AFSPC-7/USSF-7: X-37B OTV-6 – Atlas V 501 – CCAFS SLC-41 – 17.05.2020 13:14 UTC

[tnt22]

Прогноз погоды L-1 на 17 мая 2020 г.

Atlas V USSF-7 L-1

Пусковой день    (17.05) - ↓ 70 % GO
Резервный день (18.05) -     90 % GO

[tnt22]

May 16, 2020 18:31
Sunday weather 70% GO

Launch Weather Officer Jessica Williams gives a 70 percent chance of favorable conditions on Sunday morning, with cumulus clouds and ground winds again the primary concerns.

"A broad area of low pressure is developing over the northwest Bahamas. The National Hurricane Center gives this an 80% chance of becoming a subtropical depression or storm over the weekend. This area of low pressure will gradually intensify as it starts to lift slowly to the northeast by Sunday morning. This will put us on the drier west side. However, with the low's slower forecast movement, wind speeds were increased a few knots from the northwest, and remain the main concern for tomorrow," the launch weather team says.

The operations forecast for Sunday includes just a few clouds, good visibility, north-northwesterly winds of 12 peaking to 18 knots and a temperature near 76 degrees F.

[tnt22]

Новый адрес трансляции пуска

youtube.com/watch?v=DRf2MTAlQTo

Начало трансляции 17 мая примерно в 08:55 EDT / 12:55 UTC / 15:55 ДМВ

[tnt22]

Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF 2 ч. назад

Okay. Major thank you to @ulalaunch and @torybruno for hopping on the phone with me just now to explain what happened in today's countdown regarding the weather violations. Thread... 1/x


2 ч. назад

Per Tory: what wasn't clear to the public was that the only weather constraint they were under for the 10:13a window was ground winds. Somehow amazingly the cumulus clouds and the rain showers were just far enough away to not be a violation for that attempt. 2/x


2 ч. назад

So because it wasn't clear that clouds and rain were GO, it gave the incorrect appearance that ULA and the Range were bending rules. They weren't! They were literally just trying to see if winds, which were fluctuating back & forth above & below the limit, would be OK. 3/x


2 ч. назад

It was also the @45thSpaceWing weather officer who decided to make the "go pending" call and not the traditional "no go but will update at T -60secs if clear to proceed" call that normally happens when you enter terminal count in technical violation of a weather constraint. 4/x


2 ч. назад

So there you have it. It certainly appeared to be very different from normal, but it was actually completely normal. And that is why we love rocketry. Hats off to everyone at @ulalaunch and the @45thSpaceWing who gave it a valiant attempt. 5/5

[tnt22]

https://www.militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=1&nid=531998&lang=RU

Пентагон во второй раз попытается запустить на орбиту сверхсекретный беспилотный шаттл
17.05.2020 00:00:00

Вашингтон. 17 мая. ИНТЕРФАКС - Ракета-носитель Atlas V в воскресенье должна вывести на орбиту беспилотный корабль многоразового использования X-37B Космического командования ВВС США, запуск которой накануне был перенесен на 24 часа из-за непогоды в районе космодрома, сообщает компания-оператор United Launch Alliance (ULA).

Причиной переноса запуска стали сильный приземный ветер, проливной дождь и кучевые облака. Погодные условия всего лишь на 10% благоприятствовали для проведения запуска в субботу.

Старт челнока с помощью ракеты-носителя Atlas V компании ULA, первая ступень которой оснащена российским двигателем РД-180, планируется осуществить с 41-го стартового комплекса на космодроме на мысе Канаверал (штат Флорида) в 9:14 по времени Восточного побережья США, 156:14 мск.

По данным из неофициальных источников, запуск шаттла предназначен для обкатки технологий перспективного перехватчика, способного инспектировать чужие космические спутники и при необходимости уничтожать их. Космолет может быстро менять орбиты и маневрировать, доставлять на орбиту и возвращать на Землю небольшие грузы.

[tnt22]

Серия 2-я...

May 17, 2020 08:46
Welcome to Atlas/USSF-7 Countdown!

From the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, this is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 6 hours, 20 minutes and holding.

We are about to begin a fresh countdown for the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket to perform the USSF-7 mission with the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle for the U.S. Space Force Space and Missile System Center.

Activities are on schedule for liftoff today from Space Launch Complex-41 at 9:14 a.m. EDT (1314 UTC).

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 09:09

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 6 hours, 5 minutes (L-7 hours, 5 minutes) and counting.

Following yesterday's scrub for weather, the cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen commodities were drained from the Atlas V and systems deactivated. Our countdown today will repeat the testing and fueling to ensure the rocket is ready to fly.

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 09:54

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 5 hours, 20 minutes (L-6 hours, 20 minutes) and counting. We are tracking no technical issues in the countdown for a liftoff at 9:14 a.m. EDT (1314 UTC). The first weather briefing of the day is coming up shortly.

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 10:00

The guidance system test is beginning, the next major milestone in today's countdown. This activity will take the next couple of hours to complete.

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 10:22
Weather forecast 70% GO

Launch Weather Officer Jessica Williams from the 45th Weather Squadron just gave the initial briefing of today's countdown to the mission management team. Conditions are much improved today to launch a rocket.

The swirling low pressure system off the Florida coast that brought a persistent stream of rain showers to the Atlas V launch pad yesterday has formed into Tropical Storm Arthur. But the system is pulling northeastward away from the Space Coast, giving us much more dry conditions this morning.

Also, the tight pressure gradient that delivered brisk ground winds has loosened. Winds are within limits so far today.

Overall, the odds of acceptable conditions at Cape Canaveral for launch of Atlas V and USSF-7 today remain at 70 percent.

The outlook for launch time calls for some scattered clouds, good visibility, northwesterly winds of 10 gusting to 16 knots and a temperature near 76 degrees F.

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 10:49

The flight control operational test is getting underway. This test will validate the control functions on the Atlas first stage main engine and the Centaur upper stage by confirming that valves cycle properly and that the engine steering systems perform as commanded.

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 11:02

Centaur LOX and LH2 preps are complete.

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 Tory Bruno‏ @torybruno 7 мин. назад

Looking better today. Tropical Storm Arthur is moving off. Pgo at 70%. Everyone's calming thoughts are working. Let's get this bird in the air. #USSF7

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 11:14

Now passing T-minus 4 hours (L-minus 5 hours). A status check of the countdown shows no technical issues are being worked and all weather criteria is acceptable.

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 11:19

Antenna checks are being performed to verify functionality of the GPS Metric Tracking system. GPS MT is the system that uses the orbiting Global Positioning System navigation satellite constellation to track the rocket's flight downrange with position, velocity and timing information.

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 12:26

Guidance system testing is complete.

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 12:59
Weather Improves to 80% GO

In the pre-fueling weather briefing to mission management, Launch Weather Officer Jessica Williams reports that conditions continue to look favorable for launch today.

The launch time forecast has improved to an 80 percent of acceptable weather as dry air moves into the area. Ground winds and cumulus clouds are only minor concerns.

The outlook for launch time calls for some scattered low clouds, good visibility, northwesterly winds of 10 gusting to 15 knots and a temperature near 76 degrees F.

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 13:03

The launch pad crew has completed its hands-on work to ready Space Launch Complex-41 for today's mission, and Launch Conductor Dillon Rice has given the instruction for personnel to depart the site in advance of fueling operations.

[tnt22]

1-й плановый

May 17, 2020 13:14
Countdown Holding

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 2 hours (L-3 hours) and holding. The countdown has entered the first of two planned, built-in holds that are scheduled in today's timeline. This first block of time gives the countdown some margin to resolve issues or catch up work that could be running late, and the hold provides an opportunity to ensure all is ready before fueling operations begin.

The final hold occurs at T-minus 4 minutes.

At the present time, all activities are on schedule and no problems are being addressed by the launch team.

[tnt22]

May 17, 2020 13:44
Countdown Resumes

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 2 hours (L-2 hours, 30 minutes) and counting. The next phase of today's launch countdown has started on schedule as we continue to target 9:14 a.m. EDT (1314 UTC) for liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on the USSF-7 mission, featuring the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle.

Preparatory steps for fueling are being kicked off, including ground chilldown of the Atlas first liquid oxygen system and chilldown of the transfer lines to the Centaur upper stage liquid oxygen system.