Intelsat 14 - Atlas V 431 - 23.11.09 09:55 ДМВ - Canaveral

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html

Nov. 14    Atlas 5  •  Intelsat 14
Launch window: 0548-0718 GMT (12:48-2:18 a.m. EST)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket (AV-024) will launch the commercial Intelsat 14 communications spacecraft. Built by Space Systems/Loral, this satellite will provide telecommunications services over the Atlantic Ocean Region. The rocket will fly in the 431 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, three solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from Oct. 14. [Oct. 1]

[Salo]

http://space.skyrocket.de/index_frame.htm?http://www.skyrocket.de/space/doc_sdat/intelsat-14.htm

Intelsat 14


Intelsat 14 [SSL]

Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) announced in January 2007 that Intelsat Corporation has awarded SS/L a contract to manufacture Intelsat 14 (IS 14), a new, high-power C- and Ku-band fixed satellite service (FSS) satellite.

Intelsat 14, to be located at 45 degrees West longitude, will be the 44th Space Systems/Loral satellite built over the past four decades for Intelsat, the world's largest fixed satellite services operator. The satellite will carry 40 C-band and 22 Ku-band transponders across four different beams, covering the Americas, Europe and Africa.

Intelsat 14 will have a design life of 15 years and will replace the Intelsat 1R (PAS-1R) satellite when the new satellite is delivered in 2009. Its high efficiency solar arrays and lightweight batteries are designed to provide uninterrupted electrical power. The satellite is based on SS/L's LS-1300 platform, which features qualified, flight proven subsystems and a long record of reliable operation.

The Department of Defense's (DoD) Internet Routing in Space (IRIS) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration Project is an aditional payload on board and represents the next generation of space-based communications. IRIS will serve as a computer processor in the sky, merging communications being received on various frequency bands and transmitting them to multiple users based on data instructions embedded in the uplink.

The IRIS architecture allows direct IP routing over satellite, eliminating the need for routing via a ground-based teleport, thereby dramatically increasing the efficiency and flexibility of the satellite communications link. The IRIS payload will support network services for voice, video and data communications, enabling military units or allied forces to communicate with one another using Internet protocol and existing ground equipment. The IRIS payload will interconnect one C-band and two Ku-band coverage areas. The IRIS architecture and design allow for flexible IP packet (layer 3) routing or multicast distribution that can be reconfigured on demand. With the on-board processor routing the up and down communications links, the IRIS payload is expected to enhance satellite performance and reduce signal degradation from atmospheric conditions. The payload will convert to commercial use once testing has been completed.

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av024/status.html

0530 GMT (12:30 a.m. EST)
Draining of propellants from the rocket has begun.

0525 GMT (12:25 a.m. EST)
SCRUB! Engineers are unable to resolve the technical issue that had cropped up in the countdown and officials have decided to postpone the launch for tonight.

A new target launch date has not yet been announced.

0523 GMT (12:23 a.m. EST)
The Intelsat 14 spacecraft nestled inside the nose of the Atlas 5 rocket is switching to internal power for launch.

0518 GMT (12:18 a.m. EST)
Here's a look at some stats about today's mission. This will be:
The 601st launch for Atlas program since 1957
The 315th Atlas to occur from Cape Canaveral
The 19th launch of an Atlas 5 since 2002
The 17th Atlas 5 to occur from the Cape
The 11th Atlas 5 under United Launch Alliance
The 9th commercial launch for the Atlas 5 family
The 5th Atlas launch of 2009
The 2nd Atlas 5 to fly in the 431 configuration
The 31st Intelsat spacecraft to fly on Atlas since 1971
The 44th satellite built by Space Systems/Loral for Intelsat

0511 GMT (12:11 a.m. EST)
Engineers are working through a technical issue that has the potential of holding up some pre-launch activities over the next several minutes.

0508 GMT (12:08 a.m. EST)
Forty minutes from liftoff. The countdown clocks are heading to the T-minus 4 minute mark where a planned 10-minute hold will occur. Launch of Atlas 5 remains scheduled for 12:48 a.m. EST.

0501 GMT (12:01 a.m. EST)

We're trying an experimental test tonight with live streaming video available on your iPhone. Check it out!

0500 GMT (12:00 a.m. EST)
The launch team is going through normal post-fueling valve and system checks.

0457 GMT (11:57 p.m. EST Fri.)
Fast-filling of the first stage liquid oxygen tank has been completed. Topping mode is now underway.

0456 GMT (11:56 p.m. EST Fri.)
The liquid hydrogen tank in the Centaur upper stage just reached the 97 percent level. Topping is now beginning.

0453 GMT (11:53 p.m. EST Fri.)
The first stage liquid oxygen tank is 90 percent full now.

0452 GMT (11:52 p.m. EST Fri.)
The Centaur liquid hydrogen tank is 80 percent loaded so far. The cryogenic propellant will be consumed with liquid oxygen by the stage's Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne-made RL10 engine.

0448 GMT (11:48 p.m. EST Fri.)
Now 60 minutes from liftoff. Fueling of the Atlas rocket with cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen is proceeding as planned for a liftoff at 12:48 a.m. EST.

If you are heading out to Titusville or the beach to watch the launch, sign up for our Twitter feed to get occasional countdown updates on your cellphone. U.S. readers can also sign up from their phone by texting "follow spaceflightnow" to 40404. (Standard text messaging charges apply.)

0445 GMT (11:45 p.m. EST Fri.)
About three-quarters of the first stage liquid oxygen tank has been loaded.

0443 GMT (11:43 p.m. EST Fri.)
Centaur's liquid hydrogen tank is 20 percent full.

0436 GMT (11:36 p.m. EST Fri.)
Chilldown of the liquid hydrogen system has been accomplished. The launch team has received the "go" to begin filling the Centaur upper stage with the supercold fuel.

0434 GMT (11:34 p.m. EST Fri.)
The first stage liquid oxygen tank is 50 percent full.

0429 GMT (11:29 p.m. EST Fri.)
The Centaur engine chilldown sequence is being initiated.

0425 GMT (11:25 p.m. EST Fri.)
First stage liquid oxygen tank is passing the 30 percent mark. Chilled to Minus-298 degrees F, the liquid oxygen will be used with RP-1 kerosene by the RD-180 main engine on the first stage during the initial four-and-a-quarter minutes of flight today. The 25,000 gallons of RP-1 were loaded into the rocket earlier.

0423 GMT (11:23 p.m. EST Fri.)
Upper stage liquid oxygen has reached flight level.

0418 GMT (11:18 p.m. EST Fri.)
Now 90 minutes from liftoff.

0417 GMT (11:17 p.m. EST Fri.)
The Centaur liquid oxygen tank reached the 95 percent level. The topping off process is starting now.

0415 GMT (11:15 p.m. EST Fri.)
The first stage liquid oxygen loading is switching from slow-fill to fast-fill mode.

0412 GMT (11:12 p.m. EST Fri.)
The Centaur liquid oxygen tank is 80 percent full now.

0412 GMT (11:12 p.m. EST Fri.)
The chilldown conditioning of liquid hydrogen propellant lines at Complex 41 is starting to prepare the plumbing for transferring the Minus-423 degree F fuel into the rocket. The Centaur holds about 13,000 gallons of the cryogenic propellant.

0406 GMT (11:06 p.m. EST Fri.)
The chilldown conditioning of the systems for the first stage liquid oxygen tank have been completed. And a "go" has been given to begin pumping supercold liquid oxygen into the Atlas 5's first stage.

The Common Core Booster stage's liquid oxygen tank is the largest tank to be filled today. It holds about 50,000 gallons of cryogenic oxidizer for the RD-180 main engine.

0405 GMT (11:05 p.m. EST Fri.)
Half of the Centaur liquid oxygen tank has been filled so far.

0358 GMT (10:58 p.m. EST Fri.)
The Centaur liquid oxygen tank has reached the 20 percent level.

0350 GMT (10:50 p.m. EST Fri.)
Filling of the Centaur upper stage with about 4,300 gallons of liquid oxygen has begun at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 following the thermal conditioning of the transfer pipes.

The liquid oxygen -- chilled to Minus-298 degrees F -- will be consumed during the launch by the Centaur's single RL10 engine along with liquid hydrogen to be pumped into the stage a little later in the countdown. The Centaur will perform a pair of firings today to send the Intelsat 14 payload on its way.

0342 GMT (10:42 p.m. EST Fri.)
The Centaur liquid oxygen pad storage area has been prepped. The next step is conditioning the transfer lines, which is now beginning to prepare the plumbing for flowing the cryogenic oxidizer.

0338 GMT (10:38 p.m. EST Fri.)
T-minus 120 minutes and counting! The launch countdown is continuing on schedule for tonight's flight of the Atlas 5 rocket with the Intelsat 14 spacecraft aboard.

Clocks have one more built-in hold planned at T-minus 4 minutes. That pause will last 10 minutes during which time the final "go" for launch will be given. All remains targeted for liftoff at 12:48 a.m. EST from Cape Canaveral's Complex 41.

In the next couple of minutes, chilldown thermal conditioning of the mobile launch platform upon which the rocket stands will begin. This is meant to ease the shock on equipment when supercold cryogenic propellants start flowing into the rocket.

0337 GMT (10:37 p.m. EST Fri.)
A reminder that if you will be away from your computer but would like to receive countdown updates, sign up for our Twitter feed to get text messages on your cellphone. U.S. readers can also sign up from their phone by texting "follow spaceflightnow" to 40404. (Standard text messaging charges apply.)

0336 GMT (10:36 p.m. EST Fri.)
All console operators in the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center reported a "ready" status during the pre-fueling poll just completed by the launch conductor. The ULA launch director voiced his approval as well. Loading of cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen into the Atlas 5 rocket will be getting underway a short time from now. Liftoff remains targeted for 12:48 a.m. EST.

0333 GMT (10:33 p.m. EST Fri.)
Atlas launch conductor is briefing his team on procedures before entering into the final two hours of the countdown. A readiness check of the team members is next.

0310 GMT (10:10 p.m. EST Fri.)
We're trying an experimental test tonight with live streaming video available on your iPhone. Check it out!

0308 GMT (10:08 p.m. EST Fri.)
T-minus 2 hours and holding. The countdown has just entered the first of two planned holds over the course of the night that will lead to the 12:48 a.m. EST launch of the Atlas-Centaur rocket. This initial pause lasts 30 minutes, giving the team some margin in the countdown timeline to deal with technical issues or any work that is running behind. The final hold is scheduled to occur at T-minus 4 minutes and will last for 10 minutes.

0259 GMT (9:59 p.m. EST Fri.)
The hold-fire checks have been performed to ensure safety officers have the capability of halting the countdown if a problem occurs.

Meanwhile, the official clearing of personnel from the launch pad for rest of the countdown has begun.

0252 GMT (9:52 p.m. EST Fri.)
The latest check of the weather shows current conditions are favorable and the outlook is very promising this evening. The forecast for the launch window includes just some scattered clouds, northwesterly winds of 15 gusting to 20 knots, good visibility and a temperature around 58 degrees F.

0246 GMT (9:46 p.m. EST Fri.)
As the final workers finish up their chores at the pad, the engineers back at the launch control center just completed the guidance system testing.

0148 GMT (8:48 p.m. EST Fri.)
Now four hours from the scheduled liftoff time. Work is well underway at the Complex 41 launch pad and inside the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center in advance of tonight's mission.

Today's launch of the Atlas 5 rocket will be the second flight of the vehicle's 431 configuration, which is distinguished by the combination of a four-meter payload fairing, three solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. The first use of this version occurred in March 2005 with the launch of the Inmarsat 4-F1 mobile communications satellite.

Depending on a payload's weight, mission planners add strap-on solid boosters to the Atlas 5 to incrementally increase the amount of cargo the rocket can carry.

For the Atlas 5's 400-series, up to three solids can be used. The 500-series is capable of flying with as many as five, such as the launch of NASA's New Horizons space probe bound for Pluto.

The Russian RD-180 first stage main engine can accomplish the entire job of steering the Atlas 5 during launch, thus the solid boosters feature simple, fixed nozzles.

Each Aerojet-built SRB stands 67 feet tall, has a diameter of just over five feet and weighs about 100,000 pounds at launch. The slender white rockets have a lightweight graphite epoxy casing with an erosion-resistant insulation. The solid fuel is high-performance class 1.3 HTPB propellant.

Atop the booster is an aerodynamically-shaped graphite epoxy nose fairing. Each motor has forward and aft attachment structures to the Atlas 5's first stage. The motor nozzle is carbon-phenolic.

The motor burns for 90 seconds, producing a maximum thrust of approximately 400,000 pounds and an average around 250,000 pounds.
 
0134 GMT (8:34 p.m. EST Fri.)
Officials report all continues to go well and no technical issues are being worked. Fueling of the Atlas 5 rocket is slated to begin shortly before 11 p.m. EST tonight.

0115 GMT (8:15 p.m. EST Fri.)
Check out a photo gallery taken this afternoon showing the Atlas 5 rocket awaiting the start of its countdown to launch: here.

0048 GMT (7:48 p.m. EST Fri.)
Liftoff of the Intelsat 14 spacecraft is just five hours away now. The countdown continues to tick at Complex 41 toward a liftoff at 12:48 a.m. EST.

The Atlas 5 rocket that will deliver the satellite into orbit tonight was assembled inside the Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 starting with erection of the bronze first stage onto the mobile launch platform.

The first stage, known as a Common Core Booster, is 106 feet long and 12.5 feet in diameter. It is equipped with the kerosene-fueled RD-180 main engine.

Later, the hydrogen-fueled Centaur upper stage with its RL10 engine was hoisted into position and three strap-on solid propellant boosters were attached to the first stage.

The Centaur is about 40 feet long and 10 feet in diameter. Each solid rocket booster is 67 feet long and 5 feet in diameter.

On October 27, the vehicle was rolled out to the launch pad for a countdown dress rehearsal. A full launch day simulation, including the loading of propellants into the rocket stages, successfully occurred on October 28. The rocket was returned to the VIF on October 29.

Meanwhile, the Intelsat 14 spacecraft arrived at Cape Canaveral from its Space Systems/Loral manufacturing factory on September 23. It underwent final pre-flight preparations at the Astrotech facility near Titusville. After being encapsulated in the nose cone shroud, the satellite was brought to the VIF for hoisting atop the Atlas last Tuesday.

The combined operations between the rocket and payload were accomplished over the following week, leading to the final launch readiness reviews Wednesday that concluded with approval to proceed with Thursday's rollout to the pad for the countdown to liftoff.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2009

2345 GMT (6:45 p.m. EST)
We're trying an experimental test tonight with live streaming video available on your iPhone. Check it out!

2248 GMT (5:48 p.m. EST)
The countdown clocks are starting to tick for tonight's commercial flight of the Atlas 5 rocket to deliver the Intelsat 14 spacecraft into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The launch team is beginning to power up the rocket and commence standard pre-flight tests. Over the next few hours, final preps for the Centaur's liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen systems will be performed, along with a test of the rocket's guidance system and the first stage propulsion and hydraulic preps, internal battery checks and testing of the C-band system used to track the rocket as it flies downrange, plus a test of the S-band telemetry relay system. The Complex 41 site will be cleared of all personnel at 9:53 p.m.

A planned half-hour hold begins at 10:08 p.m. when the count reaches T-minus 120 minutes. Near the end of the hold, the team will be polled at 10:35 p.m. to verify all is in readiness to start fueling the rocket for launch.

Supercold liquid oxygen begins flowing into the Centaur upper stage around 10:55 p.m., followed by the first stage filling around 11:08 p.m. Liquid hydrogen fuel loading for Centaur will be completed a short time later.

A final hold is scheduled at the T-minus 4 minute mark starting at 12:34 a.m. That 10-minute pause will give everyone a chance to finish any late work and assess the status of the rocket, payloads, Range and weather before proceeding into the last moments of the countdown for liftoff at
12:48 a.m. EST.

2115 GMT (4:15 p.m. EST)
The odds of favorable weather during tonight's launch window have improved to 90 percent. It is a beautiful afternoon at Cape Canaveral, although a bit breezy. But meteorologists say there's little chance of weather interfering with the launch plans.

2030 GMT (3:30 p.m. EST)
Launch of the Atlas 5 rocket with the Intelsat 14 communications satellite is just about nine hours away. Photographers have gathered at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to head into Complex 41 and set up their sound-activated cameras around the pad that will capture the imagery of tonight's launch.

Everything still looks good for launch at 12:48 a.m. EST. Skies are crystal clear, no technical issues are being reported and the seven-hour countdown sequence remains slated to start on-time at 5:48 p.m. EST.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2009
An Atlas 5 rocket is ready for its late-night launch to deploy an international telecommunications satellite that will span the Atlantic and serve four continents.

Mounted atop the launcher is Intelsat 14, a spacecraft headed for geostationary orbit to relay television, data and other services to North and South America, Africa and Europe.

The 12,375-pound satellite was built by Space Systems/Loral and features 40 C-band and 22 Ku-band transponders. It was designed to last 15 years for global network operator Intelsat.

The rocket was moved from its assembly building to the launch pad Thursday morning to commence final pre-flight preparations.

A photo gallery of the rollout can be viewed here. In addition, nighttime images taken on the eve of blastoff are posted.

Countdown clocks will begin ticking Friday afternoon for a targeted 12:48 a.m. EST blastoff from Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 pad.

"The launch is moving through its process in a nominal practice," David Markham, president of Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services, said in an interview Thursday afternoon.

"Weather permitting, it is going to be a spectacular sight."

The RD-180 engine ignites at T-minus 2.7 seconds, shooting a giant cloud of steam from the pad's main exhaust duct while undergoing a check to ensure its vital signs are healthy. The three strap-on solid rocket boosters are lit at T+plus 0.8 seconds, leading to liftoff of the 19-story Atlas vehicle at T+plus 1.1 seconds.

The Aerojet-made solid boosters will burn for about 90 seconds to assist the RD-180 in propelling the rocket skyward. The SRB casings remain attached to the first stage for another 40 seconds until the rocket reaches a suitable region of flight for jettison.

After the spent boosters are shed, the kerosene-fueled first stage will continue to fire until T+plus 4 minutes, 27 seconds. The bronze stage separates about six seconds later, leaving the hydrogen-fueled Centaur upper stage to ignite for a burn lasting nearly 14 minutes that will inject itself and Intelsat 14 into a preliminary orbit with a low point of 109 statute miles, a high point of 16,158 statute miles and inclination of 25 degrees.

Centaur completes its first burn over the central Atlantic Ocean and enters a 95-minute coast over Africa, Madagascar and the southern Indian Ocean. The Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 cryogenic engine then restarts for a 93-second firing to propel the Intelsat spacecraft into the targeted geosynchronous transfer orbit stretching from 3,743 statute miles at its lowest point to 23,830 statute miles at its highest and inclined 22.48 degrees to the equator.

Release of the payload from the rocket to complete the launch is expected at T+plus 1 hour and 58 minutes.

The satellite will maneuver itself into a circular geostationary orbit, eventually matching Earth's rotation and appearing fixed over the equator at 45 degrees West longitude.

The craft is slated to replace the Intelsat 1R satellite currently operating in that orbital slot. It was launched aboard an European Ariane 5 rocket nine years ago this month.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2009

1625 GMT (11:25 a.m. EST)
Check out a photo gallery from this morning's rollout of the Atlas 5 rocket: here.

1500 GMT (10:00 a.m. EST)
The launch weather team continues to predict a 70 percent chance of acceptable conditions for tomorrow night's Atlas 5 rocket flight.

"Low pressure off the Carolina coast is producing a tight pressure gradient and gusty northwest winds that will persist into Friday afternoon. Intermittent light sprinkles/drizzle associated with the cloudy conditions are expected through today," Air Force meteorologist report.

"On launch day, low pressure off the Carolina coast slowly drifts east. The pressure gradient remains tight through Friday afternoon with winds gradually trending down Friday evening. The primary concerns for launch day are ground winds and cumulus clouds associated with isolated coastal showers."

The launch window's outlook includes scattered clouds at 2,500 and 25,000 feet, isolated showers around the coast, good visibility, northwesterly winds of 18 to 24 knots and a temperature of 60 to 62 degrees F.

The odds of favorable weather for the backup launch opportunity Saturday night increase to 80 percent.

"In the event of a 24-hour delay, winds continue to trend down; however, cumulus clouds remain a limited concern associated with isolated coastal showers," forecasters say.

1415 GMT (9:15 a.m. EST)
A United Launch Alliance photo taken by Pat Corkery showing the Atlas rocket on the pad following rollout can be seen here.

1400 GMT (9:00 a.m. EST)
ON THE PAD! The Atlas 5 rocket has arrived at the Complex 41 launch pad for liftoff Friday night to deliver into orbit the commercial Intelsat 14 communications spacecraft.

A pair of specially-made "trackmobiles" hauled the Atlas 5 rocket's 1.4-million pound mobile launching platform along rail tracks for the 1,800-foot trip from the Vertical Integration Facility.

The rollout time was moved up two hours to 8 a.m. EST to avoid predicted higher winds later in the morning.

The two mobile trailers connected to the launching platform that were part of the convoy during today's rollout will be hooked up to power and communications systems at the pad. These trailers provide conditioned air to the payload and communications with the rocket during the rollout and the countdown. They are protected from the blast of launch by a concrete structure on the north-side of the platform.

Also this morning, the auto couplers between the pad and platform will be engaged to route umbilical connections from the ground to the rocket for tomorrow's fueling of the booster with cryogenic propellants.

Later this afternoon, the undercarriages used to move the mobile platform will be disconnected and the "trackmobiles" pulled free.

Ground crews will secure the rocket for the evening. The launch countdown commences at 5:48 p.m. EST tomorrow, leading toward a liftoff shortly after midnight at 12:48 a.m. EST.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2009
An Atlas 5 rocket stands atop its mobile launching platform inside the assembly building at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41, awaiting Thursday morning's rollout to the pad and the countdown to Friday night's liftoff on a purely commercial flight.

Mission managers held the Launch Readiness Review on Wednesday and gave approval to press ahead with flight preparations as planned.

The 19-story rocket will be wheeled to its launch pad around 10 a.m. EST. Although the trip stretches only one-third of a mile, it is a major milestone on the road to launch. Once secured at the complex, the rocket can be readied for Friday's final testing and fueling sequence that leads to the late-night launch opportunity.

A 90-minute launch window extends from 12:48 to 2:18 a.m. EST. That equates to 0548-0718 GMT on Saturday.

Weather forecasters are predicting a 70 percent chance of acceptable conditions.

The Atlas will fly in its 431 vehicle configuration with a four-meter nose cone to shroud the payload during ascent through the atmosphere, three powerful strap-on solid rocket boosters for the first stage and a single engine on the Centaur upper stage.

It will take nearly two hours for the vehicle to climb into the targeted orbit and deploy Intelsat 14, a large telecommunications satellite that will provide relay services across North and South America, Africa and Europe.

[Salo]

Сливают топливо. Старт отложен. Время старта пока не определено.

0535 GMT (12:35 a.m. EST)
To recap, the launch team had been working a technical issue and running lab tests. But in the end, officials were unable to determine the exact cause of the glitch and determined that launch would have to be postponed. A specific explanation of the problem is expected to be provided by United Launch Alliance shortly.

[Брабонт]

The Department of Defense's (DoD) Internet Routing in Space (IRIS) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration Project is an aditional payload on board and represents the next generation of space-based communications.

Космический роутер:



Подробнее:
http://www.cisco.com/web/strategy/government/space-routing.html
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Intelsat_To_Test_Internet_Routing_In_Space_For_The_US_Military_999.html

[Salo]

0549 GMT (12:49 a.m. EST)
The issue is with the ordnance remote control assembly, or ORCA, that experienced a momentary power drop out during the countdown for unknown reasons. Troubleshooting and testing were unable to pinpoint the cause, forcing mission managers to scrub tonight's countdown, ULA officials say.

The ORCA is a pyrotechnic initiation subsystem that provides multiple electronic outputs throughout the launch vehicle, according to the manufacturer.
 
0535 GMT (12:35 a.m. EST)
To recap, the launch team had been working a technical issue and running lab tests. But in the end, officials were unable to determine the exact cause of the glitch and decided that launch would have to be postponed. A specific explanation of the problem is expected to be provided by United Launch Alliance shortly.

It is unclear if another launch attempt will be possible tomorrow night or if the Atlas will be delayed until after the planned Monday liftoff of the space shuttle Atlantis.

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av024/status.html

0631 GMT (1:31 a.m. EST)
Here's the official statement from United Launch Alliance on tonight's scrub:

"The launch of the Intelsat 14 spacecraft aboard an Atlas 5 was scrubbed just after midnight Friday night so that engineers can troubleshoot a temporary power interruption in an electronics component used to control flight events on the Atlas booster. The launch is being conducted for Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services by United Launch Alliance. The launch team executed the standard detanking procedure and will return the vehicle to the Vertical Integration Facility to remove the electronics box for further investigation. The spacecraft is secure. A new launch date has not been established at this time."

0620 GMT (1:20 a.m. EST)
The Atlas rocket will have to be rolled from its launch pad back to the Vertical Integration Facility in light of this technical issue. That means there would be no launch attempt made tomorrow night, clearing the way for the Eastern Range to transition over to space shuttle support for Monday's planned liftoff of Atlantis.

Exactly how long the Atlas delay will last is not yet known.

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av024/091113gallery/

[Salo]

Вывоз на старт: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av024/rollout/

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av024/night/

[Старый]

После долгого перерыва Атлас возвращается на коммерческий рынок?

[Дмитрий В.]

После долгого перерыва Атлас возвращается на коммерческий рынок?

А разве Атласы-5 на нем присутствовали? :roll:

[Чебурашка]

А разве Атласы-5 на нем присутствовали? :roll:

Да вроде регулярно.

В 7 из 18 запусков, Atlas V выводил коммерческие спутники связи  - Hot Bird 6, Hellas-Sat 2, Rainbow 1, AMC 16, Inmarsat-4 F1,  Astra 1KR, ICO G1

[Дмитрий В.]

А разве Атласы-5 на нем присутствовали? :roll:

Да вроде регулярно.

В 7 из 18 запусков, Atlas V выводил коммерческие спутники связи  - Hot Bird 6, Hellas-Sat 2, Rainbow 1, AMC 16, Inmarsat-4 F1,  Astra 1KR, ICO G1

О, а еще говорят, что американцы "ушли с рынка коммерческих пусков".

[telepat]

Ну вроде всё возобновилось.. отчёт пошёл.. значит полетит  

[Salo]

В смысле?

[Старый]

О, а еще говорят, что американцы "ушли с рынка коммерческих пусков".

А они и ушли в 2006-м году. Но вернулись. У Атласа-5, кстати, первые 5 запусков были коммерческими.

[fagot]

Коммерческого запуска на Атласе-5 не было только в 2007-м году.

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av024/status.html

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2009
The Atlas 5 rocket traveled back to the assembly hangar today so workers can resolve the technical trouble that postponed Friday night's commercial satellite launch.

It's just the third time in 17 Cape missions than an Atlas 5 has been rolled back from the launch pad to the 30-story Vertical Integration Facility for repairs in the wake of a scrub.

The Atlas 5 program at Cape Canaveral uses a "clean-pad" concept with minimal infrastructure and no service gantry at the launch pad. Instead, stacking of the rocket stages and pre-flight work is accomplished the VIF. A mobile launch platform transports the Atlas between the hangar and the pad.

Friday's scrub occurred when the launch team saw an ordnance remote control assembly on the rocket experience an uncommanded and unexpected 50-millisecond power cycle. Troubleshooting and lab simulations were unable to clear the issue during the countdown, leading to mission managers calling a scrub.

United Launch Alliance said the electronics box is used to route signals for critical events during ascent such as staging. The rocket-maker indicated the suspect component would be removed for further analysis.

A new date has not been established. ULA says more details could be known on Tuesday.

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html

Nov. 23    Atlas 5  •  Intelsat 14
Launch window: 0550-0720 GMT (12:50-2:20 a.m. EST)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket (AV-024) will launch the commercial Intelsat 14 communications spacecraft. Built by Space Systems/Loral, this satellite will provide telecommunications services over the Atlantic Ocean Region. The rocket will fly in the 431 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, three solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from Oct. 14. Scrubbed Nov. 14 due to glitch in pyrotechnic assembly. [Nov. 18]