Cygnus OA-7 (CRS-7) - Atlas V - Canaveral SLC-41 - 18.04.2017 15:11 UTC

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04/18/2017 14:54  Weather outlook still 90% favorable

In the pre-fueling briefing, forecasters say favorable conditions is expected for launching the Atlas 5 rocket this morning at 11:11 a.m. EDT (1511 GMT). Odds of acceptable weather during the 30-minute launch window stand at 90 percent.

The outlook predicts scattered clouds at 3,000 and 27,000 feet, good visibility, easterly winds of 8 to 12 knots and a temperature of 75 degrees F. There is only a slight chance of an isolated shower, forecasters say.

The main concern today will be a cumulus cloud violation during the launch opportunity.
The management team will be briefed periodically during the countdown -- an hour after the clock starts, prior to fueling and a last scheduled status 30 minutes before the launch window opens.

04/18/2017 14:57

The final hands-on work has wrapped up at the launch pad and technicians are departing the complex for the remainder of the countdown to liftoff.

04/18/2017 15:00

Today's precise launch opportunities, based on final radar tracking of the station's orbit, are as follows:

Opportunity 1: 11:11:27 a.m. EDT
Opportunity 2: 11:18:57 a.m. EDT
Opportunity 3: 11:26:27 a.m. EDT (in-plane)
Opportunity 4: 11:33:57 a.m. EDT
Opportunity 5: 11:41:27 a.m. EDT

If liftoff occurs at the first opportunity, the station will be over the English Channel, southeast of England at the moment of launch.

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ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 1 мин назад

T-2 Hours & HOLDING! This is a 30-minute built-in hold that allows teams to deal with any open tasks ahead of propellant loading. #Cygnus

04/18/2017 15:11  Countdown in pre-planned hold

T-minus 2 hours and holding. The countdown has just entered the first of two planned, 30-minute holds over the course of the day that will lead to the 11:11 a.m. EDT (1511 GMT) launch of the Atlas rocket. The holds give 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.

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04/18/2017 15:13

Safety officials just confirmed that the danger area surrounding the launch pad has been cleared of all workers.

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William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews 8 мин. назад

A5/OA7: Liftoff from pad 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is targeted for 11:11:27am EDT, the opening of a half-hour window

William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews 8 мин. назад

A5/OA7: There are 5 launch opportunities in the 1/2-hour window. The other 4 are: 11:18:57am; 11:26:27am; 11:33:57am; and 11:41:27am

William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews 8 мин. назад

A5/OA7: There are no known technical issues and forecasters continue to predict a 90 percent chance of acceptable weather

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‏ @CwG_NSF[/url] 3 мин. назад

Teams confirm on launch director's loop that they're working "no issues" ahead of fueling. #AtlasV #Cygnus #OA7 #NASA

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04/18/2017 15:31

"Man stations for cryogenic tanking."

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04/18/2017 15:36

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.

 @CwG_NSF[/url] 4 мин. назад

Pre-propellant load safety briefing underway for launch team. #AtlasV #Cygnus #OA7 #NASA

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ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch 4 мин. назад

The team has given the go to begin cryogenic fueling operations. Countdown has resumed. On track for #AtlasV #OA7 liftoff at 11:11amET

04/18/2017 15:39  GO for fueling

All console operators have reported READY status during the pre-fueling readiness poll. The ULA launch director also voiced his approval for moving forward with the countdown today.

The loading of nearly 66,000 gallons of cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen into the Atlas 5 rocket will be getting underway a short time from now.

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ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 3 мин назад

The 1st stage's Rocket Propellant 1 tank - filled after Monday's rollout - is now being pressurized to an intermediate pressure. #Cygnus

ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 3 мин. назад

Atlas V propellant loading ops begin with the chilldown of ground systems, transfer lines & tanks before cryogenics start flowing. #Cygnus

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04/18/2017 15:40  Updated launch opportunities

Today's precise launch opportunities, based on final radar tracking of the station's orbit, are as follows:

Opportunity 1: 11:11:26 a.m. EDT
Opportunity 2: 11:18:56 a.m. EDT
Opportunity 3: 11:26:26 a.m. EDT (in-plane)
Opportunity 4: 11:33:56 a.m. EDT
Opportunity 5: 11:41:26 a.m. EDT

If liftoff occurs at the first opportunity, the station will be over the English Channel, southeast of England at the moment of launch.

[tnt22]

04/18/2017 15:41  Countdown running again

T-minus 2 hours and counting! The launch countdown has resumed for today's flight of the Atlas 5 rocket to deploy the Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo ship, ceremonially dubbed the S.S. John Glenn, into orbit in pursuit of the International Space Station.

Clocks have one more built-in hold planned at T-minus 4 minutes. During that 30-minute pause, the final "go" for launch will be given. All remains targeted for liftoff at 11:11:26 a.m. EDT (1511:26 GMT) 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.

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04/18/2017 15:48

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.

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 @CwG_NSF[/url] 7 мин. назад

Ground tracking cameras are "configured for launch." #AtlasV #Cygnus #OA7 #NASA

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Fraser Cain‏Подлинная учетная запись @fcain 28 мин. назад

SS John Glenn Launching Science Stash to Space Station atop Atlas V April 18 - Watch Live @ken_kremer https://www.universetoday.com/135048/ss-john-glenn-launching-science-stash-to-space-station-atop-atlas-v-april-18-watch-live-and-360-degree-video/ ...


Verge Science‏Подлинная учетная запись @VergeScience 17 мин. назад

Watch an Atlas V rocket send a cargo capsule honoring John Glenn to the space station this morning http://www.theverge.com/2017/4/18/15324738/nasa-atlas-5-rocket-launch-live-stream-time-iss-resupply-ss-john-glenn ...

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‏ @CwG_NSF 2 мин.2 минуты назад

All continues to progress well with fueling preps. No issues being worked. #AtlasV #Cygnus #OA7 #NASA

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ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 57 сек назад

Liquid Oxygen is now flowing into the Centaur Upper Stage, receiving around 15,700 liters of the -183°C oxidizer. #Cygnus

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04/18/2017 15:58  Centaur LOX loading

Filling of the Centaur upper stage with about 4,150 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 single firing required to propel the Cygnus spacecraft into the proper orbit today.

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Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow 4 мин. назад

Fueling has started! Loading of 4,150 gallons of liquid oxygen now underway for Centaur upper stage to launch #OA7 https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/04/16/av070_journal/ ...

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04/18/2017 16:04
Passing the 10 percent level on the Centaur upper stage's liquid oxygen tank.

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ISS Updates‏ @ISS101 1 мин. назад

The Launch Hazard Area for today's Atlas V launch is now in effect: http://bit.ly/2pCTeRQ  #Cygnus