Delta IV-Heavy - NROL-44 - Canaveral SLC-37B - December 10/11, 2020 (01:09 UTC)

[Orbiter]

Per SpaceX just a few moments ago, GPS is officially scheduled for September 30th.

And per that Launch Hazard, so is NROL-44.

Either the NROL-44 launch is going to slip beyond September 30th, a mistake has been made, or we're going to see two launches in the span of a few hours (unlikely).

[Ken the Bin]

Per SpaceX just a few moments ago, GPS is officially scheduled for September 30th.

And per that Launch Hazard, so is NROL-44.

Either the NROL-44 launch is going to slip beyond September 30th, a mistake has been made, or we're going to see two launches in the span of less than two hours (unlikely).

NROL-44 is scheduled for early morning September 30 UTC, shortly before midnight on September 29 EDT.

[Michael Baylor]

NROL-44 is scheduled for early morning September 30 UTC, shortly before midnight on September 29 EDT.

The hazard zone that Emre Kelly just tweeted has NROL-44 scheduled for Oct. 1 UTC.

[Ken the Bin]

NROL-44 is scheduled for early morning September 30 UTC, shortly before midnight on September 29 EDT.

The hazard zone that Emre Kelly just tweeted has NROL-44 scheduled for Oct. 1 UTC.

That looks to me like an error or else there's a change that the NGA hasn't emailed out yet.

Per the latest notice from the NGA, the UTC hazard times for the primary day are 03:45 to 05:57 on September 30.

290045Z SEP 20
NAVAREA IV 930/20(GEN).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   300345Z TO 300557Z SEP, ALTERNATE
   0345Z TO 0557Z DAILY 01 AND 02 OCT
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-34-51N 080-34-26W, 28-36-00N 080-31-00W,
      28-31-00N 079-42-00W, 28-27-00N 079-44-00W,
      28-27-00N 080-19-00W, 28-27-42N 080-31-36W,
      28-29-17N 080-32-27W, 28-34-44N 080-34-23W.
   B. 27-34-00N 073-17-00W, 28-30-00N 073-12-00W,
      28-13-00N 069-19-00W, 27-10-00N 069-16-00W.
   C. 21-15-00N 045-22-00W, 23-51-00N 044-36-00W,
      19-32-00N 032-09-00W, 17-06-00N 033-09-00W.
2. CANCEL NAVAREA IV 922/20.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 020657Z OCT 20.

[zubenelgenubi]

2nd try at Launchapalooza!

Scheduled:
Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

2020
September 26 27 28 29 30 - NROL-44: Orion 10 (RIO 10, Mission 8306, Mentor 8 ) (TBD) - Delta IV-H [D-385] - Canaveral SLC-37B - 03:58 04:14 10 06 02
September 30 October 1 - GPS III SV04 - Falcon 9 (B1062.1 S) - Canaveral SLC-40 - 01:51 55
September 27 28 October 1  - Starlink flight 13 (x60) [v1.0 L12] - Falcon 9-094 (B1058.3 S) - Kennedy LC-39A - 13:17 14:22 43
September 30 October 2 - Cygnus NG-14 (CRS-14) - Antares-230+ - MARS LP-0A - 01:38 02:27

Changes on September 25th
Changes on September 26th
Changes on September 27th
Changes on September 28th

[FutureSpaceTourist]

twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1310946054297341955

Everything is progressing toward the ULA #DeltaIVHeavy launch carrying the #NROL44 mission for the @NatReconOfc. The mission is set to lift off on Tues. Sept. 29 from SLC-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1310946095070154752

Today’s forecast shows a 40 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for launch. The launch time is 11:58 p.m. EDT.

[zubenelgenubi]

Belated post: weather in the hours before the launch scheduled for 04:02 September 29 UTC, resulting in the launch delay to 03:58 September 30 UTC:
https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1310705577954365443

Lightning strike near the pad.  Looking at the launch window.

The Mobile Service Tower could not be rolled back for the countdown, leading to the weather scrub:

The launch of the United Launch Alliance #DeltaIVHeavy #NROL44 mission has been scrubbed due to weather. Launch is now scheduled for 11:58 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

[kdhilliard]

Back to today: https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1311046885835190273

@ulalaunch 4:55 PM · Sep 29, 2020

A Phase 2 lightning warning has been issued for the #DeltaIVHeavy Space Launch Complex-37 due to thunderstorms at Cape Canaveral. The launch pad crew will clear the complex as a precaution until the weather alert is lifted. https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch/delta-iv-heavy-nrol-44

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1311059170687414279

The lightning warning for the #DeltaIVHeavy launch pad has been rescinded, allowing the ground crew to return to their work sites. There appears to be a window of acceptable weather for Mobile Service Tower roll to occur in preparation for launch tonight. bit.ly/div_nrol44

Edit to add:

https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1311065715269603328

Go for tower roll! Launch Conductor Scott Barney has instructed the pad crew to retract the Mobile Service Tower at Space Launch Complex-37 for tonight's #DeltaIVHeavy rocket launch of #NROL44. Live countdown updates: http://bit.ly/div_nrol44

[FutureSpaceTourist]

twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1311084997256900608

The launch of the ULA #DeltaIVHeavy #NROL44 mission has been scrubbed. The local weather resulted in a significant delay to pre-launch preparations including the roll of the Mobile Service Tower (MST).

Edit to add:

https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1311085128085536769

When the MST roll began we discovered a hydraulic leak in the ground system required to move the tower which needs further evaluation. Subsequent weather will prevent the team from moving forward with tonight’s attempt. Launch is now scheduled for 11:54 pm EDT on Wed., Sept. 30.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Doesn’t sound like repair time will be an issue:

https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1311100944130674690

Hydraulic hose failure on the MST. Happens now and again. Part on hand, repair underway.   However, the earlier lighting hold ate up so much of the launch window that we will not be able to continue towards a launch tonight.

[robertross]

Doesn’t sound like repair time will be an issue:

Hydraulic hose failure on the MST. Happens now and again. Part on hand, repair underway.   However, the earlier lighting hold ate up so much of the launch window that we will not be able to continue towards a launch tonight.

Would likely still require an air purge & test.
Being a hydraulics specialist, I find it astonishing that hydraulic hoses would fail on such an important item. The main culprit is typically rot (rusting of the inner steel layers), exacerbated in such a wet environment near the sea. They should be changed out more often. An alternative is applying petrolatum tape over the steel ends & removing them at launch time. It's not like they have a high launch cadence.

[wannamoonbase]

Doesn’t the Air Force pay something like $400 million to keep the vehicle and pad in a level of readiness?

The USAF needs to get their money back. Frankly it’s brutally embarrassing.

[Jansen]

Considering the weather issues with MST rollout on Monday, why wouldn’t they have built in additional time for Tuesday’s rollout? Conditions were pretty similar both days. Starting the countdown earlier and building in more of a buffer for weather contingencies would’ve probably allowed for a launch.

[Ken the Bin]

New L-1 weather forecast:

[Comga]

2nd try at Launchapalooza!

Scheduled:
Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

2020
September 26[/s][/u] 27[/s] 28[/s] 29[/s] 30 - NROL-44: Orion 10 (RIO 10, Mission 8306, Mentor 8 ) (TBD) - Delta IV-H [D-385] - Canaveral SLC-37B - 03:58 04:[/s]14[/s] 10[/s] 06[/s] 02[/s]
September 30[/s][/u] October 1 - GPS III SV04 - Falcon 9 (B1062.1 S) - Canaveral SLC-40 - 01:51 55[/s]
September[/s][/u] 27[/s] 28[/s] October 1  - Starlink flight 13 (x60) [v1.0 L12] - Falcon 9-094 (B1058.3 S) - Kennedy LC-39A - 13:17 14:[/s]22 43[/s]
September 30[/s][/u] October 2 - Cygnus NG-14 (CRS-14) - Antares-230+ - MARS LP-0A - 01:38 02:27[/s]

Changes on September 25th
Changes on September 26th
Changes on September 27th
Changes on September 28th

(In the Cockney accented voice of an 8 year old)
May I have another, sir?

PS At some point, even salo does away with all the colored edits.

[zubenelgenubi]

3rd try at Launchapalooza!

Scheduled:
Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

2020
September 26 27 28 29 30 October 1 - NROL-44: Orion 10 (RIO 10, Mission 8306, Mentor 8 ) (TBD) - Delta IV-H [D-385] - Canaveral SLC-37B - 03:54 58 04:14 10 06 02
September 27 28 October 1  - Starlink flight 13 (x60) [v1.0 L12] - Falcon 9-094 (B1058.3 S) - Kennedy LC-39A - 13:17 14:22 43
September 30 October 2 - Cygnus NG-14 (CRS-14) - Antares-230+ - MARS LP-0A - 01:38 02:27
September 30 October 1 3 - GPS III SV04 - Falcon 9 (B1062.1 S) - Canaveral SLC-40 - 01:43 51 55

Changes on September 25th
Changes on September 26th
Changes on September 27th
Changes on September 28th
Changes on September 29th
Changes on September 30th

Time between NROL-44 and Starlink launches: approximately 9 hours.
***

(In the Cockney accented voice of an 8 year old)
May I have another, sir?

PS At some point, even salo does away with all the colored edits.

Simple answer: Me pretty colors!

Learned answer: I want to legibly document just how many schedule changes it takes to get these four rockets launched.  In pretty colors!

[daedalus1]

These seem to be very delicate rockets compared to Russian or Chinese rockets, which I've seen launch through a snow storm.

[Ken the Bin]

Surprisingly, I have not yet received an update from the NGA for this launch, only for SpaceX's GPS III SV04.

[loekf]

Doesn’t the Air Force pay something like $400 million to keep the vehicle and pad in a level of readiness?

The USAF needs to get their money back. Frankly it’s brutally embarrassing.

Eric from Arstechnica seems to agree. One launch per year, their complex is 20 years old, maintenance is key, but they probably consider it end of life anyways and Vulcan is the future:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/09/delta-iv-heavy-rocket-delayed-again-raising-concerns-of-aging-infrastructure/