Oh, that's a big tower eh! I remember watching it getting built and to think that its the size of an office tower and that it rolls back and forth is crazy.
Postponed. apparently trying to see if they will launch before xmas or in new year.
Quote from: mike robel on 12/08/2008 11:32 pmPostponed. apparently trying to see if they will launch before xmas or in new year.Old news. That's the delay from 17 December (16th EST). It's already been rescheduled for 20 December.
Quote from: GW_Simulations on 12/09/2008 01:03 pmQuote from: mike robel on 12/08/2008 11:32 pmPostponed. apparently trying to see if they will launch before xmas or in new year.Old news. That's the delay from 17 December (16th EST). It's already been rescheduled for 20 December.December 20 seems to be the old news. The launch has now slipped into January, according to SFN. - Ed Kyle
As expected. ;)This ends US space launch activity for this year: 15 launches, 14 successful.5 Delta II, 4 STS, 2 Atlas V, 2 Pegasus, 2 Falcon 1 (1 failure). No Delta IV, just 2 EELVs. 9 out of 15 by soon to be retired systems. Quite depressing.From January: "United Launch Alliance plans 16 Atlas and Delta rocket launches at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station next year. Six Delta 2 rockets, four Delta 4 rockets and six Atlas 5 rockets are to be sent aloft."http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ft-080102-lauches-ahead.htmlAnalyst
This ends US space launch activity for this year: 15 launches, 14 successful.5 Delta II, 4 STS, 2 Atlas V, 2 Pegasus, 2 Falcon 1 (1 failure). No Delta IV, just 2 EELVs. 9 out of 15 by soon to be retired systems. Quite depressing.From January: "United Launch Alliance plans 16 Atlas and Delta rocket launches at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station next year. Six Delta 2 rockets, four Delta 4 rockets and six Atlas 5 rockets are to be sent aloft."http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ft-080102-lauches-ahead.htmlAnalyst
Quote from: Analyst on 12/10/2008 07:56 amThis ends US space launch activity for this year: 15 launches, 14 successful.5 Delta II, 4 STS, 2 Atlas V, 2 Pegasus, 2 Falcon 1 (1 failure). No Delta IV, just 2 EELVs. 9 out of 15 by soon to be retired systems. Quite depressing.From January: "United Launch Alliance plans 16 Atlas and Delta rocket launches at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station next year. Six Delta 2 rockets, four Delta 4 rockets and six Atlas 5 rockets are to be sent aloft."http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ft-080102-lauches-ahead.htmlAnalystThis year's results are, unfortunately, par for the course for the past five years or so. Since 2004, inclusive, the U.S. has averaged only 16 orbital launch attempts per year. Each year was preceded by seriously flawed predictions of many more launches. I find it interesting that this collapse from previous launch totals (in the 20-35 per year range) has coincided with the "EELV Era". One wonders if this isn't turning out to be the "DELV Era".
The anticipated flood of commercial launches never materialized, and the lowest-price guarantee made EELVs commercially uncompetitive. This has put EELV into the typical procurement death spiral.
Quote from: yinzer on 12/11/2008 09:49 pmThe anticipated flood of commercial launches never materialized, and the lowest-price guarantee made EELVs commercially uncompetitive. This has put EELV into the typical procurement death spiral. IIRC, isn't Delta IV only available for US Government customers?
1) There's a conveniently preserved 2004-era EELV manifest here, and a summary of EELV flights to date here.2) As of 2004, there were 25 EELV launches scheduled through the end of FY 2008. Of these 25 payloads, 16 of them are still not ready for launch. 1 is currently delayed a few months due to LV issues, but was 3 years late before those issues arose.
Quote from: yinzer on 12/11/2008 09:49 pm1) There's a conveniently preserved 2004-era EELV manifest here, and a summary of EELV flights to date here.2) As of 2004, there were 25 EELV launches scheduled through the end of FY 2008. Of these 25 payloads, 16 of them are still not ready for launch. 1 is currently delayed a few months due to LV issues, but was 3 years late before those issues arose.1) Both links don't work for me.2) I don't know if these are payload or booster issues or both. But assume these are only payload issues: What does this say about the US military space program (USAF, NRO) and its contractors, who are pretty much the same contractors building and operating EELVs?
You can argue "EELV is a failure because it costs way more than the Atlas/Delta/Titan that it's replacing". You can argue "EELV is a failure because it didn't get a big share of the commercial launch market". You could argue "EELV is a failure because it's less reliable than Atlas/Delta/Titan". But arguing "EELV is a failure because it only flies four times a year", when there haven't been a bunch of payloads sitting around waiting for rides doesn't make sense, and if you draw the conclusion "EELV only flies four times a year, so we need a new rocket that will fly 8 times a year", you'll have been lead astraay.