I may have asked this before, but will NROL-79 also carry cubesats?
The range issue - which is another (albeit less than the bad weather) issue - is an Atlas V doing a WDR next week ahead of a NROL mission that's upcoming after the Falcon 9 launch. WDRs need (and thus book) the range.
From the "SpaceX Falcon 9 - Iridium NEXT - NET Jan 14, 2017 (17:54 UTC)- UPDATES" thread:Quote from: Chris Bergin on 01/08/2017 01:21 pmThe range issue - which is another (albeit less than the bad weather) issue - is an Atlas V doing a WDR next week ahead of a NROL mission that's upcoming after the Falcon 9 launch. WDRs need (and thus book) the range.The Atlas V NROL flight would be this thread's launch, on January 26 PST.If anyone can answer: Is the Atlas V WDR scheduled BEFORE or AFTER the January 14 Falcon 9 launch?
I read that this launch had been delayed to February 9 (on the NSF launch thread and SFN launch schedule) as of January 17. Now the NSF launch thread shows this launch in March.Is this due to continued delays resolving the Centaur issues mentioned in the January 16 ULA release (see previous post this thread)?Or is it a new problem?EDIT: Also, I note that the problem with the NROL-79 Centaur appears not to have affected the SBIRS GEO-3 launch.
With the revelations of quality control problems in Russia for Proton & Soyuz rockets, is there any implication for the RD-180 or is it completely out of the picture here?
Quote from: vapour_nudge on 01/26/2017 06:16 pmWith the revelations of quality control problems in Russia for Proton & Soyuz rockets, is there any implication for the RD-180 or is it completely out of the picture here?If Wikipedia is to be believed, they're made in different facilities by different entities. Looks like the RD-180 is made by NPO Energomash near Moscow, while the suspect engines (RD-0110, RD-0210) are made in the Voronezh Mechanical Plant in Voronezh, near Russia's border with Ukraine.
Quote from: vapour_nudge on 01/26/2017 06:16 pmWith the revelations of quality control problems in Russia for Proton & Soyuz rockets, is there any implication for the RD-180 or is it completely out of the picture here?I'm pretty sure this was reported to be a centaur issue (second stage). No Russian engines there.
ULA: The Atlas V launch carrying the NROL-79 satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office is confirmed on the Western Range for March 1.
Quote from: launchwatcher on 01/26/2017 06:24 pmQuote from: vapour_nudge on 01/26/2017 06:16 pmWith the revelations of quality control problems in Russia for Proton & Soyuz rockets, is there any implication for the RD-180 or is it completely out of the picture here?Looks like the RD-180 is made by NPO Energomash near Moscow, while the suspect engines (RD-0110, RD-0210) are made in the Voronezh Mechanical Plant in Voronezh, near Russia's border with Ukraine.1) Different designer bureaus and different manufacturing plants. The RD-0210 family, RD-0110 and RD-0124 are designed bu KbKhA bureau, and manufactured in the Voronesh Mechanical Plant, which is the manufacturing branch of KbKhA, itself owned by Khrunichev.The RD-180 is not only designed by NPO Energomash, but made in-house.2) Besides, the RD-180 is made to DoD and NASA crew rating standards. Those clients require a more extensive quality process that NPO Enegomash and its parent RSC Energia, are in much better prosition to supply.
Quote from: vapour_nudge on 01/26/2017 06:16 pmWith the revelations of quality control problems in Russia for Proton & Soyuz rockets, is there any implication for the RD-180 or is it completely out of the picture here?Looks like the RD-180 is made by NPO Energomash near Moscow, while the suspect engines (RD-0110, RD-0210) are made in the Voronezh Mechanical Plant in Voronezh, near Russia's border with Ukraine.