US Space Force has its First Launch Today; Delayed but Successful Launch [Updated]
[20200326_203138 UTC: Update: There was a delay due to hydraulic issues, but the launch was able to get reset and launched. The Centaur upper-stage rocket is proceeding on its way to GTO (Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit) --martyb]
Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:
United Launch Alliance says its Atlas V rocket is ready to launch on Thursday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is set for 2:57pm (18:57 UTC) for the national security mission, which has a two-hour launch window. This is the first launch under the command of the newly constituted US Space Force.
For this mission, the Atlas V rocket will boost the sixth and final satellite in a constellation of military communications satellites in geostationary orbit. The "Advanced Extremely High Frequency" (AEHF) satellites are replacing the older Milstar communications system. The individual satellites cost $850 million each, and this AEHF-6 satellite to be launched Thursday was built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems. The previous five AEHF satellites launched on Atlas V rockets from 2010 to 2019.
[...] But at the US military's main spaceports in Florida, where the Atlas V rocket is due to launch, and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, essential launch opportunities appear to be continuing, at least for now.
United Launch Alliance will provide a live webcast of the launch, beginning about 20 minutes before the opening of the launch window.
There is a hold on the launch at the moment: tweet
William Harwood@cbs_spacenews19mA5/AEHF-6: ULA's Tory Bruno says problem was a bad amplifier card in a ground system hydrauylic pump controller; "working on a solution;" 1h 9m left in launch window
[The engineering crew established a process to test the hydraulics issue and are now preparing for a new launch time.(from memory)
Video stream is showing T-4:00, but I just heard the LD (Launch Director) announce reset launch time to to 20:18.
All areas reported all systems go. Proceeding with the count. --martyb]
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