X-37B Countdown and Launch

[slang]

Universe Today: Weather a concern for second OTV launch

In preparation for the launch of the second of the U.S. Air Force’s Orbital Test Vehicles (OTV), the Air Force has released images of the OTV being encapsulated within the fairing that goes on top of the Atlas V AV-026 launch vehicle. Currently, the launch is scheduled to take place on Friday, March 5. The launch window is between 3:39 p.m. EDT and 5:39 p.m. EDT.

(bold mine) I assume they mean March 4. Pretty pictures. From Twitter:

Atlas V OTV-2 is 2 days from launch and still on track for March 4. The exact launch time will be announced at 8 a.m. EST launch day.

Nothing yet on exact launch time. From Spaceflight Now:

1435 GMT (9:35 a.m. EST)
The latest launch weather forecast still gives only a 30 percent chance of acceptable conditions this afternoon due to gusty winds and violation of the cumulus clouds.

01101001's link farm from post #1:

Spaceflight Now Mission Status Center (With live stream)
NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center: X-37 News (currently, very old news)
NASA Launch Schedule
National Weather Service, Southeast Sector, Base Reflectivity
National Weather Service, Melbourne Florida, Hourly Weather Forecast Graph
Wikipedia: Boeing X-37
Wikipedia: USA-212 (first X-37B mission)
Space.com: Air Force's Secretive Space Plane Nears Maiden Voyage
BAUT Forum topic Look familar? (some recent discussion)
United Launch Alliance (ULA) (information, image gallery, webcast)
United Launch Alliance: Webcast
Twitter: ulalaunch

[slang]

Ah, missed this on SFN (bold mine):

1215 GMT (7:15 a.m. EST)
Officials have formally announced today's target launch time will be 3:50 p.m. EST (2050 GMT). The duration of the launch window wasn't disclosed.

Pretty pictures of the rollout on Universe Today.

[slang]

Less than one hour to launch, weather permitting. ULA webcast starts 20 minutes before launch.

[Garrison]

Less than one hour to launch, weather permitting. ULA webcast starts 20 minutes before launch.

What??? With all the discussion about it's design I totally missed that it was due to launch again, and my death ray proof bunker isn't nearly ready yet...

[slang]

Yeah, it surprised me too, wasn't really paying attention.

SFnow:

2005 GMT (3:05 p.m. EST)
The cumulus cloud rule just went "green," meaning current conditions aren't violating that criteria. However, there's more weather off the coast moving this way.

[Swift]

From SFnow:

2026 GMT (3:26 p.m. EST)
T-minus 4 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered the planned 20-minute hold to give the launch team a chance to review all systems and assess the weather before pressing ahead with liftoff.

The webcast seems to be up and running

[KaiYeves]

Another strange couple of months coming up, I guess.

[slang]

SFnow:

2031 GMT (3:31 p.m. EST)
United Launch Alliance says this initial launch window extends for 10 minutes from 3:50 to 4:00 p.m. EST. If weather prohibits an on-time launch, there is a backup opportunity available from 5:27 to 5:37 p.m. EST today.

[Garrison]

Link for the webcast:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/tech...ce-plane-.html

Not looking good for the first launch window ATM

[slang]

mission control: "Currently no-go due to high ground winds, hold extended for another 5 minutes"

ETA: anyone else only getting left channel audio, or is my PC acting up?

And an additional 5 minutes. At least, I think it's the 2nd extension.

[Swift]

From SFnow

2052 GMT (3:52 p.m. EST)
NEW LAUNCH TIME. And now a lengthy extension of this hold has been ordered while the Atlas 5 rocket sits on the launch pad to await the next liftoff opportunity that opens today at 5:27 p.m. EST for carrying X-37B into the desired orbit.

[slang]

Webcast will return 5:15 PM EST, and I think the commentator said the launch window opens 5:37, not 5:27. Spaceflight Now still seem to be showing a live stream on the Mission Status Center page, the ULA webcast is paused for now.

[slang]

ULAlaunch twitter says 5:27 PM EST too.

[CJSF]

Looking at the weather radar, I don't think we'll see a launch today. There is a line of rain about to "train" over the Cape area.

CJSF

[slang]

Looks like CJSF guessed right. SFnow:

2157 GMT (4:57 p.m. EST)
Weather forecasters say conditions are expected to remain "no go" for the rest of today's launch opportunity. There's not much hope of anything changing.

[Zvezdichko]

Tomorrow is another day Let's hope this time it will fly

[slang]

It's not scrubbed quite yet.

[slang]

Livestreams resumed, see post on top of the page for links.

[slang]

5 minute hold extension

[slang]

It's official: SCRUB. 24 hour recycle.

[kamaz]

Launch is currently scheduled at 16:09 EST (21:09 GMT, 22:09 CET).

[slang]

Spaceflight Now: Delays.

1720 GMT (12:20 p.m. EST)
The anomaly team is assessing a regulator leak in the system that provides a helium purge to the rocket's interstage adapter area.
[...]
1905 GMT (2:05 p.m. EST)
NEW LAUNCH TIME. The clock has run out on getting the new regulator installed and still getting the Atlas 5 rocket launched during the initial opportunity today. So officials have pushed the launch to the day's second window that opens at 5:46 p.m. EST.
[...]
1957 GMT (2:57 p.m. EST)
With the repairs successfully finished, the Complex 41 pad and the surrounding danger area have been cleared of all workers for the remainder of the countdown.

So, new launch time 5:46 p.m. EST, 22:46 GMT, 23:46 CET.

[Garrison]

Spaceflight Now: Delays.


So, new launch time 5:46 p.m. EST, 22:46 GMT, 23:46 CET.

Hmm, sounds like they've attended the SpaceX school of rocket repair.

[slang]

Less than one hour to lift off. Fueling ok, weather looks ok. Spaceflight Now shows the rocket, with NASA TV ISS audio

[slang]

SFnow:

2220 GMT (5:20 p.m. EST)
The chance of good weather has improved to 70 percent favorable now. Meteorologists say there's only a slight concern for a cloud violation and ground winds are well within limits now.

20 minutes!

[slang]

Webcast started, T-4 minutes and holding, no issues

[slang]

Getting ready for launch team readiness polls

[Garrison]

So that's a go!

[slang]

Launch director is go, proceed with the count, T-4

[slang]

5 minutes to go!