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

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http://www.spacenews.com/article/delta-4-launch-of-wgs-5-delayed-to-late-march#.UOiB76zqvUs

Delta 4 Launch of WGS-5 Delayed to Late March
Jan. 4, 2013

Launch of the U.S. Air Force's fifth WGS satellite will be delayed until at least late March.

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http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/wgs-1.htm

WGS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9


WGS 1 [Boeing BSS]

In early 2001, a satellite communications industry team led by Boeing Satellite Systems was sel ected to develop the Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS) system as successors to the DSCS-3 series of communication satellites. This high-capacity satellite communications system is intended to support the warfighter with newer and far greater capabilities than provided by current systems. In March 2007 the acronym WGS was changed to Wideband Global Satcom.

A joint-service program funded by the U.S. Air Force and Army, WGS includes options for up to six BSS-702 satellites and their associated spacecraft and payload control equipment. Operational and logistics support and training are also included in the program.

WGS will augment DoD communications services currently provided by the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS), which provides Super High Frequency (SHF) wideband communications, and by the Ka-band Global Broadcast Service (GBS), which uses direct broadcast satellite technology to provide critical information to U.S. and allied forces. With an initial launch scheduled for mid-2004 aboard an Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, WGS will provide early transformational capabilities supporting government objectives for a Transformational Communications Architecture in 2009 and beyond.

WGS combines unique commercial spacecraft capabilities that Boeing has developed, including phased array antennas and digital signal processing technology, into a powerful, flexible architecture. Based on the Boeing BSS-702 bus, the satellite will have a dry mass of more than 3,000 kg and will produce more than 11 kilowatts of power at the end of its 14-year design life. The system provides tremendous operational flexibility and delivers the needed capacity, coverage, connectivity and control in support of demanding operational scenarios.

Capacity: WGS will offer 4.875 GHz of instantaneous switchable bandwidth. The system will provide capacity ranging fr om 1.2 Gbps to more than 3.6 Gbps to tactical users, depending on the mix of ground terminals, data rates and modulation schemes employed. Thus, each WGS can supply more than 10 times the capacity of a DSCS-3 Service Life Enhancement Program (SLEP) satellite.

Coverage: The WGS design includes 19 independent coverage areas that can be used throughout the field of view of each satellite to serve warfighters between 65 degrees North and South latitude. This includes eight steerable/shapeable X-band beams formed by separate transmit and receive phased arrays; 10 steerable Ka-band beams served by independently steerable, diplexed gimbaled dish antennas, including three with selectable polarization; and one X-band Earth coverage beam.

Connectivity: The enhanced connectivity capabilities of WGS enable any user talk to any other user with very efficient use of satellite bandwidth. A digital channelizer divides the uplink bandwidth into nearly 1900 independently routable 2.6 MHz subchannels providing any-coverage-to-any-coverage connectivity (including X-to-Ka and Ka-to × crossbanding) for maximum operational flexibility. In addition, the channelizer supports multicast and broadcast services and provides an extremely effective and flexible uplink spectrum monitoring capability for network control.

The Block II satellites are similar to the three Block I satellites already in production. Under Block II, Boeing added a radio frequency bypass capability designed to support airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms requiring ultra-high bandwidth and data rates demanded by unmanned aerial vehicles. The Block II contract calls for the launch of F4 by the first quarter of 2011 and subsequent launches every year thereafter.

In January 2002, the customer exercised options worth $336.4 million authorizing Boeing to build the first two WGS spacecraft and to procure long-lead material for a third satellite. The first satellite was scheduled to launch in early 2004, with the second one to follow in 2005, both aboard a U.S. Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle. The program has been delayed to a first launch in 2007.

Boeing and the U.S. Air Force MILSATCOM Systems Wing have signed in October 2006 a $1.067 billion contract for up to three more Wideband Gapfiller Satellites (WGS), if all options are exercised. The Option for WGS 4 and 5 was exercised in November 2006. WGS 6 was ordered in 2007 bay Australia, which will get access to the WGS system in return. The order for long lead items for WGS 7 was placed in August 2010. The final contract for this satellite was awarded in September 2011, together with long lead items for WGS 8 and an option for WGS 9. WGS 8 was awarded in December 2011. WGS 10 was ordered in July 2012.

Boeing received in July 2012 an contract to install upgraded digital channelizers, which will boost capacity on the satellites by 30 percent, aboard the eighth and ninth WGS satellites. The upgraded hardware also will be installed on the planned 10th WGS satellite.

Nation:    USA (#1-5, 7, 8 ) ; USA, Australia (#6); USA, multinational (#9)
Type / Application:    Communication
Operator:    USAF
Contractors:    Boeing
Equipment:    Cross-band (X-band, Global Broadcast, 2-way Ka-band) payload
Configuration:    BSS-702
Propulsion:    R-4D, 4 XIPS-25 Ion engines
Power:    2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Lifetime:    14 years
Mass:    5987 kg
Orbit:    GEO

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8 мая.

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04:22-05:03 ЛМВ 9 мая.

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Или 23 мая.

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http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d362/payload.html#.UYpOYEpafTo

Military communications satellite put atop Delta 4
BY JUSTIN RAY
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: May 7, 2013
 
 
 Pushing forward with plans to launch the Air Force's fifth Wideband Global SATCOM communications satellite on May 22 to give the expanding constellation worldwide coverage, the craft departed its cleanroom Monday night and headed for the Delta 4 rocket's launch pad.


File image of Delta payload leaving Astrotech. Credit: NASA
 
 United Launch Alliance workers at Cape Canaveral's Complex 37 hoisted the spacecraft atop the booster on Tuesday to complete assembly of the 217-foot-tall rocket. The Wideband Global SATCOM 5 spacecraft, built by The Boeing Company under a $342 million contract, will relay high-data-rate, large-volume communications such as voice, video conferencing, intelligence files and weather data.
WGS 5 is headed for geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles up to join the Pentagon's communications infrastructure that routes information between civilian leadership and military forces around the globe.
"The (WGS) system provides high-capacity communications to the Department of Defense, the White House Communications Agency, the Department of State and an increasing number of international partners," said Gen. William Shelton, leader of Air Force Space Command.
"Once WGS 5 becomes operational, the constellation will be postured to provide worldwide coverage."
This satellite will aim its coverage zone over the Americas, providing X- and Ka-band communications to U.S. Northern Command, Southern Command and other continental United States-based users, officials said.


The mission patch symbolizes WGS 5 becoming the second Block 2 satellite in orbit, joining the three Block 1 spacecraft.

WGS 1 was launched in October 2007 to cover the vast U.S. Pacific Command that stretches fr om the U.S. western coast all the way to Southeast Asia. WGS 2 satellite followed with an April 2009 launch to serve U.S. Central Command and the forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and other parts of Southwest Asia.
WGS 3 went up in December 2009 to cover U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, plus lend additional support over the Middle East.
WGS 4 inaugurated the upgraded Block 2 series for improved communications with unmanned aerial drones when it was launched in January 2012 to cover the Middle East and Southeast Asia for use by U.S. Central Command and U.S. Pacific Command.
Boeing is building a fleet of 10 WGS satellites, and the next satellite launching later this summer, WGS 6, was financed in cooperation with Australia.
"This is dedicated military satellite communications. It's now international in nature. We've got international partners signed up with this. In fact the Australians have purchased a satellite to buy into the system," Shelton said.


This illustration depicts the major elements of the Delta 4 rocket and WGS 5. Credit: ULA
 
The WGS 5 satellite was shipped from Boeing's factory in Los Angeles to the Kennedy Space Center runway, then taken to the commercial Astrotech spacecraft preparation facility in neighboring Titusville on March 9. It has undergone final testing, the loading of maneuvering fuel and encapsulation within the rocket's nose cone since then. Monday night's 25-mile trip from Titusville entered KSC to drive by the Vehicle Assembly Building and shuttle launch pad before heading down the beach at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to Complex 37 wh ere the Delta 4 awaits.
The payload was raised into the gantry Tuesday for mating to the rocket to begin the final two weeks of pre-flight work.
The move began the same day as the GPS 2F-4 navigation satellite was transported from its military cleanroom to the Atlas 5 rocket facilities at Complex 41 for mating to that booster. The mission is scheduled for liftoff May 15, kicking off two United Launch Alliance flights for the Air Force in just 7 days.
The May 15 launch of Atlas with GPS will be possible during a window extending from 5:38 to 5:56 p.m. EDT.
The May 22 launch of Delta with WGS will be possible during a window extending from 8:26 to 8:58 p.m. EDT.

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http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31289.msg1050143#msg1050143

ULA presser:

United Launch Alliance Clears WGS-5 Mission for May 22 Launch

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., (May 10, 2013) – United Launch Alliance (ULA) has cleared the launch of the WGS-5 mission, after a thorough flight clearance process was executed following a flight data anomaly that occurred on the Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF-3 launch on Oct. 4, 2012.

            "This will be the first Delta IV launch following the low engine performance that was identified on the successful Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF-3 launch last October," said Jim Sponnick, ULA vice president, Mission Operations. "Although the GPS IIF-3 spacecraft was accurately placed into the required orbit, ULA, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) and our U.S. Air Force teammates embarked on an investigation to determine why the upper stage engine performance was lower than expected. ULA completed a flight clearance assessment recently for the WGS-5 mission and our Air Force customer also assessed and approved flight clearance for this Delta IV mission."

            The ULA/PWR investigation concluded that a fuel leak within the upper stage RL10 engine system was the direct cause of the lower than expected engine performance on the GPS IIF-3 launch. To prevent a recurrence of this sort of fuel leak, the engine and vehicle systems have been very thoroughly inspected and also launch vehicle hardware modifications and changes to how the engine is operated during launch were implemented.

            "I thank our customer community and senior technical advisors for working with us throughout this very extensive investigation and flight clearance process," said Sponnick. "Given the comprehensive investigation that included extensive analyses and engine testing, along with the mitigating actions that have been implemented, we have concluded that the risks have been mitigated and that it is safe to proceed with the WGS-5 launch."

            Engine testing that was performed to support this ULA investigation replicated fuel leaks like those observed in the GPS IIF-3 launch.  The mitigations that have been implemented include extensive engine and launch-vehicle inspections to ensure that there is no damage and that there are no foreign objects that could cause problems for the operation of the engine system during launch.  Additionally, launch vehicle hardware modifications and operational changes have been implemented to mitigate risks for the WGS-5 mission and future launches.  The hardware modifications include the addition of in-flight helium purges to critical areas of the engine system.  The operational changes to reduce risk include changes to how the engine is thermally conditioned in-flight to prepare for the first engine start following the booster phase of flight.

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http://www.astrium.eads.net/en/press_centre/astrium-adds-yahsat-s-military-ka-band-to-its-multi-band-offering-to-the-us.html

Astrium adds Yahsat's Military Ka-Band to its multi-band offering to the US Government

6 may 2013

Ka-band, YahSat & Military Communication

Service provided by UAE-owned Yahsat
6 May 2013 – Washington, D.C. – Astrium Americas announced today that its subsidiary, Astrium Services Government, Inc., will offer UAE-owned Yahsat Military Ka-Band service to the US government. This service allows any US government or Department of Defense end user to utilise Yahsat Military Ka-Band capacity that is compatible with the Wideband Global Satellite (WGS) constellation for greater global coverage and reliability.
Astrium was the prime contractor for the construction of the Yahsat satellite fleet. Astrium Services will provide end-to-end services using Yahsat Military Ka-Band capacity in order to meet DoD requirements on contract vehicles such as the Defense Information System Agency's Future Commercial Satellite Communications (COMSATCOM) Services Acquisition (FCSA) program. This deal deepens Astrium Services' commitment to be the leading provider of COMSATCOM and MILSATCOM services to the US government.
"Yahsat selected Astrium due to our extensive experience in building satellites and selling  satcom services to many armed forces worldwide as well as our strong history and relationships with the US government market," said Bob Baker, heading Astrium Services Government, Inc. "We build end-to-end solutions that meet the government's need for interoperable, secure, satellite services, and Yahsat's Military Ka-Band will be another tool for us to utilise in designing the right solution for our customers mission requirements."
Astrium Services Government, Inc., a trusted provider of COMSATCOM and MILSATCOM solutions to the U.S. government, is a leading operator of customised and secure end-to-end satellite communications services. Headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, Astrium Services Government, Inc. delivers a full portfolio of fixed satellite solutions (X-Band, C-Band, Ku-Band and now Yahsat's Military Ka-Band) and mobile satellite solutions (Inmarsat, Thuraya, and Iridium) to the U.S. government and military for their most critical missions. Formerly known as Vizada, Inc., Astrium Services Government, Inc. is the point of contact in North America for Astrium Services' Skynet solutions.
For government customers, Astrium Services provides communications services through a one-stop-shop provisioning arrangement. The company's solutions are cost-effective, secure and scalable with Quality of Service (QoS) that is guaranteed to support the most critical missions including COTM, asset tracking, troop welfare, infrastructure design and operation, and civil security.

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http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d362/payload/

WGS 5 mated to Delta 4 for launch
 The Wideband Global SATCOM 5 military communications satellite, already enclosed in the launch vehicle's nose cone, is hoisted atop the United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket at Complex 37 on May 7.

See our Mission Status Center for the latest news on the launch.

Photo Credit: United Launch Alliance

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http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/missionbooklets/DIV/div_wgs5_mob.pdf

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http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d362/launchtimeline.html#.UZfJrUqBXTo

WGS 5 launch timeline
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Updated: May 6, 2013

T-00:05.5    Engine start
The RS-68 main engine begins to ignite as the liquid hydrogen fuel valve is opened, creating a large fireball at the base of the rocket. The engine powers up to full throttle for a computer-controlled checkout before liftoff.

T-00:00.0    Liftoff
The rocket's four strap-on solid rocket motors are lit, the four hold-down bolts are released and the Delta 4 lifts off fr om Cape Canaveral's pad 37B. The pad's three swing arms retract at T-0 seconds.

T+00:50.1    Max-Q
The vehicle experiences the region of maximum dynamic pressure. The solid motors and the RS-68 liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine continue to fire as the vehicle heads downrange, arcing over the Atlantic along a 101-degree flight azimuth.

T+01:40.0    Jettison two solid motors
Having used up all their solid-propellant and experienced burnout six seconds ago, the two strap-on boosters with fixed nozzles are jettisoned from the Delta's first stage.

T+01:42.4    Jettison two solid motors
The pair of strap-on boosters with steerable nozzles are jettisoned from the Delta's first stage and fall into the ocean.

T+03:27.5    Jettison payload fairing
The five-meter diameter composite payload fairing that protected the WGS 5 cargo atop the Delta 4 during the atmospheric ascent is no longer needed, allowing it to be jettisoned in two halves.

T+04:00.4    Begin engine throttling
With the maximum axial acceleration reached, the RS-68 powerplant starts throttling down in preparation for finishing its firing.

T+04:07.4    Main engine cutoff
The hydrogen-fueled RS-68 rocket engine completes its burn and shuts down to complete the first stage of flight.

T+04:14.5    Stage separation
The Common Booster Core first stage and the attached interstage are separated in one piece from the Delta 4's upper stage. The upper stage engine's extendible nozzle drops into position as the first stage separates.

T+04:27.5    Second stage ignition
The upper stage begins its job to place the WGS 5 satellite into space with the first of two firings by the RL10B-2 liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine.

T+20:34.4    Upper stage shutdown
The RL10 upper stage engine shuts down to complete its first firing of the launch. The rocket and attached satellite reach a parking orbit of approximately 100 by 3,700 nautical miles with an inclination of 25.59 degrees.

T+28:24.0    Restart upper stage
After a short coast period, the upper stage is reignited to raise the orbit to the planned altitude for deploying the payload.

T+31:31.5    Upper stage shutdown
The powered phase of the Delta 4's mission to loft WGS 5 concludes. The second burn will reach the planned supersynchronous orbit 238 by 36,135 nautical miles with an inclination of 24 degrees.

T+40:38.5    Separate spacecraft
The Wideband Global SATCOM 5 military communications satellite is released into space from the Delta 4 rocket. The Boeing-built satellite will use its onboard propulsion to reach geostationary orbit wh ere it will match Earth's rotation and appear fixed above the equator to cover the Americas.

Data source: Air Force/ULA

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http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d362/track.html#.UZfLZUqBXTo

Delta 4 launch ground track
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: May 6, 2013


This map illustrates the ground track that the Delta 4 rocket will follow during launch. Credit: ULA

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

SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2013
The early weather outlook for Wednesday night's Delta 4 rocket launch from Cape Canaveral shows the military mission will have to contend with Earthly and solar concerns.

Air Force meteorologists this morning issued their first forecast and predict a 40 percent of acceptable conditions to launch. Flight through precipitation, cumulus clouds, thick clouds and space weather are the primary worries for violating launch constraints.

"A surface high pressure area is located to the east over the Atlantic with a ridge extending across the Florida/Georgia border. This pattern is causing southeasterly flow across the Florida coast which is enhanced by a sea breeze each afternoon. Moisture is increasing over the Florida Peninsula, and afternoon west and east coast sea breezes may converge in center of the peninsula causing inland showers and thunderstorms. Monday, thunderstorms may be closer to the east coast as a short wave moves through in the upper levels," the launch weather team says.

"By Wednesday, an upper level trough will move into the area, and a surface trough will also develop over South Florida, and a significant amount of moisture will advect into Florida from the southeast. This may cause coastal showers and thunderstorms along the Space Coast on launch day as well as for a 24-hour delay.

"As for space weather, two complex sunspots will be in a favorable location for earthward-directed coronal mass ejections, and sunspot 1748 has produced several M- and X-class flares within the past week. If either of these sunspots produce an X-class flare, there is a chance of exceeding the solar constraint for launch."

For Wednesday's launch opportunity that extends from 8:26 to 8:58 p.m. EDT, the outlook calls for scattered clouds at 2,500 and 8,000 feet, a broken deck at 30,000 feet, showers in the area, visibility of 4 miles, southeasterly winds of 16 gusting to 22 knots and a temperature of 74 degrees F.

The target liftoff time is just 16 minutes after sunset.

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http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Launch.shtml#/38/

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. (May 19, 2013) -- The launch of a Delta IV carrying the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS-5) satellite for the U.S. Air Force is rescheduled for Thursday, May 23. During acceptance testing for another mission, an avionics box that is used for controlling the Delta booster RS-68 engine experienced an anomaly. ULA is replacing the engine control unit on the WGS-5 vehicle with one that has been inspected and confirmed to not have the suspect condition that caused the recent anomaly in acceptance testing. On May 23, the opening of the 32-minute window begins at 8:28 p.m. EDT.

[Space Alien]

Thursday's 32-minute launch window for the WGS5 on a #DeltaIV opens at 8:27 p.m .EDT.

https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/336512895418523648

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http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d362/preview.html#.UZsDDtiBXTo

Delta 4 cleared for return to flight after close-call
BY JUSTIN RAY
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: May 20, 2013

 United Launch Alliance is preparing for its second rocket flight for the Air Force in just eight days, a Thursday evening blastoff from Cape Canaveral that returns the Delta 4 rocket to action carrying a military communications satellite to serve the Americas.


A Delta 4 rocket with four boosters will launch WGS 5. Credit: Justin Ray/Spaceflight Now
 

Спойлер

The Delta 4 fleet has been idle since last October when the launch of the GPS 2F-3 navigation satellite suffered a low-thrust condition on its upper stage RL10B-2 engine on the way to successfully reaching the proper orbit. Although the seven-month inquiry into that close-call has not yet been closed, the Delta 4 rocket has been cleared for flight this week.
"Given the comprehensive investigation that included extensive analyses and engine testing, along with the mitigating actions that have been implemented, we have concluded that the risks have been mitigated and that it is safe to proceed with the WGS 5 launch," said Jim Sponnick, ULA vice president of mission operations.
The Air Force concurred with ULA on the decision to grant flight clearance for the engine to fly Thursday aboard the rocket to place the $342 million Wideband Global SATCOM 5 satellite into space for communications to military forces and civilian leaders.
"ULA completed a flight clearance assessment recently for the WGS 5 mission and our Air Force customer also assessed and approved flight clearance for this Delta 4 mission," Sponnick said.
During the Oct. 4 launch, a small fuel leak began at the moment the engine was lit, robbing the rocket of its expected top-level thrust settings and forcing the vehicle to improvise to overcome the anomaly during the flight.

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A leak began when the upper stage was ignited for first time. Credit: United Launch Alliance

Спойлер

Launch officials were helpless to intervene as they monitored telemetry readings and wondered if the rocket would have enough fuel to reach the correct orbit during the tense, three-and-a-half-hour mission. The first stage and its strap-on boosters had done their jobs during the morning blastoff, separating to leave the cryogenic upper stage to perform three firings to lob the 3,400-pound bird into an orbit 11,000 nautical miles up.
But as the RL10B-2 engine was ignited for the initial time and reached its peak chamber pressure, a leak started above the narrow throat portion of the thrust chamber, officials revealed in December.
The situation reduced the engine thrust output below the expected 25,000 pounds, causing the powerplant to burn longer to compensate and still achieve the proper orbit targets on its circuitous route into the GPS constellation.
It could have doomed some launches, but the coupling of the relatively light-weight GPS and the generous fuel margins on the Delta 4 allowed the flight to persevere.
In the wake of the anomaly, rocket-maker United Launch Alliance engine supplier Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne convened a team to investigate what created the problem and prevent its reoccurrence.
Although that inquiry remains open, officials have instituted measures aimed at proving the particular engine flying Thursday will successfully deliver the Boeing-built WGS 5 satellite into the intended orbit.
"Based on the progress of the investigation, additional process and operational mitigations are in place for the WGS 5 mission. We are ready to launch," said Col. Ron Fortson, chief of the EELV generation operations division within the launch systems directorate at the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center.

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Thursday's launch is scheduled minutes after sunset. Credit: Pat Corkery/United Launch Alliance
 
 

Спойлер

Extra inspections, officials said, looked for any signs of existing damage or foreign objects within the engine that could impact the mission. "We've done additional inspections to make sure that the hardware is sound," Fortson said.
In addition, this and future Delta 4 launches will include in-flight helium purges to critical areas of the engine system and change how the engine is thermally conditioned during ascent to prepare for its initial ignition after first stage separation.
"We have done enough analysis and testing through the investigation and put mitigations in place that we're confident we are ready to fly WGS 5. But the investigation will continue to further understand the causes and further mitigations we can put in place to burn down the risk," Fortson added.
Engine testing conducted over the past few months replicated fuel leaks like those observed during the October launch, ULA said.
The Delta 4's RL10B-2 engine, fueled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, will be required to fire twice Thursday night -- to reach a preliminary parking orbit and then boost the satellite into a supersynchronous transfer orbit with a high point of 36,000 nautical miles during the 41-minute flight.

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A WGS satellite in the factory. Credit: Boeing
 
 

Спойлер

The rocket was rolled horizontally to the launch pad and erected in mid-March for the start of final preparations. A countdown dress rehearsal was conducted in April. "WGS 5 factory testing was successfully completed in the first quarter of 2012 and WGS 5 was put into storage in March of 2012," said Boeing WGS Program Director Mark Spiwak.
"The satellite came out of storage earlier this year, was finalized and shipped to the launch site on March 8. The spacecraft completed fueling on March 31 and was fully encapsulated in the launch vehicle fairing on April 25."
The payload was moved to Complex 37 and mounted atop the rocket on May 7.
Thursday's liftoff is scheduled just after sunset, during a window extending from 8:27 to 8:59 p.m. EDT.
It comes only a week after a ULA Atlas 5 rocket launched from the Cape's Complex 41 to successfully place the GPS 2F-4 spacecraft into orbit.
This Delta 4 will be ULA's fifth launch of the year and the 71st since its creation 77 months ago.

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[LL_]

Как погода?

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

1645 GMT (12:45 p.m. EDT)
The 330-foote tall mobile service tower has been retracted fr om the Delta 4 rocket at Cape Canaveral's pad 37B for tonight's launch that will place the Air Force's WGS 5 satellite into Earth orbit.

The wheeled structure just moved along rail tracks to its launch position about the length of a football field away from the rocket. The 9-million pound tower shielded the Delta from the elements during the its stay on the pad, provided workers 360-degree access to the various areas on the vehicle and was used to attach the strap-on solid motors and the payload during the launch campaign. The tower is 90-feet wide and 40-feet deep.

Crews will spend the next couple of hours securing the complex for launch before leaving the danger area around the pad. All workers must be clear of the area for the start of hazardous operations in the countdown, which include fueling the vehicle later today.

The Terminal Countdown will begin ticking at mid-afternoon, leading to the multi-hour process of loading 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 15-minute build-in hold is slated for T-minus 4 minutes, during which time teams will go through final polling to grant clearance 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.

Liftoff remains scheduled for 8:27 p.m. EDT, the opening of a 30-minute window that extends to 8:57 p.m. EDT (0027-0057 GMT).

1619 GMT (12:19 p.m. EDT)
The tower is rolling again!

1600 GMT (12:00 p.m. EDT)
After rolling a short bit, the tower retraction was stopped so technicians ciuld examine a possible issue. So rollback is paused at the moment.

1521 GMT (11:21 a.m. EDT)
Tower rollback is underway to reveal the 217-foot-tall Delta 4 rocket for flight.

1255 GMT (8:55 a.m. EDT)
Good morning from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station wh ere launch day has dawned for the first Delta 4 rocket flight since October. It will place a communications satellite into orbit for the Defense Department to cover the United States and all of the Americas.

Out at Complex 37, ground technicians are making final preps to retract the dual-purpose assembly gantry and mobile shelter away from the United Launch Alliance-made rocket for today's countdown to blastoff.

Photographers are gathering right now to enter the launch pad and set up their sound-activated cameras to capture tonight's liftoff. We'll also grab some pre-launch shots while we're out there to post a little later this morning

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1904 GMT (3:04 p.m. EDT)
SCRUBBED. Tonight's liftoff of the Delta 4 rocket has been postponed for 24 hours. There is not sufficient time to troubleshoot the problem at the pad and get into fueling operations to make a launch during the available window this evening.

The flight is reset for Friday at 8:27 p.m. EDT. Weather forecasters predict an 80 percent chance of favorable weather during the 30-minute window.

1851 GMT (2:51 p.m. EDT)
To perform some troubleshooting, technicians will need to regain access to the Fixed Umbilical Tower. The launch team is configuring the pad to permit a safe entry for the workers.

1824 GMT (2:24 p.m. EDT)
The team is going to extend this current hold while a couple of technical issues are assessed. They can reduce the length of the final, 45-minute hold at T-minus 4 minutes by the corresponding amount and still hit the planned launch time for 8:27 p.m. EDT.

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)
Weather forecasters report that the development of storms this afternoon are the main concern to impact the countdown to launch tonight. Current conditions are favorable.

The launch time outlook includes scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, broken decks at 8,000 and 30,000 feet, thunderstorms in the vicinity, good visibility, south-southwesterly winds of 10 to 15 knots and a temperature around 76 degrees

The odds of acceptable weather for launch are 40 percent acceptable. The number jumps to 80 percent for the backup launch opportunity tomorrow.

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http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d362/mst/

Tower rolled back for Delta 4 launch

 The mobile service gantry is retracted to reveal the 217-foot-tall United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket at Cape Canaveral's Complex 37 pad. The booster will carry the Wideband Global SATCOM 5 military communications satellite into orbit.

See our Mission Status Center for the latest news on the launch.

Photo credit: Justin Ray/Spaceflight Now