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. ?
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.
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
