Antares launches; Falcon 9 aborts
Of the two launches scheduled for tonight, Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket was the only one to launch, lifting off on schedule at 9:16 pm (Eastern). This was the company’s third launch this year.
SpaceX’s launch however aborted at T-2 seconds. No word on why the rocket’s computer’s shut down, or when they will reschedule.
The leaders in the 2020 launch race remain unchanged:
25 China
15 SpaceX
10 Russia
4 ULA
4 Europe (Arianespace)
The Antares launch however puts the U.S. back into a tie with China, 25-25, in the national rankings.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Of the two launches scheduled for tonight, Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket was the only one to launch, lifting off on schedule at 9:16 pm (Eastern). This was the company’s third launch this year.
SpaceX’s launch however aborted at T-2 seconds. No word on why the rocket’s computer’s shut down, or when they will reschedule.
The leaders in the 2020 launch race remain unchanged:
25 China
15 SpaceX
10 Russia
4 ULA
4 Europe (Arianespace)
The Antares launch however puts the U.S. back into a tie with China, 25-25, in the national rankings.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
A few hours ago, Elon tweeted a terse explanation: “Unexpected pressure rise in the turbomachinery gas generator.”
Lord, was it frustrating to see that clock hit T-2 and . . . nothing. Still, I know a scrub beats a RUD.
They must be having difficulty with the cause, or the repair, as the re-scheduled launch for tonight just got pushed to the 5th.
They now have two scheduled for the 5th, one in the AM, one the PM.
sippin_bourbon wrote: “They must be having difficulty with the cause, or the repair, as the re-scheduled launch for tonight just got pushed to the 5th.”
I see this differently. Having a set launch date suggests to me that they have a plan for corrective action.
Edward,
Ideally, yes
However, I do not know what the posting of these dates are based on.
Is it presumed repair/readiness of the vehicle, or is it simply the next window based on the target orbit and an assumption that it will be fixed by that time?
sippin_bourbon asked: “Is it presumed repair/readiness of the vehicle, or is it simply the next window based on the target orbit and an assumption that it will be fixed by that time?”
It is based upon a reasonable plan to correct the problem by the scheduled launch time.
Due to the large amount of coordination that is necessary between multiple institutions, launch dates are not set willy nilly but based upon the readiness and scheduling of all these institutions. If SpaceX does not have a reasonable expectation of being ready on a launch date, then a lot of work can be done without reasonable expectation of a launch.
The Delta 4-Heavy that is currently trying to launch does not yet have a new scheduled launch date because they don’t know when they can reasonably expect to be ready, so there is no reason to schedule all the facilities, equipment, and personnel. Let all those people get other work done while ULA resolves their issues.
Edward
I get what you are saying.
I initially saw what appeared to be new launch time/dates, but then saw them pushed.
Hence my question.