NROL-101 - Atlas V 531 (AV-086) - CCAFS SLC-41 - 13.11.2020 22:32 UTC

[tnt22]

Nov 12, 2020 21:55

Rollout Begins

Rollout of the 206-foot-tall Atlas V rocket to launch NROL-101 is underway with first motion of the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) departing the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF), where the rocket stages and payload were joined together for this mission.

A few minutes ago, the rollout preparations checklist was verified complete, a readiness poll was performed by ULA Launch Conductor Scott Barney and ULA Launch Director Tom Heter III authorized the rollout to begin.

Friday's launch is scheduled for 5:13 p.m. EST (2213 UTC), a few minutes before sunset along Florida's Space Coast. The launch weather forecast calls for a 90 percent chance of favorable conditions.

[tnt22]

Nov 12, 2020 22:14

Rollin...
The Atlas V rocket and NROL-101 emerge from the assembly building as they make their way to the pad for Friday's launch.


Photo by United Launch Alliance

[tnt22]

Nov 12, 2020 22:31


Photo by United Launch Alliance

[tnt22]

Nov 12, 2020 23:08

Atlas V Arrives at the Pad

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket rolled out today to Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex-41 for Friday's NROL-101 launch in support of U.S. national security.

The Atlas V was transported from the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad today to begin final preparations for the National Reconnaissance Office mission.


Photo by United Launch Alliance

The Mobile Launch Platform traveled to the pad with the help of undercarriage railcars and trackmobile machines that push the entire 1.7-million-pound MLP and Atlas V 531 rocket along tracks up the hill to the pad. The trip began with first motion at 1:55 p.m. and concluded once the MLP was secured to the pad pedestals at 3:07 p.m. EST.

The MLP convoy was led by two boxcars, called the PVan and GVan. The payload support van houses spacecraft ground equipment such as the electrical and communication interfaces between the spacecraft systems and the launch pad throughout the countdown. The ground van supports the launch vehicle with a dedicated set of control electronics. 

Bringing up the rear were two portable environmental control system (ECS) trailers that supply conditioned air to the rocket's compartments during rollout.

The seven-hour launch countdown will begin Friday morning, leading to a liftoff of the Atlas V rocket at 5:13 p.m. EST (2213 UTC).

The weather forecast calls for a 90 percent of acceptable weather. The outlook includes a few scattered clouds, good visibility, northerly winds 10 to 15 knots and a temperature near 75 degrees F. The Cumulus Cloud Rule is the only concern. 

Join us for live updates from the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center on this page beginning at 10:25 a.m. EST (1525 UTC).

The live video webcast of the launch starts at 4:53 p.m. EST (2153 UTC) and will also be viewable on this page. 

[tnt22]

11/13/2020 08:10 Stephen Clark

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 18:23

Atlas V NROL-101 Countdown Begins

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 counting.

We have begun today's countdown for the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket to launch the NROL-101 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office and U.S. Space Force.

Activities are on schedule for liftoff from Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex-41 at 5:13 p.m. EST (2213 UTC).



Our nearly seven-hour countdown includes two pre-planned, built-in holds, each lasting 15 minutes. One pause is reserved prior to fueling at T-minus 2 hours, the other occurs prior to the terminal count at T-minus 4 minutes. That will lead us to the liftoff time.

The countdown is being controlling from the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center, or ASOC, located about four miles from the launch pad, in conjunction with a team of personnel performing hands-on tasks at Space Launch Complex-41. The Cape also has assistance from design teams at ULA's Denver Operations Support Center, or DOSC.

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 19:05

Powered Up

The Atlas and Centaur stages have been powered up to begin launch day testing and final preparations for fueling operations for today's mission. This activity was kicked off at the start of the countdown.

The Atlas V, designated AV-090, will launch this national security mission using the rocket's 531 configuration that is distinguished by the five-meter-wide composite payload fairing, three GEM 63 solid rocket boosters side-mounted to the first stage and a single RL10C-1 engine on the Centaur upper stage.

It stands 206 feet (63 meters) tall and will weigh one million pounds (453,600 kg) at liftoff.

This will be the 17th Atlas V mission for the NRO.


Photo by United Launch Alliance

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 19:48

Weather Remains 90% GO



This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 4 hours, 55 minutes (L-5 hours, 25 minutes) and counting. Launch Weather Officer Jessica Williams from the U.S. Space Force just gave the day's first briefing from the 45th Weather Squadron facility inside the Morrell Operations Center here at the Cape.

The forecast for launch time has a 90 percent chance of favorable conditions for the flight of Atlas V and NROL-101. Violation of the Range Lightning Launch Commit Criteria governing cumulus clouds is only a remote concern for this evening's launch opportunity.

The outlook for launch time calls for a few scattered low-level clouds, good visibility, northerly winds of 10 to 16 knots and a temperature near 75 degrees F.
All conditions are GO at the present time.

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 20:24

Guidance System Test Underway

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 4 hours, 19 minutes (L-4 hours, 49 minutes) and counting down to our planned 5:13 p.m. EST (2213 UTC) liftoff time.

Activities are progressing well in today's countdown. A guidance system test of the rocket's Inertial Guidance and Control Assembly (INCA) flight computer is underway. In parallel to that, the flight control operational test has started to verify propulsion system valves cycle properly and engine steering mechanisms gimbal as commanded.

An open-loop test of the S-band system used to relay telemetry from the launch vehicle during flight is upcoming shortly.

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 20:53

Pad Work Continues

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 3 hours, 50 minutes (L-4 hours, 20 minutes) and counting. The team of technicians at Space Launch Complex-41, led by Stand Engineer Issac Spence, continues marching through the steps in the procedure to configure pad systems and hardware for today's fueling and launch.

A check of the weather indicates allowable conditions for launch.

We remain on schedule for liftoff of the Atlas V rocket and NROL-101 payload shortly before sunset at 5:13 p.m. EST (2213 UTC).

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 21:23

Countdown on Schedule

We are now three hours into the countdown and working no significant issues here in the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center (ASOC) or at the Space Launch Complex-41 pad. Liftoff remains scheduled for 5:13 p.m. EST (2213 UTC).

First stage propulsion and hydraulic preps have been performed, along with Centaur liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen system preps. Checks have verified the GPS Metric Tracking system that will use the orbiting Global Positioning System navigation satellite constellation to track the rocket's flight downrange with position, velocity and timing information.

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 22:13

Three Hours Until Launch

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 2 hours, 30 minutes (L-3 hours) and counting. Countdown activities continue on schedule at the Space Launch Complex-41 pad and inside the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center for today's liftoff of NROL-101.

Changeover of the environmental control system (ECS) for the Atlas V rocket has occurred. Nitrogen gas rather than conditioned air is flowing to the internal compartments of the launch vehicle and the payload fairing in preparation for fueling and flight.

Out at Space Launch Complex-41, technicians are just about complete with all of the hands-on work before departing the pad.

We are coming up on the pre-fueling weather briefing in about 10 minutes.

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 22:27

Weather Remains 90% GO



In the pre-fueling weather briefing to mission management, Launch Weather Officer Jessica Williams reports that conditions remain favorable at Cape Canaveral for a rocket countdown. There are no weather constraints against proceeding into Atlas V fueling operations as scheduled.

The launch forecast remains unchanged at a 90 percent chance of favorable conditions for today's opportunity, with the only concern being cumulus clouds.

The launch time outlook calls for a few scattered low clouds, good visibility, northerly winds 10 to 16 knots and a temperature near 75 degrees F.

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 22:33

Hold-fire checks have been conducted. This verified the circuitry used to stop the countdown if a safety concern arises.

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 22:43

Countdown Holding

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 2 hours (L-2 hours, 30 minutes) 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, lasting 15 minutes, 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, also lasting 15 minutes, 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]

Nov 13, 2020 22:49

We will be extending this hold an additional few minutes until the launch complex is clear of all personnel. Technicians are wrapping up with their work. The launch conductor can borrow time from the later hold to preserve our target liftoff time.

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 22:50

The pad crew is leaving the pad now.

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 22:56

The launch pad crew completed its hands-on work to ready Space Launch Complex-41 for today's mission and departed the site in advance of fueling operations.

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 23:01

We are planing to resume the count at 3:06 p.m., and we will shorten the T-minus 4 minute hold from 15 minuteds to 7 minutes, leading to a liftoff at 5:13 p.m. EST (2213 UTC).

[tnt22]

Nov 13, 2020 23:02

The safety officer now reports that the hazard area around the launch site has been cleared of all personnel for fueling and liftoff.