A-ONE: Cygnus Mass Simulator, Dove 1, PhoneSat х3 - Antares-110 - MARS LP-0A - 21.04.2013 21:00 UTC

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/antares/demo/status.html

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013
1600 GMT (12 p.m. EDT)
The third launch attempt for the Orbital Sciences Antares rocket has begun. The countdown officially started at 9 a.m. EDT, leading to a scheduled launch time at 5 p.m. EDT, the opening of a two-hour window.

The weather forecast calls for an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions for liftoff.

Like yesterday, officials will be closely watching the winds, both at the surface and aloft. The outlook predicts surface winds just below the launch rule threshold of 20 knots, and the first look at high-altitude winds show improvement over yesterday.

But a series of weather balloons will be launched every hour throughout the countdown to monitor upper level winds.

Right now, teams have evacuated launch pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport ahead of power-up of the Antares rocket for prelaunch testing.

[Анатолий Ревзин]

Пуск так же в 01 час?

[Salo]

Да, но с трёхчасовым окном.

[Salo]

[SFN]

Salo пишет:
Да, но с трёхчасовым окном.

Orbital is targeting a launch window between 5 and 7 p.m. There is an 80
percent chance of favorable weather at the time of launch. Surface winds
are the primary concern for a weather violation.

NASA Television will begin launch coverage at 4:30 p.m.

2х часовым (?) 1-3 ЛМВ

[Salo]

В прошлый раз тоже было двухчасовое.

[Salo]

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013
1645 GMT (12:45 p.m. EDT)
The Antares rocket is powered up and the launch team is going through a checklist of testing to ensure all systems are in good shape. And the main sub-cooler is being chilled with liquid nitrogen at this time.

[Salo]

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013
1650 GMT (12:50 p.m. EDT)
Upper level winds are currently reported green.

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31704.15

antonioe пишет Today at 05:01 PM:

L-4:30 balloon DFO green, no toxicity analysis from this balloon launch, debris analysis coming up

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31704.msg1041585#msg1041585

THis may be of interest to the group: a comparison of yesterday's wind profiles (right hand side family of curves) and today's balloons (left hand side group.) Courtesy Bob Light, Orbital Antares Loads and Environments Guru.

"What a difference a day makes..."

[Salo]

https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/326013782973353984

#Antares TVC Initial checks are complete and satisfactory. We are filling the subcooler with LN2 at this time.

https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/326014629597806593

#Antares next round of upper level wind assessments is green. The team is about to re-enter the pad to make minor component adjustments.

[Salo]

https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/326027164648620033

#Antares Ground level wind data indicates gusts are consistently between 15 and 20 knots - averaging around 18 knots.

[Salo]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/getty/article/ALeqM5gv74wl0Zfo7uiQ0LOoOjuh9gDXBQ?docId=167126032

[Salo]

https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/326027403803652096

Peak gust in the last hour was 23 knots - looked like a rare occurrence in the hour. #Antares

[Salo]

1730 GMT (1:30 p.m. EDT)
The countdown has entered a 15-minute built-in hold, and the Antares prelaunch processing checklist is complete. When the countdown resumes, the launch team will begin the process of priming the plumbing on the launch facility for loading of super-cold liquid oxygen, which begins at about 3:30 p.m. EDT (1930 GMT).

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013
1745 GMT (1:45 p.m. EDT)
Countdown clocks have resumed ticking toward liftoff at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT). The team has completed a poll and is "go" for chilldown of the launch pad's liquid oxygen loading system.
SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013
1747 GMT (1:47 p.m. EDT)
Chilldown of the liquid oxygen loading system is underway. This procedure conditions the launch facility's pipes for the flow of liquid oxygen, which is chilled to minus 298 degrees Fahrenheit.

Coming in a few minutes will be testing of the rocket's flight termination system, which would be used to destroy the launcher if it flew off course.

[Salo]

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31704.msg1041590#msg1041590

antonioe пишет Today at 05:25 PM:

Latest debris analysis green.  The crew of the helo that helped us yesterday just came by the RCC - we shook hands and gave them Antares FLight One patches.

[Salo]

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013
1759 GMT (1:59 p.m. EDT)
The launch team has completed testing of the rocket's flight termination system, and countdown is now moving into activating the vehicle's pyrotechnic ordnance systems in a few minutes.

[Salo]

https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/326034140917030913

When the engines first ignite, the rocket will not lift off from the pad for two full seconds.

https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/326033727106998272

Even though it will consume close to 1ton of prop every second after lift-off, the early acceleration will be surprisingly slow.

https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/326034273574453248

At 10 seconds after Stage 1 engine ignition the vehicle will have accelerated to about 40 mph and climbed to 230 feet altitude.

[Salo]

At 20 seconds after ignition, #Antares will be traveling at 100 mph at be about 1,250 feet above the pad.

Even after 60 seconds, the vehicle will still be subsonic (about 460 mph) at just over 3 miles in altitude. #Antares

#Antares achieves Mach 1 about 75 seconds after lift-off, when it will be at about 30,000 feet in altitude.

Then things happen quickly: at Stage 1 engine shutdown, at about 4 min after lift-off, #Antares will be traveling nearly10K mph/70 miles alt

After another 4-plus minutes, #Antares will reach orbit at 155 miles in altitude and moving at 17,000 mph.

[Salo]

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013
1816 GMT (2:16 p.m. EDT)
 Chilldown of the Antares launch pad fueling system continues, and the launch team has finished testing of the rocket's ordnance systems. No problems are being reported in the countdown at this point.