For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER/CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, FL – The Florida Space Coast continues to be afflicted by a possibly unprecedentedly bad case of ‘scrubitis’ – with near endless rocket scrubs for America’s two premier rocket makers United Launch Alliance (ULA) and SpaceX aborting 2 launches moments before liftoff today just over 9 hours apart – that certainly harkens back to the repetitive time-loop dream of the hit movie ‘Groundhog Day’
Hopes were high Wednesday as the dual blastoffs approached. But it was not to be – even though the regional weather had improved significantly.
Just seconds before liftoff the countdowns were aborted first for a ULA Delta IV Heavy at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station just before midnight and then second for a SpaceX Falcon 9 at the Kennedy Space Center a few miles north at breakfast time this Thursday morning on the first day of October
Following multiple weather postponements and continuing fixes to ground systems such as the swing arm at pad 37 by ULA several times this week both firms were set to ne again try and takeflight with 3 launches in 2 days involving military and commercials satellites.
With all systems seemingly GO ULA was counting down until an automatic scrub was called at T Minus 7 seconds in the dead of night – because of a ‘sensor issue’ detected by by terminal countdown sequencer rack TCSR.
“The launch of a ULA #DeltaIVHeavy carrying the #NROL44 mission for the @NatReconOfc was scrubbed today when the terminal countdown sequencer rack (TCSR) identified an unexpected condition prior to the engine start sequence,” ULA tweeted.
“The TCSR, which controls the final 10 seconds of the countdown, performed as intended and safely initiated a hold at T-minus seven seconds. The team is currently reviewing all data and will determine the path forward.”
The launch of a ULA #DeltaIVHeavy carrying the #NROL44 mission for the @NatReconOfc was scrubbed today when the terminal countdown sequencer rack (TCSR) identified an unexpected condition prior to the engine start sequence.
— ULA (@ulalaunch) October 1, 2020
A new launch target date is TBD.
“Mission Director Col. Chad Davis has called a scrub. ULA Launch Director Lou Mangieri has relayed the decision to the launch team that we will not continue with launch operations tonight,” ULA tweeted.
Mission Director Col. Chad Davis has called a scrub. ULA Launch Director Lou Mangieri has relayed the decision to the launch team that we will not continue with launch operations tonight.
— ULA (@ulalaunch) October 1, 2020
“The Terminal Countdown Sequencer Rack (TCSR) called a hold at T-minus 7 seconds. TCSR controls the final 10 seconds of the #DeltaIVHeavy countdown. The safety system worked as intended to stop the countdown if a problem is detected.”
The Terminal Countdown Sequencer Rack (TCSR) called a hold at T-minus 7 seconds. TCSR controls the final 10 seconds of the #DeltaIVHeavy countdown. The safety system worked as intended to stop the countdown if a problem is detected.
— ULA (@ulalaunch) October 1, 2020
The Hydrogen Burn off units mounted on the pad to burn excess hydrogen offered up a very dramatic flare of burning hydrogen during the abort sequence- see my lead photo.
Liftoff of the 23-story tall triple stick United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy rocket on the NROL-44 intelligence gathering mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) had been re-slated for 11:54 p.m. EDT (0358 GMT) Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2020 from seaside Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida – following the earlier scrubs for the hot fire abort and faulty ground launch pneumatic systems and the swing arm problem as well as weather.
“We experienced an automated abort because a sensor reported a fault. Automated Safety System operated as intended. Bird and payload are safe and unharmed. Engine ROFI ignitors were not fired. Turbo pumps were not spun up. Mission safety first…” ULA CEO Tory Bruno explained by tweet.
We experienced an automated abort because a sensor reported a fault. Automated Safety System operated as intended. Bird and payload are safe and unharmed. Engine ROFI ignitors were not fired. Turbo pumps were not spun up. Mission safety first…
— Tory Bruno (@torybruno) October 1, 2020
“The launch table ROFIs ignited at T-14.5 seconds, the main combustion chamber (engine ROFIs) did not ignite,” ULA explained via tweet.
The launch table ROFIs ignited at T-14.5 seconds, the main combustion chamber (engine ROFIs) did not ignite.
— ULA (@ulalaunch) October 1, 2020
A few hours later in daylight the scene repeated with all seemingly GO and the rocket venting LOX SpaceX was counting down until an automatic scrub was called at T Minus 18 seconds – due to a faulty sensor reading.
“Standing down from today’s Starlink mission due to an out of family ground system sensor reading; will announce a new target launch date once confirmed on the Range,” SpaceX tweeted
A new launch target date is TBD
Standing down from today's Starlink mission due to an out of family ground system sensor reading; will announce a new target launch date once confirmed on the Range
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 1, 2020
Liftoff of the 23 story tall single stick recycled SpaceX Falcon 9 on the 13th mission carrying Starlink broadband internet satellites was re-slated for 9:17 a.m. EDT Thursday morning, Oct. 1 from Launch Complex-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Enjoy our Space UpClose gallery of images from the pad and the launch attempts on base from the team of Ken Kremer and Jean Wright.
New target launch dates have not yet been announced.
Stay tuned for further news and scrubs especially due to weather and schedule changes
Torrential rains, lightning and thunderstorms inundated Central Florida periodically over the weekend and this week as the multiple storm fronts moved in and out.
As a result, what was the third launch of the bunch of a GPS navigation satellite for the U.S. Space Force was also delayed several times – now to Friday evening, Oct. 2.
The weather outlook is decent for the GPS launch with a forecast of 70% GO at launch time – as of this moment.
SpaceX will broadcast both their 2 Falcon 9 launches live starting about 15 minutes before planned liftoff time:
Both the NROL 44 and GPS satellite launches are for the US military
GPS serves a broad array of both civilian and military functions.
Thus SpaceX will launch the fourth in a series of next generation GPS satellites on a newly manufactured Falcon 9 on Friday evening Oct 2 at 9:43 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL.
The launch window for the GPSIII SV04 mission for the U.S. Space Force extends 15 minutes until 9:58 p.m. ET.
“GPS III SV04 will join the current 31-satellite operational constellation to continue to provide the gold standard in positioning, navigation, and timing services for more than four billion users worldwide,” says the U.S. Space and Missile Command.
SpaceX will attempt to recover both Falcon 9 boosters on their 2 droneships
Watch my commentary at WFTV Channel 9 ABC TV News Orland in this Sept. 25/26 report about 3 upcoming Space Coast launches in 3 days by ULA and SpaceX
Also Fox 35 TV News Orlando on Sep 28/29 about the impact of scheduling so many back to launches and impact of repeated launch scrubs.
Watch my live interview discussion of current space missions and launches on Sept. 18 edition of ‘Stay Curious’ daily space show presented by the American Space Museum, Titusville, FL.
https://www.facebook.com/175507880819/videos/1058636561206413
Watch Ken’s continuing reports about Starlink, Commercial Crew and Artemis and onsite for live reporting of upcoming and recent SpaceX and ULA launches including Demo-2, Starlink, X-37B, Solar Orbiter, Mars 2020 and more at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Stay tuned here for Ken’s continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com
Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics.
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