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FUSE
Launch Report
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FLORIDA TODAY Space Online Delta/FUSE Launch Journal
(In reverse chronological order...)
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Thursday, June 24, 1999
Update for 1:14 p.m. EDT
T+plus 90 minutes. The FUSE spacecraft is reported in good
health following its arrival in space. The satellite's solar
arrays have been deployed, the onboard batteries are full
charged, the spacecraft is stable and pointed properly, said
Dennis McCarthy, the FUSE project manager at Johns Hopkins
University.
FUSE's instrument will be turned on in about 10 days. After a
period of tests and calibrations, early observations will be
made in late August or early September. Full science
operations should begin in November and continue for three
years.
This will conclude our Delta/FUSE Launch Journal.
-Justin Ray
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Update for 1:06 p.m. EDT
T+plus 82 minutes. NASA reports the tracking station in
Hawaii has acquired the signal from the FUSE spacecraft
following today's successful launch aboard the Boeing Delta 2
rocket. Also, the satellite has deployed its power-generating
solar arrays.
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Update for 1:04 p.m. EDT
T+plus 80 minutes. The helium and cold gas maneuvers by the
second stage has been completed to move away from the FUSE
spacecraft. One additional second stage activity is planned -
the depletion burn a little over 20 minutes from now.
The preliminary data indicates a near-circular orbit of 414
nautical miles inclined at 24.99 degrees.
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Update for 1:00 p.m. EDT
T+plus 76 minutes. SPACECRAFT SEPARATION. NASA's Far
Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer has separated from the
Delta 2 rocket's second stage. FUSE is now in orbit to begin
its mission to seek out the chemical remnants from the
creation of the universe.
In about six minutes, the two solar arrays on the spacecraft
are scheduled to be deployed by automatic onboard timers. The
spacecraft's signal should be picked up via a tracking site
in Hawaii shortly. NASA's Deep Space Network station in
Goldstone will then later acquire the satellite. Both
stations will be used by ground controllers to verify the
health of FUSE and successful solar array deployment.
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Update for 12:59 p.m. EDT
T+plus 75 minutes. Kwajalein has acquired signal from the
rocket. The separation bolts have fired.
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Update for 12:53 p.m. EDT
T+plus 69 minutes, 30 seconds. The Delta rocket's second
stage has completed its second burn today to deliver the FUSE
spacecraft into its proper orbit. Beginning over the next
minute, the stage will start maneuvers to achieve the correct
orientation for deployment of the satellite. Spacecraft
separation will occur 76 minutes, 5 seconds into flight
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Update for 12:52 p.m. EDT
T+plus 68 minutes. The Guam tracking station has acquired the
signal from the Delta 2 rocket. In less than a half-minute,
the rocket's second stage engine will be restarted for a
planned 45-second firing. This final boost will place the
stage and FUSE spacecraft in the intended orbit for
spacecraft separation.
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Update for 12:34 p.m. EDT
T+plus 50 minutes. There is not much to report at this point
in the flight of the Delta 2 rocket. The next major event
will be the restart of the second stage engine at 68 minutes,
23 seconds after liftoff.
In the meantime, check out some images of today's launch.
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Update for 12:24 p.m. EDT
T+plus 40 minutes. Ground controllers at the Johns Hopkins
University report they are receiving good data from the FUSE
spacecraft through NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite
System.
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Update for 12:11 p.m. EDT
T+plus 27 minutes. The Delta 2 rocket continues to transmit
data to the Ascension Island tracking station in the Atlantic
Ocean. This communications pass with Ascension should end in
about a minute. Following loss of signal, the rocket will be
out of contact with the ground for around 14 minutes until
the Diego Garcia station in the Indian Ocean acquires signal.
The vehicle is reported in good shape as the thermal
conditioning roll continues. Altitude: 218 nautical miles,
downrange distance: 5,500 nautical miles, velocity: 17,000
mph.
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Update for 12:04 p.m. EDT
T+plus 20 minutes. The Delta 2 rocket's second stage carrying
FUSE continues its coast period. Officials report there are
no problems.
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Update for 11:56 a.m. EDT
T+plus 12 minutes. The quick look orbital data shows the
Delta 2 rocket achieved an orbit very close to the
predictions.
The official Range liftoff time today was 11:43:59.879 a.m.
EDT.
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Update for 11:54 a.m. EDT
T+plus 10 minutes, 30 seconds. Second stage engine has shut
down following its first planned firing. The stage with the
FUSE spacecraft aboard is now in a preliminary parking orbit
and will coast for the next 58 minutes. The stage's engine
will be restarted northeast of Australia.
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Update for 11:53 a.m. EDT
T+plus 9 minutes. All systems reported stable aboard the
Delta 2 rocket. Second stage continues to fire. Altitude: 103
nautical miles, downrange distance: 1135 nautical miles,
velocity 15,800 mph.
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Update for 11:52 a.m. EDT
T+plus 8 minutes. A very smooth flight continues. The orbital
data at first stage main engine cutoff was right as expected.
The Antigua tracking station has acquired the vehicle's data.
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Update for 11:49 a.m. EDT
T+plus 5 minutes. The Delta rocket's first stage has done its
job during the first 4 1/2 minutes of flight this morning.
Moments ago the first stage main engine cut off and the first
and second stages separated. Also, the payload fairing was
jettisoned. Live video now coming from the onboard camera.
The second stage has ignited for the first of its four burns
scheduled during this launch. The first two burns will
deliver the FUSE satellite into its planned orbit, the other
two firings of the stage will be made to maneuver itself away
from the spacecraft, then deplete the remaining onboard fuel.
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Update for 11:46:30 a.m. EDT
T+plus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Vehicle right on the predicted
Range track. Altitude: 23 nautical miles, downrange distance:
64 nautical miles, velocity: 3,700 mph.
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Update for 11:46 a.m. EDT
T+plus 2 minutes. This morning's launch continues to go as
planned. No problems have been reported.
Just over a minute into flight, the three solid rocket motors
attached to the rocket's first stage burned out and were
jettisoned. Delta is now being powered entirely on the
liquid-fueled first stage main engine and the twin vernier
steering jets.
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Update for 11:44 a.m. EDT
Liftoff. Liftoff of the Boeing Delta 2 rocket launching
NASA's FUSE spacecraft to probe the origins of our universe.
And the tower is clear.
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Update for 11:43:30 a.m. EDT
T-minus 30 seconds. Hydraulics and electronics reported go.
The launch ignition sequence will begin at T-minus 2 seconds
when a Boeing engineer triggers the engine start switch. The
process begins with ignition of the two vernier engines and
first stage main engine start. The three solid rocket motors
then light at T-0 for liftoff.
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Update for 11:43 a.m. EDT
T-minus 1 minute. The Range has issued its final clearance to
proceed with launch; second stage hydraulic pump pressures
have been verified acceptable and the pump has gone to
internal power.
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Update for 11:42:30 a.m. EDT
T-minus 1 minute, 30 seconds. Liquid oxygen topping to 100
percent; data charts going to high speed; second stage
hydraulic pump to external power.
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Update for 11:42 a.m. EDT
T-minus 2 minutes. The first stage liquid oxygen tank is now
being pressurized for flight. Puffs of vapor from a relief
valve on the rocket will be seen in the remainder of the
countdown as the tank pressure stabilizes.
FUSE is reported go for launch.
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Update for 11:41 a.m. EDT
T-minus 3 minutes. The safety destruct safe and arm devices
are being armed. Shortly, NASA launch manager Chuck Dovale
will announce the FUSE spacecraft is ready for launch.
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Update for 11:40 a.m. EDT
T-minus 4 minutes and counting. Countdown clocks have picked
up for launch of the Delta 2 rocket to carry NASA's Far
Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer spacecraft into Earth
orbit today. There are now no problems standing in the way of
liftoff at 11:44 a.m. EDT.
At this time, launch vehicle systems are going to internal
power.
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Update for 11:39 a.m. EDT
Preparing to resume the countdown in one minute. Now five
minutes away from liftoff. The launch team reports all
systems are ready for flight this morning of the 271th Delta
rocket.
Today, the Delta 2 will ascend with a flight azimuth of 97.5
degrees, heading east away from Cape Canaveral Air Station.
The vehicle should arrive in an inital orbit of 100 by 462
nautical miles inclined at 28.82 degrees following the first
cutoff of the second stage, which will occur about 10
minutes, 17 seconds into flight.
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Update for 11:38 a.m. EDT
The Range is go for launch. Countdown will pick up at 11:40
a.m. for launch at 11:44 a.m. EDT today.
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Update for 11:36 a.m. EDT
T-minus 4 minutes and holding. Countdown clocks are still
stopped at T-minus 4 minutes while the launch team awaits a
"go" from the Eastern Range. The Range provides safety and
tracking services for all Cape launches.
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Update for 11:34 a.m. EDT
It appears the hold at T-minus 4 minutes will be extended a
few additional minutes while the boat is moved out of the
restricted zone in the Atlantic Ocean. Today's available
window extends until 12:57 p.m. EDT in order to launch the
Delta 2 rocket and NASA's FUSE spacecraft.
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Update for 11:33 a.m. EDT
Officials are still looking to determine if the boat off the
coast of Cape Canaveral can be cleared out of the launch
danger area in time to allow the Delta 2 rocket to launch on
schedule at 11:39 a.m. EDT.
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Update for 11:31 a.m. EDT
A poll of the entire launch team has been completed. The
Range did report a "no go" status. The Range reports there is
a boat within the launch danger area off shore from Cape
Canaveral Air Station.
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Update for 11:30 a.m. EDT
Half way through this built-in hold at T-minus 4 minutes. The
launch team continues to target 11:39 a.m. EDT for liftoff
today. NASA launch manager Chuck Dovale has completed another
readiness poll of the NASA team. No problems were reported.
A network of tracking stations around the globe are ready to
relay telemetry data from the Delta 2 rocket today during the
major events that will occur throughout the launch. At
liftoff, the TEL-4 tracking station here at the Cape will
provide coverage of the first stage of flight and second
stage engine ignition. As the vehicle heads eastward, the
Antigua tracking site will acquire signal about 6 minutes, 19
seconds into flight. Antigua will cover the mission for 6 1/4
minutes through the first cutoff of the second stage.
Additional stations on Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean
and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean can relay data during
the long, quiet coast period before the second start of the
second stage. As the second stage and FUSE spacecraft pass
northeast of Australia, the tracking station on Guam will
begin coverage at T+plus 65 minutes, 54 seconds to provide
coverage of the second burn of the second stage and
spacecraft separation. The Kwajalein Missile Range will also
be available for spacecraft deployment, expected to occur 76
minutes into flight.
After FUSE separation, the second stage will perform two
additional engine firings. Both will occur while in coverage
of the TEL-4 station here at the Cape. The first burn is an
evasive maneuver to move the spent stage away from the FUSE
satellite. The second will deplete the stage's remaining
onboard fuel supply.
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Update for 11:26 a.m. EDT
The FUSE spacecraft atop the Delta 2 rocket is now going to
internal power.
The satellite weighs 2,942 pounds, and will be placed in a
circular orbit inclined 25 degrees about 415 nautical miles
above Earth.
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Update for 11:25 a.m. EDT
T-minus 4 minutes and holding. The countdown is now holding
at T-minus 4 minutes. This is a planned 10-minute hold during
which the launch team will have the chance to prepare for
entering the final portion of this morning's countdown. The
hold will also be used by officials to perform readiness
polls to ensure all systems are go for launch. At this point,
liftoff remains set for 11:39 a.m. EDT.
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Update for 11:23 a.m. EDT
T-minus 6 minutes. The facility water tanks are being
pressurized at this time. Also, Air Force Launch Weather
Officer Joel Tumbiolo has just reported conditions are
acceptable for launch. There less than a 10 percent chance of
weather stopping the launch at the beginning of the window at
11:39 a.m. EDT, and a 10 percent chance of bad weather by the
close of the 78-minute window.
For today's launch of FUSE, Boeing will use the scaled-down,
economical model 7320-10 Delta 2 rocket. The expendable
launch vehicle consists of two stages, three strap-on solid
rocket boosters and a 10-foot diameter payload fairing. The
rocket stands 126 feet tall.
The rocket's first stage is powered by the liquid-fueled
RS-27A main engine built by Rocketdyne, a division of Boeing.
The engine will fire for the first 4 minutes, 24 seconds of
flight, consuming the RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen loaded
aboard the rocket this morning. The first stage also features
four Alliant Techsystems solid-propellant thrust augmentation
motors. They will be ignited at liftoff and burn for 63
seconds. The spent casings will then separate three seconds
later to fall into the Atlantic Ocean.
Some 4 minutes, 32 seconds after liftoff, the first stage
will be jettisoned and the second stage will take over. The
Aerojet AJ10-118K engine will ignite for the first time at
T+plus 4 minutes, 37.8 seconds, beginning 5-minute, 40 second
firing. The engine burns Aerozine-50 fuel and nitrogen
tetroxide oxidizer, which were pumped aboard the rocket on
Tuesday. The payload fairing will be jettisoned 4 minutes, 58
seconds into flight. Following the cutoff of the second stage
engine, the stage and FUSE spacecraft will coast half-way
around the world before another firing will occur. That
45-second burn will deliver FUSE into the proper orbit for
deployment. Spacecraft separation is expected 76 minutes, 5
seconds after launch, more than 400 nautical miles above the
Pacific northeast of Australia.
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Update for 11:22 a.m. EDT
T-minus 7 minutes. NASA launch manager Chuck Dovale has
completed a readiness poll of his team and all systems were
reported go.
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Update for 11:19 a.m. EDT
T-minus 10 minutes. Clocks continue counting down to T-minus
4 minutes for the planned 10-minute built-in hold. Launch is
still scheduled for 11:39 a.m. EDT, the opening of a
78-minute window today. The Range destruct system checks have
been completed with no problems reported.
The Delta 2 rocket is carrying an onboard camera for today's
launch of NASA's FUSE spacecraft. Similar cameras have been
flown on previous Delta launches for NASA, as well as
commercial missions for Globalstar. The video is used to
gather engineering data while giving the public a taste of
spaceflight. NASA launch manager Chuck Dovale gives this
overview:
"It is mounted on the second stage. It is facing forward this
time, so its a little bit different. It's going to be an
awesome view, I think. We should see fairing separation and a
great view of spacecraft separation."
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Update for 11:17 a.m. EDT
Checks are now under way of the Range Safety command destruct
receivers that would be used to destroy the Delta rocket
should a problem arise during the launch.
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Update for 11:10 a.m. EDT
Several tests of the first stage liquid oxygen fill and drain
valve were just performed. The tests cycled the valve, and
engineers reported the valve did close. We will stand by to
hear if these tests have put the earlier concerns to rest.
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Update for 11:09 a.m. EDT
T-minus 20 minutes and counting. Now 30 minutes away from
today's scheduled launch. NASA has not provided any update to
the earlier technical concern with a liquid oxygen valve on
the rocket.
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Update for 11:00 a.m. EDT
Pre-launch steering checks are under way for the first and
second stage engine nozzles.
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Update for 10:59 a.m. EDT
T-minus 30 minutes and counting. Officials just received
another weather briefing. All weather conditions are
currently acceptable and predicted to remain within limits
for the planned 11:39 a.m. EDT launch time. "We are still
looking in good shape," Launch Weather Officer Joel Tumbiolo
said.
Following the last launch of a Boeing Delta 2 rocket,
engineers discovered the second stage engine used less
oxidizer than planned during the depletion burn. That burn is
done at the end of the launch to consume the remaining fuel
aboard the stage as a safety measure. Although the situation
did not affect the outcome of the launch, which successfully
deployed four Globalstar communications satellites into
orbit, officials have reviewed the matter to ensure a safe
launch of FUSE.
"We did a successful mission on Globalstar-3. During the
normal process we do a very indepth data review, and we did
see an out-of-family condition on the mixture ratio of the
second stage burn. Per our typical processes, we feed it
forward to the next launch. As NASA, Boeing engineering as
well as our contractors, we go look at any possibilities of
what created the out of tolerance mixture ratio. All of those
things are looked at, and that is a joint effort," said Joy
Bryant, Boeing's mission director for the FUSE launch.
"The mission was a full success and this occurred during the
depletion burn. The margin on the FUSE mission is well
greater than that of Globalstar and we don't anticipate any
problems even if we were to encounter this problem. NASA did
work with Boeing and we held an independent engineering board
that looked at the possible causes to this. We instituted
some risk mitigation factors, some inspections of the
as-built hardware on the pad, X-rays of some valves and we
feel the hardware as its stacked on the pad is ready to go
and the (Globalstar-3) anomaly was an isolated incident,"
NASA launch manager Chuck Dovale said.
Boeing plans to carry out the same work on the next Delta 2
rocket loaded with Globalstar satellites, scheduled for
launch on July 8, to ensure it will successfully complete the
mission.
"The same inspections that we did on each of the compenants
of interest, as well as a paperwork review will be repeated
again. It is an on-going investigation. We will make sure we
close all the issues that could have possibly contributed to
that, and take a second-look at all the hardware related,"
Bryant said.
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Update for 10:54 a.m. EDT
Engineers are currently looking at a possible problem with
the rocket's first stage liquid oxygen fill and drain valve.
The launch team says the amount of time the valve is taking
to cycle is unacceptable.
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Update for 10:49 a.m. EDT
T-minus 40 minutes and counting. The countdown continues on
schedule for launch of NASA's FUSE spacecraft at 11:39 a.m.
EDT.
Processing of the Boeing Delta 2 rocket for today's launch
got under way June 3 with erection of the first stage atop
launch pad 17A. The three solid rocket motors were attached
to the stage on June 4. The second stage was added on June 7.
FUSE was transported to the pad on June 16. The payload
fairing, or the nose cone of the rocket, was installed on
June 19.
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Update for 10:44 a.m. EDT
Loading of cryogenic liquid oxygen into the Delta rocket's
first stage was completed to 100 percent at 10:44:25 a.m.
EDT. The tanking took 25 minutes, 7 seconds today.
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Update for 10:39 a.m. EDT
T-minus 50 minutes and counting. The countdown marches on at
Cape Canaveral Air Station for this morning's planned launch
of a Boeing Delta 2 rocket. Liftoff is now one hour away.
Countdown clocks are proceeding toward T-minus 4 minutes
where a 10-minute hold is planned.
The FUSE spacecraft will operate as part of NASA's Origins
Program. Here is Dr. Harley Thronson, acting director of the
program.
"(Today) we begin answering some important questions within
the Origins Program. The title of the Origins Program is
self-explanatory. This is the scientific enterprise within
NASA that seeks to answer fundamental questions about the
birth and early evolution of the key components of the
universe, including the universe itself. In addition,
galaxies, stars, planets and one of the major questions
humanity might ask - are we alone in the universe?
"The primary scientific program for the FUSE mission
addresses, and we expect, answers key questions related to
two important aspects of the Origins Program. First, the
early conditions in the Big Bang - the enoromous explosion
out of which the universe began. And how stars form, how they
evolve and how they interact with the interstellar medium."
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Update for 10:31 a.m. EDT
The Air Force has just informed Boeing there will be a
collision avoidance period, or COLA, during today's window in
which launch cannot occur. The COLA will extend from 12:03 to
12:09 p.m. EDT due to passage of the Russian space station
Mir.
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Update for 10:29 a.m. EDT
Now 10 minutes into first stage liquid oxygen tanking.
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Update for 10:19 a.m. EDT
T-minus 70 minutes. Liquid oxygen is now flowing into the
Delta 2 rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Station's launch pad
17A.
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Update for 10:10 a.m. EDT
Officials have given the clear to begin loading the Delta 2
rocket's first stage with super-cold liquid oxygen at 10:19
a.m. EDT.
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Update for 9:59 a.m. EDT
T-minus 90 minutes. The launch of NASA's FUSE ultraviolet
telescope remains on schedule for 11:39 a.m. EDT today. There
are no technical problems with the Delta rocket or spacecraft
that would delay liftoff. The latest weather update indicates
there is an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions today.
The Delta 2 rocket's first stage was loaded with RP-1 fuel, a
highly refined kerosene, at 1 a.m. EDT this morning. The
mobile service tower was then rolled back at 4:30 a.m. EDT.
The launch team is now preparing to load the first stage with
liquid oxygen, which should begin in about 20 minutes.
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Update for 9:39 a.m. EDT
Now just two hours from the launch of Delta 271 carrying the
Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer for NASA. The probe is
expected to operate for three years to further explore the
Big Bang, which is believed to have created the universe 12
to 15 billion years ago. Here a brief overview of FUSE's
mission and science objectives from the NASA fact sheet:
"Astronomers are embarking on a new study to understand the
origin and history of the chemical elements in the Universe,
thanks to the unique data which will be obtained by NASA?s
Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) mission. The
FUSE satellite will investigate the lightest elements in the
Universe - hydrogen and one of its isotopes, deuterium -
created shortly after the Big Bang, and the processes
involved in the evolution of the galaxies, stars and
planetary systems.
"Observations made with the FUSE satellite will enable
astronomers to answer several fundamental questions about the
Universe. What were the conditions shortly after the Big
Bang? What are the properties of interstellar gas clouds that
form stars and planetary systems? How are chemical elements
made and subsequently dispersed throughout our galaxy?
"These goals will be accomplished by recording the far
ultraviolet spectrum of hundreds of stars and other
astronomical objects. The far ultraviolet is one small
portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, of which visible
light is also a part. FUSE will be the only current telescope
capable of observations at these wavelengths.
"FUSE, one of NASA's Explorer satellites, was built by the
Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Baltimore, Md., in
collaboration with the Canadien Space Agency and the French
Space Agency (CNES), the University of Colorado, and the
University of California, Berkeley. The project is managed by
NASA?s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, Md. The
FUSE mission and science control center is on the JHU
Homewood campus in Baltimore.
"The FUSE Mission is designed to address a number of
scientific questions with broad applications to astronomy.
Astronomers will use FUSE observations to:
* Understand the origin and history of the chemical
elements in the Milky Way galaxy and other nearby
galaxies, especially the Large and Small Magellanic
Clouds;
* Help trace the history of deuterium, a special form of
hydrogen, back to its origin in the Big Bang;
* Explore the origin and circulation of hot and cold gas
in the Milky Way and the relationship of these gases
with the formation of new generations of stars;
* Provide insight into the origin and evolution of our
galaxy by studying a wide range of astronomical objects
including: hot stars; solar-type stars; remnants of
supernova explosions; active nuclei of galaxies and
quasars; and planets and comets in the solar system."
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Update for 8:59 a.m. EDT
T-minus 150 minutes and counting. The terminal count has
started for today's launch of the Boeing Delta 2 rocket with
NASA's FUSE spacecraft. Liftoff remains on schedule for 11:39
a.m. EDT, with one built-in hold scheduled at T-minus 4
minutes for 10 minutes.
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Update for 8:20 a.m. EDT
Preparations to launch a Boeing Delta 2 rocket today from
Cape Canaveral Air Station are continuing on schedule,
officials report. Overnight, workers rolled the 10-story
mobile service tower away from the rocket. No problems are
being worked and liftoff is set for 11:39 a.m. EDT. The next
milestone upcoming will be the start of terminal count at
8:59 a.m. EDT.
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Wednesday, June 23, 1999
Update for 6 p.m. EDT
Launch officials held their final readiness review today and
all systems remain go for launch of a Boeing Delta 2 rocket
and NASA's FUSE spacecraft on Thursday at 11:39 a.m. EDT. "We
are ready to proceed," said Chuck Dovale, the NASA launch
manager.
The latest weather forecast prepared by Air Force
meteorologists shows a 60 percent chance of good weather with
the main threat being thunderstorms. However, the weather is
expected to be better in early part of the 78-minute launch
window. The forecast calls for clouds at 2,000 feet and
25,000 feet, visibility of 10 miles or better, easterly winds
at 10 gusting to 15 knots, a temperature of 81 to 83 degrees
F and relative humidity of 80 percent.
"Late morning-early afternoon launch windows in the middle of
June always makes my job very difficult and tomorrow will be
no different," says Launch Weather Officer Joel Tumbiolo.
"For those of you that live in this area understand several
heavy rain and thunderstorm events over the past couple of
weeks. Even though the amount of thunderstorms may be smaller
today and a little bit less tomorrow, we will still have a
few of them out there that we will have to deal with. It does
look like we will be in a race against that daily development
of what we call the east coast seabreeze, and the
thunderstorms that generate that allow the seabreeze."
"We will be monitoring any clouds and storms that develop
along that seabreeze. Any storms that develop will be moving
generally in a south-southeasterly direction. So basically,
we will be looking northwest of the Cape because those are
the storms that would affect us the most because they would
be moving in our general direction."
"I do think we will have an opportunity during the window, we
may just have to wait out a storm or two as it passes by
before we have a green condition. Pretty much the a similar
scenario for (Friday). We are in the time of year where we
basically have the same setup each and every day with the
heating of the land and the seabreeze and storms developing.
We will have a few storms to avoid but I feel confident we
will have an opportunity during tomorrow's window," Tumbiolo
said.
At 11 p.m. EDT tonight officials will receive another weather
briefing in preparation for loading RP-1 fuel into the first
stage of the Delta rocket and rolling back the protective
mobile service tower. Tower removal is expected just after 5
a.m. EDT Thursday. Once the tower is moved away from the
rocket, workers will perform final closeouts of facilities at
Complex 17A and pad securing for the liftoff.
The terminal countdown will begin at 8:59 a.m. EDT at the
T-minus 150 minute mark. As the count proceeds, the launch
team will pressurize the first and second stage helium and
nitrogen systems and second stage fuel tanks. Also the
rocket's guidance system will be activated. The loading of
super-cold liquid oxygen into the Delta's first stage is
scheduled to start at 10:14 a.m. EDT. One built-in hold in
the countdown is planned at T-minus 4 minutes. This 10-minute
hold will allow the team the chance to work any problems and
prepare to enter the final phase of the countdown. Thursday's
launch window will extend from 11:39 a.m. to 12:57 p.m. EDT.
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Boeing and NASA are teamed together to launch the Far
Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer telescope on Thursday from
Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla. The Delta 2 rocket is poised
to lift off during a window of 11:39 a.m. to 12:57 p.m. EDT.
Spacecraft separation will occur 76 minutes into flight.
Air Force meteorologists say there will be a 60 percent
chance of acceptable weather conditions on Thursday due to
the threat of thunderstorms. The weather is expected to
worsen during the later portion of the window. The forecast
calls for clouds scattered at 3,000 feet and broken at 15,000
feet, visibility of 10 miles or better, southwesterly winds
at 5 to 10 knots becoming southeasterly at 10 to 15 knots, a
temperature of 84 degrees and relative humidity of 80
percent. Should the launch be delayed to Friday or Saturday,
similar conditions are expected.
At launch pad 17A on Tuesday, workers fueled the Delta 2
rocket's second stage with its storable propellants.
-Justin Ray, Florida Today Space Online
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