Launch News Orbital's Antares Maiden Flight & ORB-D "G. David Low" Cygnus Demo updates.

[orb]

NASAtelevision:

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

[highlight][eventtimer]2013-04-17 21:00:00;%c%%ddd%/%hh%:%mm%:%ss%[/eventtimer] to Antares A-ONE launch[/highlight]​

Sunny dolls have been deployed here in support of trying to clear the iffy weather up at lift-off time - only 45% go at this time.

 

[IronRain]

only 45% go at this time.

STS-135 only had a 30% chance

 

[Kyle]

Launch day everyone! The launch window has been shortened to 1700-1900 UT. Weather doesn't look promising, broken clouds at 4,000 feet - everything else looks fine though. Tomorrow will feature less clouds, but with an increase in winds.

 

[orb]

Spaceflight Now:

• Antares countdown timeline
  
  
• Antares launch timeline
  
  
• Mission Status Center
  
  
• Test flight of Antares rocket set for Wednesday evening
  
  
• PHOTOS: Antares on the eve of launch
  
  
• Antares rocket engines lean on Russian moon legacy

 

[orb]

NASAtelevision:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RXmxLGS-jA"]NASA Briefs Media on Antares Launch Status - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Kyle]

Orbital Sciences‏@OrbitalSciences

The #Antares launch team is still tracking cloud cover predictions. We are still looking at 45% favorable conditions for launch.

#Antares is the number 1 trending topic on Twitter today.

 

[Athena]

55% favorable conditions for launch now.

 

[orb]

NASASpaceflight: Orbital’s Antares ready for debut launch attempt

Live view on the Antares:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/stennisaj26-1

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

T-1 hour. NASA TV coverage started.

Weather now 60% GO!

 

[kerlix]

Abort. Not sure why. Missed it.


T-minus 12 minutes and HOLDING. The umbilical line to the second stage has come lose, forcing the team to scrub for today!

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Arrrghhhh..... the second stage umbilical separated prematurely - SCRUB!

 

[IronRain]

Abort! The umbilical line to the second stage has come lose, forcing the team to scrub for today!

 

[boogabooga]

Disconnected umbilical.

 

[orb]

48 hours turnaround.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

48 hours turnaround.

This means that the next launch worldwide won't be Antares - article for that one coming up shortly!

 

[Kyle]

Looking at launch on Friday, April 19th.

 

[orb]

Orbital Sciences:

Statement Regarding the Antares Launch Postponment

April 2013

Orbital announced that a premature separation of a launch pad umbilical connection to the Antares upper stage used for data communications halted today's countdown of the Antares test launch at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va. Engineers are currently analyzing what occurred to determine what measures will be taken to resolve the issue.

During a launch countdown, safeguards are put in place to periodically verify that all systems are functioning as planned. With twelve minutes left in the count, the launch team identified the anomaly and called a scrub of today's test launch attempt.

The next launch attempt is tentatively set for no earlier than Friday, April 19, pending final resolution of the issue and acceptable weather conditions.

"We are still examining all of the data, but it appears that the issue is fairly straightforward," said Mr. Frank Culbertson, Orbital's Executive Vice President and Mission Director for the Antares Test Flight. "With this being the first launch of the new system from a new launch facility we have taken prudent steps to ensure a safe and successful outcome. Today, our scrub procedures were exercised and worked as planned. We are looking forward to a successful launch on Friday."​

 

[DaveS]

Next launch attempt will be NET Saturday, April 20 at 5 p.m EDT due to weather conditions expected on Friday:

https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/325007223296233473

https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/325007586040631296

---------- Post added at 07:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:15 AM ----------

Next weather briefing will be at 4 p.m EDT today. Launch window for tomorrow will either be between 5-7 p.m EDT or 6-8 p.m EDT, OSC will announce the decision after 5 p.m EDT today: https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/325298840188112896

 

[Kyle]

Alright everyone, launch day! Weather is looking far more favorable than yesterday was, hopes are we can get off the pad by 5pm.