NROL-44: Orion 10 (Mentor 8) – Delta IV-H [D-385] – Канаверал SLC-37B – 11.12.2020 01:09 UTC

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Oct 01, 2020 05:53

The anomaly resolution team has determined that a computer-checked redline limit will instead be monitored manually, thereby working around the concern for the test readings issue to trip up the terminal countdown.

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 Tory Bruno @torybruno 58 с

The Majestic DeltaIV Heavy is tanked, carbo loaded, and champing at the bit.

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 ULA @ulalaunch 8 мин. назад

We less than an hour away from liftoff. Watch a preview video of what you can expect during the #DeltaIVHeavy flight tonight. At the request of our customer, live coverage of the #NROL44 mission will conclude approximately seven minutes into flight.

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 ULA @ulalaunch 15 с

L-49 minutes and counting. The anomaly resolution team discussed a sensor that was slow to respond in the pad swing arm system. That faulty sensor will be masked out to prevent causing a problem later in the countdown. Other sensors are working normally to protect the system.

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 Spaceflight Now @SpaceflightNow 1 мин. назад

The Delta 4 team says a slow-responding pressure transducer on the launch pad's swing arm system is not a concern for tonight's countdown.

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Oct 01, 2020 06:09

All systems are GO at this time. We will be taking the countdown clock to T-minus 4 minutes before holding there for a pre-planned, 15-minute built-in hold. That is when the status polls by management will be performed to verify all is in readiness for liftoff.

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Oct 01, 2020 06:11

The standard post-fueling inspections of the rocket's outer thermal insulation using launch pad cameras is complete.

The Delta IV Heavy cryogenic tanks are covered by spray-on and bond-on foam insulation to keep the propellants from warming up too quickly.

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Репортаж FNSF - youtu.be/uawJKvDzcIA

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Oct 01, 2020 06:21

The Automatic Determination and Dissemination of Just Updated Steering Terms, better known as the ADDJUST file, is being loaded into the Delta IV Heavy rocket's Inertial Navigation and Control Assembly (INCA) flight computer by the flight control operator here at the Launch Control Center. This is the planned steering parameters for the INCA to use based on tonight's upper level wind conditions.

A series of weather balloons has been launched throughout the countdown from the Range weather station at Cape Canaveral to collect measurements of wind speeds and directions to determine if conditions aloft violate the controllability or structural loads on the rocket during ascent. The balloon data was transmitted to ULA engineers in Denver to select a steering profile that minimizes launch vehicle responses.

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10/01/2020 06:23 Stephen Clark

The Delta launch team reports slew, or steering, checks of the rocket's three RS-68A main engines and the RL10B-2 upper stage engine have been completed.

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Oct 01, 2020 06:27

Weather is GO

Space Force Launch Weather Officer Will Ulrich reports the current and forecast conditions are acceptable for liftoff. There is a slight chance of ground winds gusting above the limit during tonight's launch window.

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Oct 01, 2020 06:32

Upper level winds have been verified acceptable for liftoff.

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Oct 01, 2020 06:35

Countdown Holding

This is Delta Launch Control at T-minus 4 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered the standard 15-minute built-in hold designed to give a bit of margin to deal with any problems. Also during this time, the final readiness polls of the launch team and members of the Mission Management Team will be performed.

We continue to target a liftoff at 11:54 p.m. EDT (0354 UTC) from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida

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Oct 01, 2020 06:38

The Delta IV Heavy rocket will launch off the pad on the power of three RS-68A main engines generating 2.1 million pounds of thrust.

The vehicle will hit Mach 1 and surpass the region of maximum air pressure by T+plus 90 seconds.

The port and starboard common booster cores burn for four minutes, while the center core fires for an addition 90 seconds before staging.

The second stage then comes to life, followed shortly thereafter by jettisoning the five-meter-diameter aluminum payload fairing.

At the request of our customer, live coverage will conclude approximately seven minutes after liftoff.

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 Tory Bruno @torybruno 2 мин. назад

Polling for terminal count is all GO. #NROL44

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10/01/2020 06:41 Stephen Clark

ULA's launch webcast is underway.

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 Tory Bruno @torybruno 2 мин. назад

L-13. The board is green #NROL44

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