Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Launch Director Tim Dunn:"Our team remains on track to support the November 10th launch date. We are going to have a beautiful launch from the central California coast." 🚀Tune in to nasa.gov/live and ask questions using #SeeingTheSeas 🌊
Dunn says the engine investigation after the Falcon 9 abort 2 weeks ago is ongoing, including taking the engines from that vehicle back to McGregor for testing; there is a “path forward” for any rework needed for the Sentinel-6 launch while keeping the Nov. 10 launch date.
NASA LAUNCH SERVICES II MOD 141: Definitizes the Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) issued via Modification 130 to develop the capability to supply Gaseous Nitrogen (GN2) in support of the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich (MF) mission launching in November 2020. This effort is added as a Mission Unique Service (MUS) to contract line item (CLIN) 4, Sentinel-6 MF.
As with all satellites, extreme care had to be taken to limit the effects of both particulate and molecular contamination on SOHO's instruments. An additional complication in SOHO's case was that the twelve instruments were supplied by separate institutes as 'free issue' to ESA and its Contractors, making the cleanliness responsibilities rather diffuse. Some of the sensors are relatively insensitive to contamination, but some would be seriously affected by particles settling on optical surfaces and others by condensible molecular deposits. Some sensors have cold detectors for optimum noise reduction and so would be highly sensitive to organic contamination....One main design solution for the instruments was to incorporate continuous gaseous nitrogen purging at low rates for the critical sensor volumes. This led to an onboard distribution system fed from a 'purge cart' during the ground testing, and via a special connector to the launcher until lift-off. The quasi-sealed nature of the instrument sensor boxes, isolation of optics from electronics, and the use of the gas purging virtually precluded the risk of the sensor optics and detectors being contaminated from external sources.
We are making a lot of good progress with @SpaceX on engine testing to better understand the unexpected behavior observed during a recent non-NASA launch. (1/5)It’s too early to report findings at this point, as @SpaceX continues testing to validate what’s believed to be the most credible cause. (2/5)Based on our current analysis, @SpaceX is replacing one Merlin engine on the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich launch vehicle and one engine for Crew-1 rocket that displayed similar early-start behavior during testing. (3/5)We are still targeting the Sentinel-6 launch for Nov. 10 from Vandenberg Air Force Base as we expect to complete forward work in time. (4/5)We are also still working towards a mid-November launch for Crew-1. We will want a few days between Sentinel-6 and Crew-1 to complete data reviews and check performance. Most importantly, we will fly all our missions when we are ready. (5/5) #LaunchAmerica
Great news from the @CopernicusEU #Sentinel6 Michael Freilich satellite's launch site: Saturday the fuelling team managed to both fuel the satellite and pressurise it in one day!! Next step: mating the satellite with the payload adapter
https://youtube.com/watch?v=V7_43bsybYk
https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1321545840092049409Quote from: TweetStich: Due to the engine issue discovered on a previous mission, working to swap two engines on the Falcon 9 for Crew-1.Koenigsmann: Abort on the GPS III launch was caused by an early start on two of the nine first-stage engines. Auto abort prevented a potential hard start which could have damaged the engines.Koenigsmann: Engines were sent to McGregor, Texas for testing and they were able to reproduce the issue. The problem was traced to a blocked relief valve in the gas generator. There was leftover masking material from the production process.Koenigsmann: Further reviews have determined that other boosters had engines with this problem.Koenigsmann: Problematic substance was sort of like nail polish. Only some of the recently produced engines have this problem.<snip>Stich: Want to see GPS launch before we go fly crew.
Stich: Due to the engine issue discovered on a previous mission, working to swap two engines on the Falcon 9 for Crew-1.Koenigsmann: Abort on the GPS III launch was caused by an early start on two of the nine first-stage engines. Auto abort prevented a potential hard start which could have damaged the engines.Koenigsmann: Engines were sent to McGregor, Texas for testing and they were able to reproduce the issue. The problem was traced to a blocked relief valve in the gas generator. There was leftover masking material from the production process.Koenigsmann: Further reviews have determined that other boosters had engines with this problem.Koenigsmann: Problematic substance was sort of like nail polish. Only some of the recently produced engines have this problem.<snip>Stich: Want to see GPS launch before we go fly crew.
Quote<snip>Based on our current analysis, @SpaceX is replacing one Merlin engine on the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich launch vehicle...(3/5)<snip>We are also still working towards a mid-November launch for Crew-1. We will want a few days between Sentinel-6 and Crew-1 to complete data reviews and check performance. Most importantly, we will fly all our missions when we are ready. (5/5)
<snip>Based on our current analysis, @SpaceX is replacing one Merlin engine on the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich launch vehicle...(3/5)<snip>We are also still working towards a mid-November launch for Crew-1. We will want a few days between Sentinel-6 and Crew-1 to complete data reviews and check performance. Most importantly, we will fly all our missions when we are ready. (5/5)
My notes that I took during the press conference, much of this is scattered through the above tweets.<snip>There is some change on one of the new engines that they would like to see fly before Crew-1. GPS III-4 booster has at least one engine with that change and they'd like to see it fly first. Flight of Sentinel 6 not required before Crew-1, although if it does fly first they'll gladly review the data from that flight.
The Sentinel 6-Michael Freilich launch scheduled for Nov. 10 has been delayed until the end of the month. It's not clear if this will have implications for the Crew-1 mission currently scheduled for November 14.
