|
|
|
|
Hurricane Frances delays Delta 2 launch into October BY JUSTIN RAY SPACEFLIGHT NOW Posted: September 14, 2004 The fury of Hurricane Frances put a Boeing Delta 2 launch on hold and prompted extensive inspections, but pre-flight preparations are resuming for the rocket's mission to haul a replacement Global Positioning System satellite into space.
In advance of the Labor Day weekend blast from Frances, crews secured the rocket inside its mobile gantry. The Cape was closed and workers living along the coast evacuated. Once the storm cleared, inspections began immediately to check the rocket's condition. Initial looks revealed no major problems, but additional tests on four of the Delta 2's nine strap-on solid rocket motors are continuing. "For the past few weeks, the Boeing Delta 2 launch vehicle carrying the Lockheed Martin-built GPS 2R-13 spacecraft has been maintained in a 'hurricane safing' status at SLC-17B," Lt. Col. Gregory J. Schiller, manager of the Delta 2 launch program at the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center told Spaceflight Now. "Following a thorough inspection of the launch vehicle and ground support equipment, no significant damage to any launch asset has been identified. As such, Boeing and Lockheed Martin were given the clearance to resume normal operations and is currently targeting a new launch date of October 8." Officials were concerned about potential water intrusion and damage from flying debris. Inspections performed by the Air Force, the Boeing launch team and the company's design engineering personnel flown to Florida from California found no damage of any significance. "Witness paint" applied to the solid rocket motors to indicate impacts during vehicle handling and processing revealed that four boosters received minor debris hits during Frances. A "mechanical impedance analysis" is being performed on the boosters to verify their health, Schiller said. For now, officials don't believe the boosters will need replacing. "Early indications would say no, but we will know for certain once the (mechanical impedance analysis) inspections are complete." The GPS spacecraft had been undergoing its routine pre-flight processing inside a separate facility at Cape Canaveral. As a hurricane precaution, workers placed the satellite back into its shipping container to ride out the storm. Post-Frances checks have shown the satellite to be healthy. "The launch team is moving forward with pre-launch preparations that include testing the launch vehicle's electrical, propulsion and mechanical systems and fueling the spacecraft prior to mating with the third stage," Schiller said. The GPS satellite and attached solid-fuel third stage will be transported to the launch pad later this month for mounting atop the Delta 2 rocket. Liftoff on October 8 would occur during the day's 29-minute launch window that extends from 3:36 to 4:05 a.m. EDT. This will be the third of three GPS launches planned in 2004. The new satellites replenish the military's navigation network by replacing older craft. Meanwhile, the Delta 2 launch of NASA's gamma-ray burst detection spacecraft, called Swift, originally targeted for October 7 has been pushed back to late October because of Hurricane Frances. Stacking of that rocket on pad 17A, once set to begin September 1, is expected to start next week. Swift was inside the Cape's Hangar AE cleanroom during the storm.
|
|
|
|
Columbia Report A reproduction of the official accident investigation report into the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven. U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Mars Panorama DISCOUNTED! This 360 degree image was taken by the Mars Pathfinder, which landed on the Red Planet in July 1997. The Sojourner Rover is visible in the image. U.S. Apollo 11 Mission Report Apollo 11 - The NASA Mission Reports Vol. 3 is the first comprehensive study of man's first mission to another world is revealed in all of its startling complexity. Includes DVD!U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Rocket DVD If you've ever watched a launch from Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg Air Force Base or even Kodiak Island Alaska, there's no better way to describe what you witnessed than with this DVD.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Current Shuttle Mission Patch The official embroidered patch for shuttle Atlantis' flight to deliver critical spare equipment to the space station.Ares 1-X Patch The official embroidered patch for the Ares 1-X rocket test flight, is available for purchase.Apollo Collage This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos.![]() Project Orion The Orion crew exploration vehicle is NASA's first new human spacecraft developed since the space shuttle a quarter-century earlier. The capsule is one of the key elements of returning astronauts to the Moon.Fallen Heroes Patch Collection The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store.Gemini 12 Gemini 12: The NASA Mission Reports covers the voyage of James Lovell and Buzz Aldrin that capped the Gemini program's efforts to prove the technologies and techniques that would be needed for the Apollo Moon landings. Includes CD-ROM.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo 11 special patch Special collectors' patch marking the 35th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing is now available.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Inside Apollo mission control
An insider's view of how Apollo flight controllers operated and just what they faced when events were crucial.U.S. The ultimate Apollo 11 DVD This exceptional chronicle of the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing mission features new digital transfers of film and television coverage unmatched by any other.U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Next ISS crew
Own a little piece of history with this official patch for the International Space Station's Expedition 11 crew. We'll ship yours today!U.S. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
INDEX | PLUS | NEWS ARCHIVE | LAUNCH SCHEDULE ASTRONOMY NOW | STORE ADVERTISE © 2009 Spaceflight Now Inc. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||