NROL-44: Orion 10 (Mentor 8) – Delta IV-H [D-385] – Канаверал SLC-37B – 11.12.2020 01:09 UTC

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 08:44

The temperature issue is being referred to Anomaly Chief Dave McFarland for discussion, any troubleshooting steps, then resolution. The AC position in the control room that directs engineering teams work to resolve technical issues that arise during the count.

[tnt22]

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 08:45

Countdown Holding

This is Delta Launch Control at T-minus 4 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered the planned built-in hold designed to give a bit of margin to deal with any problems. Also during this time, the final readiness polls of the launch team and members of the Mission Management Team will be performed.

[tnt22]

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 08:50

We will be extending this hold at T-minus 4 minutes while the team analyzes the temperature inside a rocket compartment. A new liftoff time has not yet been established.

08/29/2020 08:51 Stephen Clark

The Delta 4-Heavy team will extend the current hold in the countdown while engineers study a temperature issue in a vehicle compartment. This means liftoff will not occur at 2:04 a.m. EDT (0604 GMT), but this morning's window stretches roughly four hours.

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 08:56

Memorial Dedication

This morning's flight is dedicated to our friends and colleagues Chuck Mitchell and Winnie Pang. Chuck and Winnie have dedicated countless hours of technical expertise, ensuring the incredible success of a multitude of launches. Their warm smiles, team spirit, and phenomenal leadership have rippled across the aerospace and launch communities. To our fellow patriots - rest in peace.

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 08:58

To recap, the countdown is holding at T-minus 4 minutes. Engineers are assessing the temperature in one of the rocket's compartments before we proceed to launch.

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 09:01

The Delta IV Heavy rocket will launch off the pad on the power of three RS-68A main engines generating 2.1 million pounds of thrust.

The vehicle will hit Mach 1 and surpass the region of maximum air pressure by T+plus 90 seconds.
The port and starboard common booster cores burn for four minutes, while the center core fires for an addition 90 seconds before staging.

The second stage then comes to life, followed shortly thereafter by jettisoning the five-meter-diameter aluminum payload fairing.

At the request of our customer, live coverage will conclude approximately seven minutes after liftoff.

[tnt22]

 Falcon9_AFTS @F9_UHF_antenna 8 мин. назад

@torybruno
 We are still going tonight, right? #NROL44


 Tory Bruno @torybruno 7 мин. назад

В ответ @F9_UHF_antenna

Seeing an electronic package running a little cold. Running  thermal analysis now.

[tnt22]

Продолжаем ожидать

Aug 29, 2020 09:21

We remain in the T-minus 4 minute hold while engineers complete a thermal analysis of a rocket compartment that is a bit cold tonight from the cryogenic propellants on Delta IV Heavy. We continue to await a new target liftoff time.

[tnt22]

08/29/2020 09:44 Stephen Clark

The launch team is updating trajectory data in the Delta 4-Heavy's guidance computer at this time. Engineers previously loaded a trajectory file into the computer for the 2:04 a.m. EDT (0604 GMT) launch time, but the fresh guidance parameters account for the delayed launch time.

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 09:45

The flight control console operator has loaded updated trajectory parameters into the rocket's guidance computer.

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 10:00

Anomaly Chief Dave McFarland has briefed mission managers following completion of thermal analysis. That work determined conditions inside the Delta IV Heavy rocket's interstage are acceptable to proceed to launch today.

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 10:03

New Launch Time

ULA Launch Director Lou Mangieri has instructed the launch team to coordinate a new liftoff time of 3:28 a.m. EDT (0728 UTC) for the Delta IV Heavy rocket on the NROL-44 mission from Cape Canaveral today.

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 10:22

GO for Launch!

The ULA Launch Director Lou Mangieri has confirmed that the Delta IV Heavy rocket is ready to fly and NRO Mission Director Col. Chad Davis has given final permission to launch. That concurrence was made following a readiness poll of the launch team by Launch Conductor Scott Barney that verified all systems are "go." Liftoff time is 3:28 a.m. EDT (0728 UTC).

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 10:23


The launch pad swing arm lock pins have retracted. All steps are complete prior to terminal count.

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 10:24

Countdown Resumes

T-minus 4 minutes and counting. The final phase of today's countdown is underway at Cape Canaveral to launch the Delta IV Heavy rocket on NROL-44. The countdown clocks have resumed, leading us straight to liftoff.

Over the next minute, the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage liquid oxygen tank will be secured at flight level, replenishment of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to the three common core boosters will be secured in preparation to pressurize the tanks for launch and the ground pyrotechnics will be enabled.

[tnt22]

[tnt22]

Aug 29, 2020 10:26

T-minus 1 minutes, 55 seconds. The launch sequencer has been started. It will perform independent verifications of systems for the rest of the countdown, control the firing of hydrogen burnoff igniters under the engines, detachment of umbilicals from the vehicle and release the rocket from the pad at liftoff.

The Delta IV Heavy rocket has switched from ground-fed power to internal batteries. Shortly, ordnance devices aboard the vehicle will be armed. The flight software on the vehicle will go active at T-minus 80 seconds.

[tnt22]

Flight SEQUENCE
Hr:Mn:Sc	Event	EDT	UTC	ДМВ
00:00:05	RS-68A Engine Ignition	03:27:55	07:27:55	10:27:55
00:00:00	Liftoff (Thrust to Weight > 1)	03:28:00	07:28:00	10:28:00
00:00:09	Begin Pitch/Yaw Maneuver	03:28:09	07:28:09	10:28:09
00:01:18	Mach 1	03:29:18	07:29:18	10:29:18
00:01:20	Maximum Dynamic Pressure	03:29:20	07:29:20	10:29:20
00:03:56	Port and Starboard Booster Engine Cutoff	03:31:56	07:31:56	10:31:56
00:03:58	Port and Starboard Booster Jettison	03:31:58	07:31:58	10:31:58
00:05:36	Booster Engine Cutoff (BECO)	03:33:36	07:33:36	10:33:36
00:05:43	First Stage Separation	03:33:43	07:33:43	10:33:43
00:05:56	Main Engine Start (MES-1)	03:33:56	07:33:56	10:33:56
00:06:38	Payload Fairing Jettison	03:34:38	07:34:38	10:34:38