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Delta 2 rocket launch reset after contamination checks BY JUSTIN RAY SPACEFLIGHT NOW Posted: May 17, 2005 Following extensive inspections after a broken fuel venting hose generated concerns, a civilian weather-monitoring satellite and the rocket that will ferry the observatory into space are free of contamination, engineers concluded Tuesday.
The worry stems from a kerosene propellant vent hose in the launch vehicle that inadvertently disconnected while crews were draining 10,000 gallons of the fuel from the first stage last Friday as part of routine post-scrub activities. A countdown that morning was halted by launch pad electrical problems, forcing a 24-hour delay. Officials decided to forego another launch try early Saturday while the contamination checks were performed. On Monday, officials examined results from 9 of the 17 samples. All showed no signs of any problems. The remaining samples reviewed Tuesday also indicated the spacecraft and rocket were fine. "We are good to go," NASA spokesman George Diller said. Orbital constraints for the satellite, coupled with scheduling conflicts at the Vandenberg Air Force Base launch site, mean the next available liftoff opportunity is this coming Friday at 1022 GMT (6:22 a.m. EDT; 3:22 a.m. PDT). A Launch Readiness Review is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. This meeting gives senior managers a final chance to discuss all launch preparations and the weather forecast. If all goes well, the review concludes with officials approving the countdown's start. The weather outlook predicts low clouds and fog for the predawn launch window. Gusty winds are the only concern for violating launch weather rules. The NOAA-N spacecraft, built by Lockheed Martin, will orbit 540 miles above the planet to provide meteorologists with imagery, temperature measurements and atmospheric profiles needed for weather forecasting. The satellite will replace the aging NOAA-16 craft, launched in September 2000, that has experienced some instrument problems and well-surpassed its two-year design life. NOAA-N, which will be renamed NOAA-18 upon its successful delivery in space, builds upon 45 years of weather monitoring by U.S. polar-orbiting satellites. This particular satellite, its instruments, Delta rocket and assorted support costs amount to $341 million. You can follow Friday's early morning countdown and the ascent to orbit in our live Mission Status Center.
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Officials from NASA, NOAA, the Air Force and Boeing hold the pre-launch news conference at Vandenberg Air Force Base to preview the mission of a Delta 2 rocket and the NOAA-N weather satellite. (29min 54sec file)
Play video:
Watch shuttle Discovery's countdown dress rehearsal that ends with a simulated main engine shutdown and post-abort safing practice. (13min 19sec file)
The five-man, two-woman astronaut crew departs the Operations and Checkout Building to board the AstroVan for the ride to launch pad 39B during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test countdown dress rehearsal. (3min 07sec file)
After breakfast, the astronauts don their launch and entry partial pressure suits before heading to the pad. (3min 14sec file)
Dressed in festive Hawaiian shirts, Discovery's seven astronauts are gathered around the dining room table in crew quarters for breakfast. They were awakened at 6:05 a.m. EDT to begin the launch day dress rehearsal at Kennedy Space Center. (1min 57sec file)
As part of their training at Kennedy Space Center, the Discovery astronauts learn to drive an armored tank that would be used to escape the launch pad and receive briefings on the escape baskets on the pad 39B tower. (5min 19sec file)
Shuttle Discovery's astronauts pause their training at launch pad 39B to hold an informal news conference near the emergency evacuation bunker. (26min 11sec file)
