Delta IV Heavy Rocket Will Try to Loft a Classified Mission Tonight (Updated: Scrubbed)
[20200827_123302 UTC: Mission has been scrubbed:
Launch Director Lou Mangieri has announced that we will not continue with the #DeltaIVHeavy rocket countdown operations today for #NROL44. Another launch attempt will be possible in 24 hours.
Apologies about the YouTube link; that was the one supplied in the source story, and I've been unable to find an alternate. It has been struck from this story. --martyb]
martyb writes:
The big Delta IV Heavy rocket will try to loft a classified mission tonight:
Is anyone ready to see a heavy-lift rocket take flight? Especially one that creates a giant fireball mere seconds before liftoff?
United Launch Alliance's largest booster, the Delta IV Heavy, has not launched since January, 2019. Now the big rocket-the second-most-powerful launch vehicle in the world after SpaceX's Falcon Heavy-is back on the pad to loft a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office.
Liftoff of this "NROL-44" mission is scheduled for 2:12am EDT (06:12 UTC)[*] on Thursday from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The weather forecast for liftoff is favorable, with only a slight concern for a chance of violating the cumulus cloud rules. Forecasters predict an 80-percent chance of good weather at the launch opportunity.
The mission was originally due to take place a day earlier, but United Launch Alliance delayed it for a day, with only a simple statement saying that it was moved "due to customer request."
[*] This story is scheduled to "go live" at 11PM EDT (0300 UTC). BUT as of 23:19 EDT:
An issue with a heater has been reported by the launch team. The issue is being referred to Anomaly Chief Dave McFarland for troubleshooting steps. The AC position in the control room that directs engineering teams work to resolve technical issues that arise during the count.
- ULA (@ulalaunch) August 27, 2020
Follow updates at: NASASpaceflight.com.
Video of the launch is available on YouTube and is scheduled to begin at 01:52am EDT (05:52 UTC) Thursday.
Read more of this story at SoylentNews.