WGS-5 - Delta IV-M+(5,4) - 25.05.2013 00:27 UTC - Canaveral SLC-37B

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http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d362/status.html

1445 GMT (10:45 a.m. EDT)
The issue with the helium pressurization line on the pad has been resolved and the launch team is proceeding with the countdown for this evening's Delta 4 rocket flight fr om Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Yesterday's launch attempt was interrupted and then scrubbed prior to the start of fueling. Technicians were working a problem that could not be resolved in the lim ited amount of time available and still make the day's launch window.

But a new day is here and activities are moving forward. Tonight's launch opportunity extends from 8:27 to 8:57 p.m. EDT (0027-0057 GMT) to deliver the WGS 5 military communications satellite into orbit.

A key weather briefing occurs just before 2 p.m. EDT as the mission managers decide whether to commit to the fueling process. The weather officer will give officials the latest information about the kind of conditions that the rocket could face during the afternoon hours while it sits exposed during the propellant loading.

Assuming the weather is deemed favorable to proceed, the Terminal Countdown will begin ticking at 2:27 p.m. EDT, leading to the multi-hour process of filling the Delta 4's Common Booster Core first stage and the second stage with supercold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants.

Testing of communications links between the rocket and Air Force Eastern Range will occur after fueling is accomplished. Steering checks of the first stage RS-68 engine and second stage RL10 powerplant are on tap in the last hour of the count.

A 45-minute build-in hold is slated for T-minus 4 minutes, during which teams will go through final polling to grant the official authority to launch. The Delta 4 will transition to internal power as the count resumes, ordnance will be armed and the propellant tanks pressurized as clocks target the main engine ignition time at T-minus 5.5 seconds.

The launch weather officer now projects an 80 percent chance that conditions will be acceptable for this evening's liftoff.

"A front will move through Florida today, and, although dryer air moves in, there is a slight risk of a shower with the front," Air Force meteorologists report.

The launch time outlook includes scattered clouds at 3,400 and 30,000 feet, isolated showers in the vicinity, good visibility, easterly winds of 10 to 15 knots and a temperature around 76 degrees.

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2000 GMT (4:00 p.m. EDT)
First stage liquid oxygen tanking operation is switching from "slow-fill" to "fast-fill" mode. The rocket will be loaded with 40,000 gallons of supercold LOX.

1955 GMT (3:55 p.m. EDT)
No issues are being reported in the countdown as activities continue toward today's 8:27 p.m. EDT liftoff of the Delta 4 rocket and WGS 5 satellite.

1947 GMT (3:47 p.m. EDT)
With today's countdown going very smoothly, the launch team is preparing to start fueling the Delta 4 rocket's upper stage. The "go" has been given to start the chilldown conditioning of the upper stage liquid hydrogen system.

1946 GMT (3:46 p.m. EDT)
The first stage liquid oxygen chilldown is complete. "Slow-fill" mode is beginning to load a small percentage of the tank. The process then speeds up to the "fast-fill" mode until the tank is nearly full.

1942 GMT (3:42 p.m. EDT)
The rocket's tracking beacon has completed its interrogation checks.

1936 GMT (3:36 p.m. EDT)
First stage liquid hydrogen tanking operation is switching from "slow-fill" to "fast-fill" mode.

1924 GMT (3:24 p.m. EDT)
And now the chilldown of Delta's first stage liquid oxygen system is starting. This preps the tank and pumping to guard against shock when the supercold oxidizer begins flowing into the rocket a short time from now.

1923 GMT (3:23 p.m. EDT)
Liquid hydrogen flow to the first stage is confirmed. Some 110,000 gallons of LH2 will fill the rocket's tank.

1919 GMT (3:19 p.m. EDT)
The cold gas chilldown conditioning of the liquid hydrogen system has been accomplished. Liquid hydrogen propellant will begin to flow into the first stage in "slow-fill" mode. That is sped up to "fast-fill" after a small portion of the tank is loaded.

Chilled to Minus-423 degrees Fahrenheit, the liquid hydrogen will be consumed by the RS-68 main engine along with liquid oxygen during the first four minutes of the launch.

1855 GMT (2:55 p.m. EDT)
And fueling operations have begun. The hydrogen system's cold gas chilldown conditioning is underway.

1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)
A "go" has been given to start the cold gas chilldown conditioning of the first stage liquid hydrogen system. This is the precursor to filling the vehicle with propellant.

1848 GMT (2:48 p.m. EDT)
The Delta 4 rocket's RIFCA flight computer is powered up for flight and alignment is stable. And interrogation checks are getting started on the C-band beacon used for tracking the vehicle during its flight downrange.

1827 GMT (2:27 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 5 hours, 15 minutes and counting! The Terminal Countdown has commenced for this evening's scheduled launch of the Delta 4 rocket to deliver a new communications satellite into orbit for the United States military.

The count has a planned built-in hold at T-minus 4 minutes, leading to liftoff at 8:27 p.m. EDT (0027 GMT).

Technicians have finished all hands-on work at the launch pad and Complex 37 has been cleared of personnel in advance of fueling the rocket's two stages this afternoon. Pad systems and equipment stand ready for fueling activities, which should kick off shortly.

1824 GMT (2:24 p.m. EDT)
The launch team has been polled to verify all consoles are manned and ready to begin the Terminal Countdown when this hold ends at 2:27 p.m.

1817 GMT (2:17 p.m. EDT)
The call to "man stations" has gone out to the launch team in preparation for fueling operations and the Terminal Count.

1812 GMT (2:12 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 5 hours, 15 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered a 15-minute built-in hold, a pre-planned pause designed to give the team time to catch up on any work that could be running behind schedule. Once the clocks resume ticking, the Terminal Countdown phase of today's launch operation will begin.

1805 GMT (2:05 p.m. EDT)
In the pre-fueling weather briefing to mission managers, the current observed conditions are excellent and the forecast for the rest of the day looks favorable. The atmosphere is significantly drier today, making thunderstorm development unlikely.

1747 GMT (1:47 p.m. EDT)
Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of today's Delta 4 rocket launch. The launch pad has been cleared of workers, the restricted area around Complex 37 has been established and console operators are preparing the hydrogen and oxygen systems for fueling. The rocket's avionics have been turned on for launch and the countdown is ticking along on schedule for a liftoff at 8:27 p.m. EDT

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2132 GMT (5:32 p.m. EDT)
Post-filling tests on the hydrogen side of the first stage are complete. The tank will be entering topping mode.

2127 GMT (5:27 p.m. EDT)
Now passing the three-hour mark away from today's 8:27 p.m. EDT liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket with the WGS 5 satellite payload from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

This will be the fifth spacecraft in the growing constellation of Wideband Global SATCOM communications satellites for the U.S. military. United Launch Alliance has deployed all of them, using Atlas 5 rockets in 2007 and 2009 and the Delta 4 in 2009 and 2012.

"WGS was the first constellation of satellites to launch on both the Delta 4 and the Atlas 5 vehicles since the formation of ULA. We are privileged to work closely with our Air Force partners in integrating these important WGS satellites. The first two were launched on an Atlas, and now WGS 5 will be the third launched on a Delta," said ULA Vice President Mission Operations Jim Sponnick.

"Our ability to integrate and launch satellites successfully and efficiently on two launch systems provides operational flexibility was the primary reason ULA was formed."

2125 GMT (5:25 p.m. EDT)
Loading of the upper stage liquid hydrogen tank has been accomplished as fueling proceeds very smoothly this afternoon at Complex 37.

2100 GMT (5:00 p.m. EDT)
Post-filling tests on the first stage liquid oxygen system are complete. The tank will be entering topping mode.

2058 GMT (4:58 p.m. EDT)
Chilldown of the upper stage liquid oxygen system is complete for loading the rocket's tank with 4,500 gallons. This is the last of the rocket's four cryogenic supplies to be filled in today's countdown to launch.

2045 GMT (4:45 p.m. EDT)
The Delta 4 rocket's Common Booster Core first stage and upper stage are being loaded with supercold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen.

Complex 37 has two giant sphere-shaped fuel tanks to store the cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. The LOX tank holds 250,000 gallons and LH2 sphere about 850,000 gallons.

The cryogenics are fed from the storage tanks through pipelines to the pad. For the Common Booster Core, the propellants are routed up to the launch table upon which the rocket sits. Tail service masts, the large box-like structures at the base of the vehicle, feed the oxygen and hydrogen to the booster via separate umbilicals.

The upper stage receives its cryos from the middle swing arm that extends from the Fixed Umbilical Tower to the front-side of the rocket.

2042 GMT (4:42 p.m. EDT)
The "go" has been given for the upper stage liquid oxygen chilldown in advance of filling that tank.

2039 GMT (4:39 p.m. EDT)
The first stage liquid oxygen loading just finished. The tank has been loaded with its supercold oxidizer that is chilled to Minus-298 degrees F. Topping will be completed as the count rolls on.

2034 GMT (4:34 p.m. EDT)
The chilldown of the upper stage liquid hydrogen system is reported complete, clearing the way for loading the rocket's tank. The launch team is actively loading the upper stage's liquid hydrogen tank with 10,000 gallons of propellant for the RL10 engine.

2027 GMT (4:27 p.m. EDT)
Fast-filling of the first stage liquid hydrogen tank is wrapping up. After post-filling checks and valve tests, the tank will be placed in topping mode.The launch team will confirm the propellant is conditioned for flight.

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Здесь будет трансляция в хорошем качестве:
http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Webcast.shtml

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Улетела в начале окна, первое включение второй ступени ок

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Второе включение второй ступени ок

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Есть отделение КА!

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Видео:

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Highlights видео от ULA.

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5th Boeing-Built Wideband Satellite Increases Coverage for Warfighters
http://boeing.mediaroom.com/5th-Boeing-Built-Wideband-Satellite-Increases-Coverage-for-Warfighters

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Oct. 2, 2013 – The fifth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellite built by Boeing [NYSE] is providing the U.S. military and its international partners additional access to the fast, secure communications vital to successful missions. WGS-5, which was launched in May, has completed on-orbit testing and is now being operated by the U.S. Air Force.

The second spacecraft in the WGS program's upgraded Block II series, WGS-5 provides protected wideband communications to users anywhere in its field of view.

"The WGS mission is a force multiplier for the Department of Defense, U.S. government agencies, and our allied partners," said Lt. Col. Karen Roe, Commander, 53rd Signal Battalion (SATCON). "We are so pleased to have this capability across our formation and thank the Boeing team for their dedication to excellence."
WGS-5 is the first of two WGS satellites launched this year.

"WGS-5 addresses a critical need of the Defense Department by increasing capacity and enhancing global coverage, supporting warfighters with communications bandwidth when they need it," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems.

WGS-6 – launched 75 days after WGS-5 – is performing as expected and scheduled to complete its handover to the Air Force later this year.