NROL-71 - Delta IV-H [D-382] - Vandenberg SLC-6 - 19.01.2019, 19:10 UTC

[tnt22]

https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/12/07/delta-382-mission-status-center/

Live coverage: ULA's heavy-lift rocket set for nighttime launch from California
December 7, 2018 | Stephen Clark

12/07/2018 19:23 Stephen Clark

United Launch Alliance is preparing for liftoff of a Delta 4-Heavy rocket Friday night from Vandenberg Air Force Base California. The heavy-lifting, triple-body launcher is set for liftoff from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex-6 at 8:19 p.m. PST (11:19 p.m. EST; 0419 GMT) with a classified U.S. government spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office.

The launch will be the first nighttime liftoff of ULA's biggest rocket from the West Coast, and the second Delta 4-Heavy launch this year, following the successful deployment of NASA's Parker Solar Probe in August on a flight from Cape Canaveral.

It's also the ninth and final launch by United Launch Alliance overall this year. Previous missions in 2018 have included five Atlas 5 launches, a pair of Delta 4 missions -- one from Florida and one from California -- and the final liftoff of the now-retired Delta 2 rocket in September form Vandenberg.

Спойлер

Tonight's launch will enter a news blackout approximately six minutes after liftoff, when the Delta 4 jettisons the shroud covering the rocket's top secret payload after reaching space. The mission will continue after that point, but the flight events -- including orbital insertion and separation of the spy satellite -- will occur in secret, and ULA will end its live broadcast of the mission.

ULA, NRO and Air Force range officials at Vandenberg convened Thursday for a launch readiness review, and managers approved plans to proceed with final launch preps.

The Mobile Assembly Shelter, one of two protective gantries at the Delta 4's launch pad at Vandenberg, was rolled back to the launch position yesterday. The Mobile Service Tower at Space Launch Complex-6 will be rolled into position for liftoff this afternoon.

But the weather forecast predicts iffy conditions for a launch tonight, with only a 40 percent probability of favorable weather for liftoff of the Delta 4-Heavy. The chief weather concern is with ground winds.

[свернуть]

[tnt22]

11:45 a.m. PST (2:45 p.m. EST; 1945 UTC)

From Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, this is Delta Launch Control at T-minus 8 hours and holding.

The countdown is about to begin for this evening's liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket on the NROL-71 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Launch is scheduled for 8:19 p.m. PST (11:19 p.m. EST; 0419 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 6 on the southern end of Vandenberg.

The countdown will start in four minutes at 11:49 a.m. PST from the T-minus 8 hour mark. Two pre-planned, 15-minute built-in holds scheduled in the count. One pause is reserved prior to fueling at T-minus 4 hours, 15 minutes, the other occurs prior to the terminal count at T-minus 4 minutes.

[tnt22]

12:19 p.m. PST (3:19 p.m. EST; 2019 UTC)

The Air Force's 30th Weather Squadron here at Vandenberg Air Force Base has provided a forecast of conditions expected during retraction of the Mobile Service Tower away from the Delta IV Heavy rocket and the outlook for the rest of the evening.

Current conditions are favorable to proceed with tower roll, with winds within limits and no adverse weather in the area.

For launch tonight at 8:19 p.m. PST, meteorologists are predicting clear skies, good visibility, north-noergwesterly winds of 9-10 knots, gisting to 21 knots and a temperature in the 50s F.

Overall, there is a 40 percent chance of favorable launch weather.

[tnt22]

12:34 p.m. EST (3:34 p.m. EST; 2034 UTC)

The Delta IV Heavy rocket has been powered up for its launch on NROL-71.

[us2-star]

[tnt22]

12:52 p.m. EST (3:52 p.m. EST; 2052 UTC)

Guidance system testing is getting started at this point in the countdown as we continue to press ahead toward a liftoff at 8:19 p.m. PST (11:19 p.m. EST; 0419 UTC).

[tnt22]

12:57 p.m. PST (3:57 p.m. EST; 2057 UTC)

This is Delta Launch Control at T-minus 6 hours, 52 minutes (L-7 hours, 22 minutes) and counting. Retraction of the Mobile Service Tower in about to begin at Space Launch Complex 6.

Launch Conductor Dillon radioed Stand Engineer Shannon Curtis with this direction: "Stand Engineer, proceed with MST jacking and roll to the park position."

[tnt22]

1:29 p.m. PST (4:29 p.m. EST; 2129 UTC)

Gantry rollback is underway. First motion occurred at 1:28 p.m. PST (4:28 p.m. EST; 2128 UTC).

The tower was raised several inches using hydraulic cylinders at high pressure. Then, an undercarriage transport system began to move the gantry to its launch position east of the rocket.

[tnt22]

Live Launch Broadcast: Delta IV NROL-71

United Launch Alliance

youtube.com/watch?v=ZsX1TmAmeEU

[tnt22]

1:52 p.m. PST (4:52 p.m. EST; 2152 UTC)

The flight control operational test has started for the Delta IV Heavy rocket. This test is known as flight slews, which will perform gimbal checks of the rocket engine nozzles on the vehicle, in a state prior to cryogenic fueling.

[tnt22]

2:34 p.m. PST (5:34 p.m. EST; 2234 UTC)

This is Delta Launch Control at T-minus 5 hours, 15 minutes (L-5 hours, 45 minutes) and countdown. The mobile gantry at Space Launch Complex 6 has reached its park position, revealing the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket for the NROL-71 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office tonight.

The MST is a 32-story structure that weighs 13 million pounds. It is a critical part of the launch complex, proving the primary access and weather protection to the rocket during its stay on the launch pad, and its overhead crane system serves a vital role in vertical integration of payloads onto Delta IV rockets.

Rollback of the MST signals a major milestone early in launch day operations. Configuring launch pad systems and securing equipment will be completed over the next couple of hours before all personnel clear the site for fueling.

Activities remain on schedule for a liftoff at 8:19 p.m. PST (11:19 p.m. EST; 0419 UTC).

[tnt22]

3:12 p.m. PST (6:12 p.m. EST; 2312 UTC)

The launch pad crew has completed its hands-on work to ready Space Launch Complex 6 for today's mission, and the launch conductor has given the instruction for personnel to depart the site in advance of fueling operations.

[Брабонт]

Перенос на 07:06 дмв 9 декабря.
Коллективно соображаем, что это может означать в плане плоскости целевой орбиты. 

[tnt22]

ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch 7 ч. назад

...

[tnt22]

5:04 p.m. PST (8:04 p.m. EST; 0104 UTC) -- Delay

This is Delta Launch Control at T-minus 4 hours, 15 minutes and holding. Launch Director Lou Mangieri has confirmed that we will not continue with the NROL-71 launch activities today.

The team will set for a 24-hour countdown recycle to make another launch attempt tomorrow.

[tnt22]

12/08/2018 04:09 Stephen Clark

SCRUB. Tonight's Delta 4 countdown has been scrubbed after ULA's launch team dispatched a red team to the pad to investigate an issue with holdfire circuitry, which would be used to stop the launch in the final seconds of the countdown in the event of a technical problem.

The team ran out of time to troubleshoot and correct the issue, and ULA has ordered a 24-hour recycle for a possible launch attempt tomorrow night.

[tnt22]

5:28 p.m. PST (8:28 p.m. EST; 0128 UTC)

(Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Dec. 7, 2018) – The launch of a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy carrying the NROL-71 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office was scrubbed today due to an issue with a redundant communication link between the control center and the launch site.

The team is prepping for a 24-hour turn around on Saturday, Dec. 8, from Space Launch Complex 6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The forecast shows a 60 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for launch. The launch time is 8:06 p.m. PT.

[tnt22]

ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch 4 ч. назад

Details for tomorrow's launch! Launch is planned for 12/8, 8:06 pm PT. The broadcast starts at 7:46 pm PT. Follow our live updates at http://bit.ly/div_nrol71 

Явки-пароли прежние

[tnt22]

Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno 6:28 - 8 дек. 2018 г.

Resolved the issue last night shortly after the hold. Bad fiber. Weather looks good tonight. Pgo of 60%.

[tnt22]

ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch 11:52 - 8 дек. 2018 г.

The countdown has begun for tonight's #DeltaIVHeavy launch of #NROL71 from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Launch is planned for 8:06pm PST tonight! Live updates http://bit.ly/div_nrol71