GPS IIF-4 - Atlas V 401 - 15.05.2013 - Canaveral SLC-41

[Salo]

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/navstar-2f.htm

GPS-2F (Navstar-2F)


GPS-2F [Boeing]

GPS-2F (Global Positioning System) or Navstar-2F (Navigation System using Timing And Ranging) satellites are the fourth evolution stage of the second generation of the GPS GPS satellites. Improvements included an extended design life of 12 years, faster processors with more memory, and a new civil signal on a third frequency.

The GPS-2F satellites do not need to carry an apogee kick motor, in contrast to the earlier generations, as the launch vehicles provide direct insertion into the GPS orbit. Originally the Delta-4M version was to be used for the Delta launches, but a mass growth of the satellites required a switch to the more powerful Delta-4M+(4,2) version. For Atlas launches, the Atlas-5(401) version is used.

Boeing was contracted with options for up to 33 Block-IIF satellites in 1996, but in 2001 the contract was reduced 12 Block-IIF satellites. In July 2006, satellites 10, 11 and 12 were contracted. The first Block-IIF satellite was originally scheduled to launch in 2006, but was finally launched in 2010.
Nation:    USA
Type / Application:    Navigation
Operator:    USAF
Contractors:    Boeing
Equipment:    ?
Configuration:    3-Axis stabilized
Propulsion:    ?
Power:    2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Lifetime:    15 years
Mass:    1630 kg
Orbit:    20200 km × 20200 km, 55.0°

[Salo]

15 мая в 21:39-21:58 ЛМВ.

[Salo]

16 мая в 01:39-01:58 ЛМВ.

[Space Alien]

http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/missionbooklets/AV/av_gpsiif4_mob.pdf

[Вал]

На картинке ракурс неудачный или это какой-то альтернативный атлас?  
Обтекатель ХО виден, а второго сопла нет.

[Salo]

Вид в профиль.

[Salo]

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/asd_05_06_2013_p04-01-576252.xml

Battery Charger Fix Readied For Upcoming GPS IIF Launch
By Amy Butler
Source: Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

May 06, 2013

The fourth U.S. Air Force GPS IIF satellite, slated for launch this month, will include a software upd ate designed to address problems found in battery chargers on the Boeing-built spacecraft.

The battery chargers "were experiencing current drop-outs" during production testing, according to Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) officials. Boeing has since developed a software fix that will "govern the operating modes of the battery charger to reduce the likelihood that the charger will experience drop-outs," the officials say. The software will be uploaded to GPS IIF satellite 4, which will be lofted on an Atlas V May 15, as well as all future IIF vehicles.

"These drop-outs are very short-duration and therefore do not affect the ability to charge the battery," AFSPC officials say. "Root-cause investigations determined that the current drop-outs were the production of multiple contributing factors present in the power-conditioning unit design."

A hardware fix, however, also has been readied. It will be implemented on GPS IIF satellite 5, slated for launch in November, and will be added to all subsequent satellites. It will modify the power-conditioning unit to address the contributing factors discovered in the root-cause analysis, the officials say.

AFSPC officials have also identified changes in operating procedures designed to mitigate the likelihood of drop-outs during applicable battery-charging modes.

This problem was found on the ground during testing after spacecraft were already in orbit, and it has not been observed in deployed satellites, the space command officials say. "We are confident that all on-orbit spacecraft are delivering the high-quality mission data expected by our users . . . and the upcoming fixes give us additional confidence that there will be no operational or service-life impacts based on this issue," they say.

Boeing officials declined to comment on the issue. But this is the latest in a string of problems for the company's GPS IIF line, which has struggled to be profitable. Last year, the company was working on a fix to the xenon bulb in the cesium clock on GPS IIF satellite 3, which was launched last October.

On the previous satellite, IIF-2, an incident occurred in the cesium clock that "involved trapped air that, when combined with vacuum and high power [in space], caused an event that resulted in a pump failure," said Paula Shawa, a Boeing representative, at the time. "This failure necessitated higher-than-desired clock maintenance from the ground crew, so it was decided to switch to a rubidium clock" for use in orbit.

The xenon bulb se ts the frequency standard for the cesium clock; the IIF design includes a single cesium clock and two rubidium clocks.

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av039/status.html

SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2013
The weather outlook for Wednesday's liftoff of the Atlas 5 rocket calls for an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions during the 5:38 to 5:56 p.m. EDT launch window.

"On launch day, high pressure continues to build down the peninsula with fair weather. On-shore east winds will result in a small coastal shower threat. No thunderstorms are expected. The primary concern for launch day is cumulus clouds," Air Force meteorologists report.

The launch time outlook calls for scattered low- and high-level clouds, good visibility, easterly winds at 14 gusting to 18 knots and a temperature of 77 degrees F.

[Liss]

A0435/13 - ER OP A5525 EFF 1305151838 THRU 1305152232 THE FOLLOWING AIRSPACE IN USE FOR A MISSILE LAUNCH/SPLASH DOWN. DURING THESE TIMES KZMA ARTCC/OAC, KZNY ARTCC/OAC, TJZS ARTCC/OAC WILL NOT APPROVE IFR FLIGHT WITHIN 45NM OF THE AFFECTED OCEANIC STATIONARY AIRSPACE RESERVATIONS WEST OF 6000W AND 50NM BTN 5000W AND 6000W AND 60NM EAST OF 5000W OR WITHIN AFFECTED WARNING AREA. AIRSPACE: EFF: 1305151838 THRU 1305152138 W497A WEST OF 8000W. SFC-FL050. EFF: 1305151938 THRU 1305152138 W497A R2933 R2834 SFC-FL180. EFF: 1305152138 THRU 1305152232 R2933,R2934 SFC-UNL. EFF: 1305151838 THRU 1305152232 1. FROM 2835N/08036W TO 2836N/08036W TO 2853N/08015W TO 2851N/08014W 2846N/08018W TO 2836N08028W TO 2833N/08034W TO 2833N/08035W TO BEGINNING.SFC-UNL. 2. FROM 4310N/05915W TO 4444N/05543W TO 4438N/05512W TO 4415N/05455W TO 4353N/05503W TO 4219N/05831W TO BEGININNG.SFC-UNL. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY ALL NONPARTICIPATING PILOTS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO AVOID THE ABOVE AREAS, EXCEPT AS NOTED BELOW FOR FLIGHT PLAN FILING PURPOSES. THE FOLLOWING RESTRICTIONS WILL BE IN EFFECT WITHIN KZMA KZJX KZNY CZUL CZQX FIRS. ALL TRAFFIC RALT MUST BE ESTIMATED TO CLEAR OCEANIC ALTRV(S) AT OR BEFORE 1305152133. ATC WILL ISSUE FLOW RESTRICTIONS FOR DOMESTIC REROUTES TO AVOID AIRSPACE IN USE. THE FOLLOWING INTERNATIONAL ROUTES WILL BE IMPACTED: AR6, AR15, M201, M202, M203, M204, AND Y585. BECAUSE OF THE INDEFINITE OPENING TIME, SOME AIRLINE OPERATIONS ARE REROUTING FLIGHTS UNNECESSARILY. ALL FLIGHTS WITH ROUTES THAT WOULD NORMALLY TRANSIT THROUGH OCEANIC OPERATIONAL AREAS DURING OPERATION WINDOW 1305152138 THRU 1305152232 SHOULD FILE THEIR NORMAL ROUTE BUT PLAN ON RECEIVING REROUTE FROM ATC. CENTERS WILL REROUTE ONLY THOSE FLIGHTS NECESSARY TO CLEAR THE AFFECTED AREAS WHILE THEY ARE IN USE. INTERNATIONAL REROUTES ARE AS FOLLOWS: AR6: CLOSED. AR15: CLOSED. M201: NO. BND: EXPECT DCT ORL J53 CRG J55 CHS J174 RIFLE DCT ACK DCT YQI DCT YHZ THEN ON OR NORTH OF A LINE DCT GRAYY DCT URTAK SO. BND: EXPECT OVER OR NORTH OF A LINE FROM URTAK DCT GRAYY DCT YHZ DCT YQI DCT ACK DCT RIFLE J174 CHS J79 TRV STAR ARVL. M202: EXPECT TO USE M201 RE-ROUTE. M203: USE M203 SELIM DCT 4300N 5415W DCT BOBTU AND REVERSE. M204: USE SOORY DCT 4345N 5000W OR, REMAINING SOUTH OF THE LINE DCT 4000W AND REVESE. Y585: OMN DCT MLB DCT BEERD Y585 AND REVERSE. SFC - UNL END PART 2 OF 2, 15 MAY 18:38 2013 UNTIL 15 MAY 22:32 2013. CREATED: 13 MAY 14:12 2013

!FDC 3/8958 (KZMA A0434/13) ZMA FL.. TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE OPERATIONS AREA. EFFECTIVE 1305152108 UTC UNTIL 1305152232 UTC. PURSUANT TO SECTION 91.143 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR 91.143), FLIGHT OPERATIONS CONDUCTED BY FAA CERTIFICATED PILOTS OR CONDUCTED IN AIRCRAFT OF U.S. REGISTRY ARE PROHIBITED AT ANY ALTITUDE FROM THE SURFACE TO UNLIMITED, WITHIN THE FOLLOWING AREA: BEGINNING AT LAT. 285116N LONG. 804219W TO LAT. 290730N LONG. 803000W THENCE CLOCKWISE VIA A 30 NAUTICAL MILE ARC CENTERED AT LAT. 283703N LONG. 803647W TO LAT. 281330N LONG. 801600W TO LAT. 282501N LONG. 803029W TO LAT. 282501N LONG. 803759W TO LAT. 282501N LONG. 804144W TO LAT. 283121N LONG. 804349W TO LAT. 283801N LONG. 804701W TO LAT. 284910N LONG. 805044W TO LAT. 285116N LONG. 804714W TO LAT. 285116N LONG. 804219W. MIAMI /ZMA/ ARTCC PHONE 305-716-1589, IS THE FAA COORDINATING FACILITY AND MAY BE CONTACTED FOR THE CURRENT STATUS OF ANY AIRSPACE ASSOCIATED WITH LAUNCH OPERATIONS. THIS AREA ENCOMPASSES R2932, R2933, R2934, AND PORTIONS OF W497A, W158A, AND W158C. ADDITIONAL WARNING AND RESTRICTED AREAS WILL BE ACTIVE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OPERATIONS. PILOTS SHALL CONSULT ALL NOTAMS REGARDING THIS OPERATION.

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av039/launchtimeline.html#.UZKsm0qBXTo

Atlas/GPS 2F-4 launch timeline
BY SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: May 3, 2013

T-00:02.7    Engine Start
The Russian-designed RD-180 main engine is ignited and undergoes checkout prior to launch.

T+00:01.1    Liftoff
The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 vehicle, designated AV-039, lifts off and begins a vertical rise away from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

T+01:18.4    Mach 1 and Max Q
The Atlas rocket achieves Mach 1 some 78 seconds into the flight, then passes through the region of maximum dynamic pressure at 91 seconds.

T+04:04.4    Main Engine Cutoff
The RD-180 main engine completes its firing after consuming its kerosene and liquid oxygen fuel supply in the Atlas first stage.

T+04:10.4    Stage Separation
The Common Core Booster first stage of the Atlas 5 rocket separates from the Centaur upper stage. Over the next few seconds, the Centaur engine liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen systems are readied for ignition.

T+04:20.4    Centaur Ignition 1
The Centaur RL10 engine ignites for the longer of the two upper stage firings. This burn will inject the Centaur stage and GPS 2F-4 spacecraft into a transfer orbit.

T+04:28.4    Nose Cone Jettison
The two-piece payload fairing that protected the GPS 2F-4 craft during the atmospheric ascent is separated to reveal the satellite to space.

T+17:07.1    Centaur Cutoff 1
The Centaur engine shuts down after arriving in a planned elliptical transfer orbit. The vehicle enters a three-hour coast period before arriving at the required location in space for the second burn.

T+3:17:37:8    Centaur Ignition 2
The Centaur re-ignites to circularize the orbit and enter the GPS satellite constellation.

T+3:19:07.1    Centaur Cutoff 2
At the conclusion of its second firing, the Centaur will have delivered the GPS spacecraft into the targeted circular orbit of 11,047 nautical miles, inclined 55 degrees to the equator.

T+3:23:52.8    Spacecraft Separation
The Global Positioning System 2F-4 navigation satellite is released into orbit from the Centaur upper stage to complete the AV-039 launch.

Data source: United Launch Alliance.

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av039/groundtrack.html#.UZKtJ0qBXTp

Atlas launch ground track


This map illustrates the ground track that the Atlas 5 rocket will follow during launch. Credit: ULA

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av039/payload/

GPS 2F-4 mated to Atlas 5 for launch

  The Global Positioning System 2F-4 navigation satellite, already enclosed in the launch vehicle's aluminum nose cone, is hoisted atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket in the Vertical Integration Facility on May 6.

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

Photo Credit: United Launch Alliance

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/

Atlas 5 rocket to launch new GPS satellite on Wednesday

An Atlas 5 rocket stands atop its launch pad at Cape Canaveral for blastoff Wednesday to deploy a replacement satellite to strengthen the Global Positioning System for U.S. military forces and the worldwide economy.

[Space Alien]

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av039/rollout/

Atlas 5 rocket rolled out for GPS launch

 The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket was transported from its assembly building to the pad at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 on Tuesday morning. Liftoff carrying the Global Positioning System 2F-4 satellite is scheduled for Wednesday at 5:38 p.m. EDT.

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

Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av039/onthepad/

Atlas 5 rocket on the pad for GPS launch

 The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket was transported from its assembly building to the pad at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 on Tuesday morning. Liftoff carrying the Global Positioning System 2F-4 satellite is scheduled for Wednesday at 5:38 p.m. EDT.

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

Photo credit: Walter Scriptunas II/Spaceflight Now

[Space Alien]

Iron Man    !

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av039/status.html

1816 GMT (2:16 p.m. EDT)
Atlas first stage propulsion, pneumatic and hydraulic preps have been accomplished, along with Centaur hydrogen. And launch pad cameras have been verified configured for monitoring fueling operations.

1752 GMT (1:52 p.m. EDT)
The hazard area roadblocks around the launch site's safety perimeter have been established. Also, the launch team has configured the pad's water deluge system.

1638 GMT (12:38 p.m. EDT)
Now entering the final five hours of the countdown to the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket flight carrying the Air Force's Global Positioning System 2F-4 satellite.

Weighing about 3,400 pounds at launch, the satellite will be injected by the Atlas 5 directly into the navigation network 11,000 nautical miles above Earth tonight. Separation of the spacecraft from the rocket occurs about 3 hours and 24 minutes after liftoff.

"We are looking forward to yet another successful launch; tremendous progress is being made with the GPS 2F space vehicles. The first three satellites are on-orbit and meeting all mission requirements and the atomic clocks on-board the payloads are providing the best accuracy ever," said Col. Bernie Gruber, director of the Space and Missile Systems Center's Global Positioning Systems Directorate.

"This is just the beginning of the modernization plan to improve operations, sustainment and overall GPS service for military and civil users around the globe. I would like to commend the 45th and the 50th Space Wings, United Launch Alliance, our industry partners, the Atlas 5 and GPS 2F launch teams. Thanks to the hard work and focus on mission success, we are ready to launch the fourth GPS 2F satellite."

1525 GMT (11:25 a.m. EDT)
In today's first weather briefing to mission managers, all current conditions are observed GO for launch of the Atlas 5 rocket and odds for the 5:38 p.m. EDT liftoff time have improved to 90 percent favorable. There is only a very small concern for a cumulus cloud rule violation during the launch window.

The outlook for the launch window now predicts scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, good visibility, southeasterly winds of 14 gusting to 18 knots, a temperature of 76 degrees F and humidity level of 60 percent.

If the launch should slip to Thursday for some reason, there is a 70 percent chance of acceptable wether due to cumulus and thick clouds.

1510 GMT (11:10 a.m. EDT)
The Atlas-Centaur rocket has been powered up at Complex 41 and guidance system testing is getting started for today's launch, as the countdown progresses as planned.

1428 GMT (10:28 a.m. EDT)
The countdown begins now for today's launch of the Atlas 5 rocket to deploy the Air Force's Global Positioning System 2F-4 navigation satellite for military and civil users across the world.

Clocks are picking up the seven-hour, 10-minute sequence of work that will prepare the booser, payload and ground systems for blastoff at 5:38 p.m. EDT (2138 GMT).

Soon the launch team will begin powering up the rocket to commence standard pre-flight tests. Over the subsequent 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 2:33 p.m.

A planned half-hour hold begins at 2:48 p.m. when the count reaches T-minus 120 minutes. Near the end of the hold, the team will be polled at 3:16 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 3:35 p.m., followed by the first stage filling around 3:48 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 5:14 p.m. That 20-minute pause will give everyone a chance to finish any late work and assess the status of the rocket, payload, Range and weather before proceeding into the last moments of the countdown.

The launch window extends from 5:38 to 5:56 p.m. EDT (2138-2156 GMT).

[Salo]

1923 GMT (3:23 p.m. EDT)
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.

1918 GMT (3:18 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 120 minutes and counting! The launch countdown has resumed for today's flight of the Atlas 5 rocket on a mission to deploy the Air Force's GPS 2F-4 navigation satellite.

Clocks have one more built-in hold planned at T-minus 4 minutes. That pause will last 20 minutes during which time the final "go" for launch will be given. All remains targeted for liftoff at 5:38 p.m. EDT 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.

1915 GMT (3:15 p.m. EDT)
All console operators have reported GO status during the pre-fueling readiness poll. The ULA launch director also voiced his approval for moving forward with the countdown as scheduled today.

Loading of cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen into the Atlas 5 rocket will be getting underway a short time from now.

1913 GMT (3:13 p.m. EDT)
The ULA launch conductor at the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center is briefing his team on procedures before entering into the final two hours of the countdown.

1848 GMT (2:48 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 2 hours and holding. The countdown has just entered the first of two planned holds over the course of the day that will lead to the 5:38 p.m. EDT launch of the Atlas 5 rocket.

This initial pause was designed to give the team some margin in the countdown timeline to deal with technical issues or any work that could fall behind schedule before fueling starts. But all is going smoothly today, with officials not reporting any troubles in the count.

The final hold will occur at T-minus 4 minutes.

1843 GMT (2:43 p.m. EDT)
The final hands-on work has wrapped up at the launch pad and technicians have departed the complex. Safety officials just confirmed that the surrounding danger area has been cleared of all workers for the remainder of the countdown.

1837 GMT (2:37 p.m. EDT)
Hold-fire checks were performed with the Eastern Range to ensure safety personnel can hold the countdown if necessary.

1831 GMT (2:31 p.m. EDT)
Weather conditions remain ideal at Cape Canaveral today. The latest forecast given to managers before fueling still calls for a 90 percent chance of favorable conditions during the 5:38 to 5:56 p.m. EDT opportunity, with the only minor concern being cumulus clouds.

The outlook for the launch window now predicts scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, good visibility, southeasterly winds of 14 gusting to 18 knots, a temperature of 75 degrees F and humidity level of 60 percent.

1827 GMT (2:27 p.m. EDT)
Guidance system testing has been accomplished as the countdown goes smoothly today at Cape Canaveral.

[opty]

Что то здесь качество не фонтан
http://www.livestream.com/spaceflightnow

Где нибудь получше есть ?

[Salo]

Будет тут:
http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Webcast.shtml