)
#Antares T-5 hours. We see blue sky peeking through the clouds. Still targeting 5pm EDT launch. Live coverage begins at 4:30 on NASA TV.
NASA Wallops @NASA_Wallops (1605Z)
#Antares launch outlook is good with 90% chance of launch on time. Currently cloudy but expected to clear.
Satellite images showing the storm front almost clearing the East coast right now - should be bright and sunny at liftoff time. ;D
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Satellite images showing the storm front almost clearing the East coast right now - should be bright and sunny at liftoff time. ;D
antonioe's caveat (http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31696.msg1041224#msg1041224) three posts earlier still applies.
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Satellite images showing the storm front almost clearing the East coast right now - should be bright and sunny at liftoff time. ;D
antonioe's caveat (http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31696.msg1041224#msg1041224) three posts earlier still applies.
Well it's not surprising that the jetstream is very strong behind such a big squall line (?) system... let's see what will happen by then.
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Live cam is up
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/stennisaj26-1/theater
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Orbital Sciences @OrbitalSciences (1646Z)
#Antares T-4:15 Warm helium is flowing to the vehicle. Vehicle avionics power up on external power is complete.
Orbital Sciences @OrbitalSciences (1648Z)
#Antares launch is still taregeted for 5pm EDT. LN2 flow to the subcooler has begun. Payload ECS set temperature has been adjust up to 80F
My note: This is just amazing coverage provided by the Orbital PR team - never heard of such little details in the pre-launch timeline in any launch I have ever seen - not even Shuttle launches! 8)
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Satellite images showing the storm front almost clearing the East coast right now - should be bright and sunny at liftoff time. ;D
antonioe's caveat (http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31696.msg1041224#msg1041224) three posts earlier still applies.
Well it's not surprising that the jetstream is very strong behind such a big squall line (?) system... let's see what will happen by then.
:o Newbie warning alert! :o
The Jet Stream looks strong over the launch site now.
http://images.intellicast.com/WxImages/JetStream/conus.jpg (http://images.intellicast.com/WxImages/JetStream/conus.jpg)
The surface winds map is here.
http://hint.fm/wind/ (http://hint.fm/wind/)
What are the limits on both surface winds and winds aloft that would prevent launch? I know there are probably aircraft aloft giving ground controllers weather information up to say 40k ft...Are they also launching balloon after balloon to get upper atmosphere data?
Edit - Oh, another question:
I cannot find (yet) information on the weather briefing for this mission and a percentage given towards launch probability based upon weather, etc... Does anyone have that info?
Getting ready to drive up there in an hour!
Thanks
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Satellite images showing the storm front almost clearing the East coast right now - should be bright and sunny at liftoff time. ;D
antonioe's caveat (http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31696.msg1041224#msg1041224) three posts earlier still applies.
Well it's not surprising that the jetstream is very strong behind such a big squall line (?) system... let's see what will happen by then.
Cold front.
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Orbital Sciences @OrbitalSciences (1652Z)
The #Antares Red Team has completed adjustments at the pad and are on the way back to the stand by location.
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Winds aloft are never discrete limits for any vehicle. There are day-of-launch calculations done to determine if a vehicle can steer through the wind shears without tumbling and without exceeding structural limits. Theoretically, a strong-enough headwind could create enough additional drag that the vehicle could not make its performance targets. That would be a very marginal case with a payload that needs every last pound of performance, or where another factor contributing to low performance would compound the problem and cause the mission to come up short.
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L-5:30 balloon data showed us red on debris field (strong mid-alt southwesterlies) I wonder if we shouldn't delay to the latter part of the 2-hour window to let the mid-alt winds settle a bit... that could help the other issue, too.
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Heh, sorry about the mod getting stressed. All posts are great in this thread. Many thanks to Antonio for his updates!
Weather is very related to the live launch thread.
Carry on :)
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Yep, this isn't like the shuttle launches where the weather was far more complex, with RTLS, TAL and AOA conditions to contend with. And our own weather reporter. :)
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Beginning LOX loading system (line, etc.) chilldown.
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Orbital:
T-3 hours: SIGI Alignment is complete. The poll to chill down the LOX commodity delivery system has been completed.
Antares System RF checks completed. Wking an issue w/payload S-Band link. All other links successfully completed range interface testing.
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L-5:30 balloon data showed us red on debris field (strong mid-alt southwesterlies) I wonder if we shouldn't delay to the latter part of the 2-hour window to let the mid-alt winds settle a bit... that could help the other issue, too.
Am I right to recall that a decision to delay into the later part of the window must occur prior to LOX load (T-90)? Or is it at commencement of pre-chill (T-180)?
How is it implemented? Extending a built-in hold?
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Beginning LOX loading system (line, etc.) chilldown.
Thanks ever so much for taking the time, during what must be a busy period, to update us all! It is really appreciated.
Noel
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Decision to launch at a nominal time other than the beginning of window must be made before beginning of propellant (RP and LOX) loading or L-1h30m. After than, the variability is limited to +15m - 0m
No "built-in hold" - simply delay beginning of loading phase - everything else can wait with no adverse consequences.
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Range is trying to relocate some 40 or so people from the extreme south end of Assateague to clear additional people-free space because of the strong southwesterly winds... if they are successful, AND the FAA approves the new debris limit lines, we MIGHT be able to launch today...
If they do it, it would be the most awesome real-time reprogramming I've ever seen a range do...
I guess they will tell them that either they move back or the will NOT see a launch...
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Orbital:
Working w/the range to determine times that optimize our ability to get additional balloon data to resolve wx issues.
T-0 now 5:10EDT
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So to be clear, the T-0 is 21:10 ZULU (17:10 Eastern. 22:10 UK time).
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FAA won't approve a new range limit line today - not enough time to evaluate change ... maybe for tomorrow. Nice try by Bill Wrobel and the Wallops range...
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Range is trying to relocate some 40 or so people from the extreme south end of Assateague to clear additional people-free space because of the strong southwesterly winds...
Everyone tweet this. The chance anyone is there who see it is small, but worth trying. You never know if it might help.
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FAA won't approve a new range limit line today - not enough time to evaluate change ... maybe for tomorrow. Nice try by Bill Wrobel and the Wallops range...
Is that a scrub?
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Nice large one for you.
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FAA won't approve a new range limit line today - not enough time to evaluate change ... maybe for tomorrow. Nice try by Bill Wrobel and the Wallops range...
Is that a scrub?
Wondered same. Maybe use up more of that 2 hour window?
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Here's plan: we moved T0 by 10 minutes (5:10 EDT) to allow us to evaluate the 3:30 EDT balloon debris field data - if OK we'll proceed to fueling. If not, we will delay to 6:10 launch and repeat the eval at 4:30 for a 7:10 launch or scrub. We're in the process of coordinating this with the balloon guys...
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Here's plan: we moved T0 by 10 minutes (5:10 EDT) to allow us to evaluate the 3:30 EDT balloon debris field data - if OK we'll proceed to fueling. If not, we will delay to 6:10 launch and repeat the eval at 4:30 for a 7:10 launch or scrub. We're in the process of coordinating this with the balloon guys...
Very good sir. Good luck!!
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Just heard 6:10 as new T0 from wallops plot on marine band 12.
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Yup - red on debris. Try for 6:10, make a decision around 4:40. Altitude winds for tomorrow 20-25 knots lower than today... today was an extraordinary day for the 15K to 35K altitude range (105 to 120 knots - normal is more like 65 to 80 knots, and much fuirther from the pure west)
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And official note on the above:
Via NASA Wallops @NASA_Wallops
After weather review, the Antares launch has been moved to 6:10pm EDT. We will remain in hold until one hour before launch.
T-0 now 22:10 ZULU (18:10 Eastern. 23:10 UK time).
NASA TV move their coverage to a 17:30pm Eastern start.
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Orbital:
Payload S-Band transmitter issue with the range has been resolved - all telemetry links are nominal
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Folks: not looking too good - winds are NOT trending (last few balloons right on top of each other) PLUS as we go into the window we use our LOX ... if we go to the 7:10 opportunity we may not have enough LOX to use the full two-hour window tomorrow ... Frank C. chewing on it... since tomorrow's challenge will be surface winds, we probably want the ENTIRE window tomorrow ...
Just got the Overpressure and Toxic evals from the last balloon - both green ... debris in a few minutes ...
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Debris red ... discussing ... we may scrub for the day
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Cleaning up ... see you tomorrow ... announcing scrub right now
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Unlucky! Thanks for the updates!
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Cleaning up ... see you tomorrow ... announcing scrub right now
Appreciate the updates through the count...definitely will be tuning in tomorrow.
NASA TV ran a live shot for a few minutes...they may do an announcement soon.
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Nope, a banner.
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Thread is now open for specific discussion relating to this attempt, because we'll have a new thread on Sunday.
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Tomorrow POV 25% overall ... dominated by surface winds now forecasted for 12 to 17 knots form the SE ... altitude winds 20 tp 25 knots lower than today
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Culbertson headed for press conference at 17:15 EDT
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Booo! These are the first launches (well, attempts) I've ever watched from Wallops...and both times winds were creating issues. I'm no weather expert, so does Wallops being further North than KSC generally increase the chances of high winds (or bad weather in general)?
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wait.... Scrub just because 40 people were too close? Not homes / wildlife sanctuaries,etc, but human tourists too close? If so, wouldn't the initial allowed observation range have been set further out from the get go?
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wait.... Scrub just because 40 people were too close? Not homes / wildlife sanctuaries,etc, but human tourists too close? If so, wouldn't the initial allowed observation range have been set further out from the get go?
It would be nice to have some clarification whether these were people who went closer than the perimeter set by the USFWS at Chincoteague NWR. See http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31517.msg1039079#msg1039079
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wait.... Scrub just because 40 people were too close? Not homes / wildlife sanctuaries,etc, but human tourists too close? If so, wouldn't the initial allowed observation range have been set further out from the get go?
No, that had to do with an attempt to extend the range area based specifically on today's conditions.
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Booo! These are the first launches (well, attempts) I've ever watched from Wallops...and both times winds were creating issues. I'm no weather expert, so does Wallops being further North than KSC generally increase the chances of high winds (or bad weather in general)?
No, just an unseasonable Winter cold front one month into (Northern Hemisphere) Spring. Don't worry, lawyers here are already taking it up with Punxsutawney Phil.
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wait.... Scrub just because 40 people were too close? Not homes / wildlife sanctuaries,etc, but human tourists too close? If so, wouldn't the initial allowed observation range have been set further out from the get go?
No, that had to do with an attempt to extend the range area based specifically on today's conditions.
Right, but, probably just (understanably) simple lack of tourist history that _initial_ allowed observation range wasn't _already_ initailly set at the " 99.9% chance no problem" level vs, say merely some "99% chance no problem level", or such?
And, I guess FAA proper is official entity that decides. ?
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wait.... Scrub just because 40 people were too close? Not homes / wildlife sanctuaries,etc, but human tourists too close? If so, wouldn't the initial allowed observation range have been set further out from the get go?
No, that had to do with an attempt to extend the range area based specifically on today's conditions.
Right, but, probably just (understanably) simple lack of tourist history that _initial_ allowed observation range wasn't _already_ initailly set at the " 99.9% chance no problem" level vs, say merely some "99% chance no problem level", or such?
And, I guess FAA proper is official entity that decides. ?
The range does.
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so does Wallops being further North than KSC generally increase the chances of high winds (or bad weather in general)?
Well, not bad weather in general. Florida likes lightning ;)
But yes the jet stream is generally near if not overhead the Mid-Atlantic states, and the subtropical jet stream closer to Florida is not nearly as strong.
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ORBITAL RESCHEDULES NEW ANTARES ROCKET LAUNCH WINDOW
– A-ONE Mission Team Working Toward an Attempt on Sunday, April 21 –
(Dulles, VA 20 April 2013) – Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world’s leading space technology companies, today announced that excessive, high-altitude wind speeds prevented the planned April 20 launch attempt of the Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) launch pad at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va.
“Given the winds and wind direction, the debris requirement for the Range and Federal Aviation Administration could not be achieved today,” said Mr. Frank Culbertson, Orbital’s Executive Vice President and Mission Director for the Antares Test Flight. “This requirement keeps any potential debris from falling outside of a predefined area in the event of an anomaly. Flight requirements dictate that we stop the countdown and pick it up when the conditions improve.”
The next launch attempt is scheduled to take place no earlier than Sunday, April 21, with a window extending from 5 - 8 p.m. EDT. NASA TV and webcast launch coverage will begin at 4:30 p.m. EDT on www.NASA.gov.
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Hard luck but a valiant effort! Thanks to OSC folk for the great updates, and good luck tomorrow.
edit: moved crazy question to party thread :)
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Moving to Attempt 3 thread:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31704.0
Closing this one.