Written by Last week saw the successful launch of a United Launch Alliance Delta IV carrying the latest GPS IIF satellite into orbit. The video below is an edited version of the ULA launch feed with an overview of the mission followed by the launch to SECO.
Posts in category Delta IV
Delta IV successfully places the GPS IIF-3 satellite in orbit
Delta IV GPS IIF-3 Launch main engine ignition
On Thursday 4th October the third of the new range of GPS IIF navigation satellites was launched into orbit. There was a perfect countdown with everything proceeding on schedule to the target T-0 of 8:10am EST. As the countdown clock wound down the weather conditions improved with an 80% chance of launch quoted at the weather briefing during the T-4 minute hold.
The seconds were ticking away when the launch controller polled the 30+ stations monitoring individual functions on the rocket, the launch pad, the flight range and the weather. Each of the stations reported GO across the board and the mission director gave the launch conductor permission to launch. At 8:06am the countdown restarted at T-4.
The terminal countdown continued to T-5 seconds when the main booster was ignited. The lower part of the Delta IV rocket was engulfed in a fireball of hydrogen burn off. As the last few seconds ticked away the main engine built up power until T-0.01 seconds when the twin solid rocket motors were lit. At 8:10 the hold down was released and the rocket blasted off on its 3 and a half hour trip into orbit.
Continue reading the launch report and to view the launch image gallery: READ MORE »
The best places to watch the Delta IV GPS IIF-3 rocket launch from
Delta IV GPS IIF-3 Launch
If you are planning to watch the Delta IV GPS IIF-3 launch on Thursday morning then you will probably find that there will not be too many people joining you and you will be able to get your pick of viewpoints.
There are 2 great locations, SR-401 by the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station gates and Jetty Park. Moving further afield just about anywhere on Cocoa Beach will get a good view, but not until the rocket has left the pad.
As the launch is early morning Jetty Park should be open but check first. The best option is beside the SR-401 behind the cruise terminal. This is about 8 miles from Launch Pad 37B and has a full unobstructed view of the rocket over the waters of the Banana River.
There are no facilities at all here, but plenty of parking so come prepared. I have spent many a day sitting around getting a tan waiting for a launch from here. However as the launch is scheduled for 8:10am with a 19 minute window it will be all over long before 9am.
Click here for a detailed Google map.
All this information and more is available from our iPhone KSC Launch Pad App. Click here for more details.
Delta IV rocket to launch GPS IIF-3 satellite from Cape Canaveral on 4th October
Delta IV with GPS IIF-3 launches 4th October
This week will see two rockets launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the first on Thursday October 4th will be a Delta IV carrying the third of the new family of GPS Satellites into space to strengthen both the public and military positioning services. The second launch will see the first of the SpaceX cargo missions to the ISS for NASA featuring the Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft.
The Delta IV launch is scheduled to blast off at 8:10 am EDT (12:10pm GMT) on Thursday from SLC-37B on the Atlantic coast at Cape Canaveral. The rocket will be in the Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) configuration with a single main booster, twin strap-on solid rocket motors, the Delta cryogenic second stage, and a 4 metre diameter, 38.5 foot tall payload fairing. The combined height of the rocket is 206 feet.
Continue reading the rest of the article and to view the GPS satellite preparation images… READ MORE »
Upgraded Delta IV Heavy successfully launches NROL-15 satellite into orbit
Delta IV Heavy with NROL-15 satellite liftoff at Cape Canaveral
Friday saw the first launch of a Delta IV Heavy with the upgraded Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68A main engines. The Delta IV was lofting the secret spy satellite code named NROL-15 into orbit for the USA National Reconnaissance Office.
The launch was successfully completed by United Launch Alliance and the USAF at 9:15am EDT after two hours of delays due to technical issues that were resolved over 3 halts to the launch sequence.
The Delta IV Heavy is currently the largest and most powerful rocket in service for the United States. It has a triple core first stage enabling it to lift the heaviest payloads into orbit. At launch the boosters generate over 2.1 million pounds of thrust.
The launch was scheduled for 6:13am EDT and countdown proceeded normally to the T-4 hold. Prior to coming out of the T-4 hold all stations were polled and a GO FOR LAUNCH was given. A minute or so later the countdown resumed and the clocks started running. This was short-lived though as a there was a voltage spike as the rocket switched to internal power.
Preparations well underway for todays Delta IV rocket launch
Delta IV Heavy in MST prior to tower rollback
Last night the final preparations for the countdown to launch of the Delta IV Heavy rocket carrying the secret spy satellite NROL-15 were made ready for launch at 6:13 am this morning (11:13 BST) from the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Stations SLC-37B. While the remote cameras were being setup the Mobile service tower was rolled back exposing the triple cores of the first stage of the Delta IV.
Tropical storm Debby has moved away from the Florida Space Coast and the weather is looking to co-operate today with a 90% chance of favourable conditions at launch time. With this in mind shortly after midnight last night the launch team was given the GO to precede with cryogenic tanking.
With one hour to go before launch the countdown is preceding normally. GO DELTA IV, GO NROL-15
Our image gallery of the tower rollback follows: READ MORE »
Where to watch the Delta IV NROL-15 rocket launch from
NROL-32 Delta 4 Heavy sitting on SLC-37B Cape Canaveral (credit ULA)
If you are planning to watch the Delta IV Heavy NROL-15 launch on Friday morning then you will probably find that there will not be too many people joining you and you will be able to get your pick of viewpoints.
There are 2 great locations, SR-401 by the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station gates and Jetty Park. Moving further afield just about anywhere on Cocoa Beach will get a good view, but not until the rocket has left the pad.
As the launch is just before dawn Jetty Park is likely to be shut so that really only leaves the option of the SR-401. This is about 8 miles from Launch Pad 37B and has a full unobstructed view of the rocket over the waters of the Banana River.
There are no facilities at all here, but plenty of parking so come prepared. Click here for a detailed Google map.
Back in January 2009 a Delta IV Heavy launched with NROL-29 payload. The following video shows the view that can be seen from the SR-401 viewpoint.
All this information and more is available from our iPhone KSC Launch Pad App. Click here for more details.
ULA Delta IV to launch NROL-15 spy satellite on June 29 from CCAFS
NROL-15 spy satellite to launch on Delta IV heavy
The latest US Secret Spy Satellite is due to launch on Friday 29th June at 6:13 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s space launch complex LC-37B. This will be lofted into orbit atop a Delta IV heavy. The payload is a classified satellite for the USA National Reconnaissance Office designated NROL-15.
The Delta IV heavy is currently the most powerful rocket in the USA Expendable Launch Vehicle arsenal. The lift capability has been increased by upgraded Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68A main engines providing 39,000 pounds more lift than the standard RS-68. This gives a total lift from the triple booster rocket of 2.1 million pounds of thrust.
The launch was originally scheduled for the 28th but Tropical Storm Debby put only a 20% chance of launching so mission controllers have postponed the launch for a day when the chances improve to 40%. During this delay the rocket will be protected inside the Mobile Service Tower whilst Debby ravages the coast.
Launch Pad video of the Delta IV WGS-4 Launch
We had six video cameras within the perimeter of Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for the launch of the Delta IV rocket on 19th Jan 2012. Unfortunately two of them got covered in dew so didn’t record anything, but of the remaining four we got some great shots.
My favourite is the first video where you can clearly see the engines light up and the plume of exhaust building as it exits the flame trench. The force of the blast knocked the perimeter fence out. Good thing our cameras were not on that side…
Beautiful night launch of Delta IV carrying WGS-4
Delta IV WGS-4 Launch from the NASA Press Office
Last Thursday night on a cloudless starry night a Delta IV blasted off into the obsidian skies on its way into orbit. The Delta 4 was in the Medium configuration with 4 strap on solid rocket boosters.
The payload it was carrying was the WGS-4 satellite. WGS stands for Wideband Global SATCOM which is a high capacity communications satellite used by both the US and Australian Departments of Defence.
At the start of the day the weather forecast showed a 95% chance of launching which improved throughout the day to a 100% chance from the weather point of view. The only possible thing preventing the launch would have been a technical problem.
We were hoping to view the launch from the NASA causeway, about 2.5 miles from the launch pad, but due to concerns over toxins we had to relocate to the NASA Press Center which is about 6 miles away.
The countdown continued without a hitch to a 4 minute hold. At 7:34pm the countdown picked up again and continued all the way to an on-time launch at 7:38. Our launch video shows the roll back of the mobile service tower in the morning, followed but the launch. The video tracks the flight of the Delta IV rocket from launch through SRB separation to Main Engine Cut Off (MECO).
SLC-37(B) Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral AFS
Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 37B for Delta IV Rockets (Credit ULA)
Launch Complex 37B (LC-37B) is one of a pair of launch pads comprising LC-37 situated on Cape Canaveral Air Force Base. The other LC-37A was never actually used, indeed the USAF only ever refer to the Launch Complex as LC-37.
Construction of LC-37 started in 1959 and saw the first rocket launched in January 1964. This was the a Saturn 1 test flight which exceeded the test criteria. The Saturn 1 rockets were launched from here until 1968 when the complex became inactive.
In 2002 the complex was refurbished and repurposed for a new range of Boeing Delta IV rockets. The Delta IV and Atlas V (LC-41) now provide the main platforms described as Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles for launching space ships into the upper atmosphere and beyond.
Delta IV launches GPS IIF-2 into space
Delta IV - GPS 2F-2 all ready to blast off
Early Saturday morning a Delta IV rocket carrying the latest GPS satellite blasted off on it’s journey into space. This was the second of the new block IIF satellites made by Boeing to be launched. Boeing have been contracted to supply 12 block IIF GPS satellites to replace existing spacecraft which are reaching the end of their operational life.
The launch was the 50th GPS satellite, all of which have been deployed on Delta rockets: 48 on Delta II and now 2 on Delta IV. The launch originally scheduled for June 28th was delayed 3 times, to July 14th and 15th for technical reasons then again to July 16th because of weather.
Early morning July the 16th broke that chain of delays and the Delta IV and the GPS satellite reached out to space, continuing to replenish the constellation of NAVSTAR GPS navigation satellites pinpointing our location.
The launch video follows the rocket launch for the first 2 minutes of the flight clearly showing the SRB separation.
Our full launch report and image gallery follows: READ MORE »
GPS IIF-2 Launch scrubbed for today. Next attempt Saturday
Artist impression of the GPS IIF-2 satellite
Whilst we were setting up remote cameras on the SLC-37B pad we were hustled off due to ‘Phase 2 lightning warnings’ on nearby pads 40 and 41. This meant that not only did we have to get to a safe place, but that the Mobile Service Tower could not roll back from the rocket.
This meant that the countdown for launch could not continue and eventually the inability to roll back the Mobile Service Tower resulted in the countdown exceeding the available launch window. This meant that the launch had to be scrubbed for the day.
The Delta IV carrying GPS IIF-2 is now scheduled for Saturday morning between 2:41am to 3:00am.
USAF Delay Delta IV Launch for 24 hrs, now set for Friday
GPS IIF-2 Launching on top of a Delta IV
The launch of the Delta IV rocket carrying the second of the new GPS IIF satellites has been delayed for 24 hours. The new launch time is 2:45 to 3:04 Friday morning EDT (7:45 to 8:04 BST).
The delay is to allow last minute checking out of the satellite. There were a number of rumours and speculation flying round NASA’s Kennedy Space Center today, but no firm facts as to the cause of the delay were mentioned. A later statement said that the delay was for the “GPS spacecraft team time to complete assessment and coordination of satellite readiness to launch”
The official USAF 45th Space Wing press release follows: READ MORE »
Best places to watch the Delta IV GPS Launch
Delta IV GPS IIF-2 Launch
If you are planning to watch the Delta IV GPS IIF-2 launch on Thursday morning then you will probably find that there will not be too many people joining you and you will be able to get your pick of viewpoints.
There are 2 great locations, SR-401 by the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station gates and Jetty Park. Moving further afield just about anywhere on Cocoa Beach will get a good view, but not until the rocket has left the pad.
As the launch is in the middle of the night Jetty Park is likely to be shut so that really only leaves the option of the SR-401. This is about 8 miles from Launch Pad 37B and has a full unobstructed view of the rocket over the waters of the Banana River.
There are no facilities at all here, but plenty of parking so come prepared. I have spent many a day sitting around getting a tan waiting for a launch from here.
Click here for a detailed Google map.
All this information and more is available from our iPhone KSC Launch Pad App. Click here for more details.
USAF to Launch a Delta IV with GPS IIF-2 on Thursday
GPS IIF-2 Launching on top of a Delta IV
A GPS satellite is to be launched into orbit early thursday morning from Cape Canaveral Airforce Station in Florida. This will be the GPS IIF-2 satellite the second in a new family of GPS spacecraft which are designed to increase GPS signal accuracy, provide more robust signals for Civilian and Commercial Aviation and improve the military signals to provide better resistance to jamming.
The GPS IIF-2 satellite is scheduled to blast off at 6:49 GMT ( 2:49am EST or 7:49am UK time). PocketGPSWorld.com will be at Cape Canaveral to cover the launch. The launch window is 18 minutes allowing the rocket to lift off at any time between 6:49 and 7:08 GMT. The exact launch time will be determined on the day and may be affected by a number of things such as the weather, or technical issues.
Florida has entered the tropical summer weather pattern now where there is a build up of cloud throughout the day resulting in some interesting thunder storms mid to late afternoon, then the weather settles down again. The forecast for Wednesday night and Thursday morning is favourable: partly cloudy (50% reducing to 30% overnight) with a 30% chance of rain.
Delta 4 Heavy to launch NROL-32 Tonight
NROL-32 Delta 4 Heavy on launch pad
Sitting on the launch pad of SLC-37B at Cape Canaveral is the latest Delta 4 Rocket waiting to hoist the NRO satellite code named NROL-32 into orbit. Shrouded in secrecy the satellite is believed to be an eavesdropping spaceship for the US.
The Delta 4 is flying in the heavy configuration. This is where 2 external boosters are strapped either side of the main booster to provide lift of the heaviest unmanned space ships. This will be the third operational flight of the Delta 4 Heavy, the first being 10Nov07 and the second 17Jan09. The Delta 4 Heavy is currently the most powerful of the US Expendable Launch Vehicles in service.
NRO Director Bruce Carlson said this rocket launch would carry “the largest satellite in the world on it.”. Although nothing has been mentioned it is widely suggested that this will be a “Mentor” spacecraft which will gather intelligence for the US agencies from a geo-synchronous orbit of 22,300 miles.
The rocket was originally scheduled to launch on Friday, but temperature sensors prevented the tanking causing a launch delay then eventually a scrub. Following the scrubbed Nov. 19 launch attempt, the launch team examined the port and starboard common core strap-on boosters in the areas where they received anomalous temperature data signatures during Friday’s launch countdown. After inspections by engineers, it was determined that the temperature data signatures were caused by issues with two temperature sensors. New temperature sensors have been installed and tested, which has resolved the issue.
SLC-37A Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral AFS
LC-37A Built but never used for launches
Launch Pad 37A is a bit of a misnomer. Originally planned and built in 1962 (along with LC-34) pad 37A was never used.
Looking at the aerial image it is clearly apparent that the design of LC-37 was to include 2 active pads. The blockhouse was constructed at the apex of the triangle between pads and blockhouse, equidistant from both pads. The orbiting access road is symmetrical around both pads, yet there were never any flights from 37A.
LC-37B however is a very different matter. It saw 7 Saturn I launches between January 29th 1964 and January 22 1968. In 1971 it was deactivated with it structures removed in 1972 when it lay dormant until 2002 when it was repurposed for the new Delta IV missions.
For more information about the current status of the launch complex check the entry for SLC-37B.
