Author Topic: SCRUB: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 2 UPDATE THREAD  (Read 44218 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

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

--

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/ 

---
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.
« Last Edit: 04/20/2013 08:33 pm by Chris Bergin »
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline psloss

  • Veteran armchair spectator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17980
  • Liked: 4046
  • Likes Given: 2089
Any confirmation of call-to-stations this morning?  Thanx.

Offline antonioe

  • PONTIFEX MAXIMVS
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1077
  • Virginia is for (space) lovers
  • Liked: 43
  • Likes Given: 0
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.
ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS...

Offline antonioe

  • PONTIFEX MAXIMVS
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1077
  • Virginia is for (space) lovers
  • Liked: 43
  • Likes Given: 0
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...
ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS...

Offline antonioe

  • PONTIFEX MAXIMVS
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1077
  • Virginia is for (space) lovers
  • Liked: 43
  • Likes Given: 0
WX Briefing in 6 minutes
ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS...

Offline psloss

  • Veteran armchair spectator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17980
  • Liked: 4046
  • Likes Given: 2089
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.

Offline yg1968

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17266
  • Liked: 7123
  • Likes Given: 3064
Some images from today of Antares have been added to this set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/sets/72157633278343080/

Offline antonioe

  • PONTIFEX MAXIMVS
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1077
  • Virginia is for (space) lovers
  • Liked: 43
  • Likes Given: 0
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.
« Last Edit: 04/20/2013 02:29 pm by antonioe »
ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS...

Offline Lee Jay

  • Elite Veteran
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8566
  • Liked: 3603
  • Likes Given: 327
Antonio, your contributions are most gratefully appreciated!

Offline jsmjr

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 305
  • Washington, DC
  • Liked: 31
  • Likes Given: 28
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]?

Offline antonioe

  • PONTIFEX MAXIMVS
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1077
  • Virginia is for (space) lovers
  • Liked: 43
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: LIVE: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 2 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #10 on: 04/20/2013 02:57 pm »
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...
ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS...

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

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
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

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.
« Last Edit: 04/20/2013 03:52 pm by Galactic Penguin SST »
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

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
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline psloss

  • Veteran armchair spectator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17980
  • Liked: 4046
  • Likes Given: 2089
Re: LIVE: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 2 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #14 on: 04/20/2013 04:25 pm »
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 three posts earlier still applies.

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

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 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.

Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline Jester

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7979
  • Earth
  • Liked: 6533
  • Likes Given: 157

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

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)
« Last Edit: 04/20/2013 04:51 pm by Galactic Penguin SST »
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline BillyJoeBob

  • Member
  • Posts: 14
  • Virginia Beach, VA
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: LIVE: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 2 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #18 on: 04/20/2013 04:54 pm »
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 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

The surface winds map is here.
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

« Last Edit: 04/20/2013 04:57 pm by BillyJoeBob »

Offline Orbiter

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2995
  • Florida
  • Liked: 1548
  • Likes Given: 1385
Re: LIVE: Orbital Antares A-ONE LAUNCH ATTEMPT 2 UPDATE THREAD
« Reply #19 on: 04/20/2013 04:54 pm »
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 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.
« Last Edit: 04/20/2013 04:54 pm by Orbiter »
KSC Engineer, astronomer, rocket photographer.

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0