Posted on 12/12/2014 6:21:58 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine
The countdown begins anew for tonight's launch of the Atlas 5 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:13:30 p.m. local time (10:13:30 p.m. EST; 0313:30 GMT). "Any of the folks who get to watch this launch, which will be an evening launch, will really get to see a show both in sound and light produced," said Lt. Col. Jim Bodnar, 4th Space Launch Squadron commander at Vandenberg.
Last night's initial countdown was halted due to a bleak weather forecast. Conditions are predicted to improve for tonight's try, with a 40 percent chance of acceptable conditions.
"We've got a weather squadron here on base that provides us frequent updates on the weather, including probabilities of violations of the many weather constraints," Bodnar said.
Rollback of the mobile service tower from around the rocket is expected in about three hours. Once the gantry is removed, crews at the pad will make preparations to systems and equipment before the site is cleared of all personnel for fueling.
Supercold liquid oxygen begins flowing into the Centaur upper stage, followed by the Atlas first stage. Liquid hydrogen fuel loading for Centaur will be completed a short time later.
A final hold is scheduled when clocks hit the T-minus 4 minute mark. That will give the team a chance to finish any late work and assess the status of the rocket, payload, Range and weather before proceeding into the last moments of the countdown.
"Looking forward to NROL-35. So many people...so much preparation...so much riding on the Atlas 5...so much fun to be a part of," tweeted Col. Keith Balts, 30th Space Wing commander and the launch decision authority.
The 8-million-pound mobile service tower has been retracted from around the Atlas 5 rocket, revealing the 20-story-tall vehicle for liftoff at 7:13 p.m. PST today.
The ground crews are getting the gantry’s doors closed, plus finishing the final buttoning up of pad equipment over before all workers clear the pad for the remainder of the countdown.
Today’s launch will be the 10th Atlas 5 rocket to fly from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex 3-East pad. The site underwent an extensive overhaul, with construction occurring in 2004 and 2005, to accommodate the larger and more powerful Atlas 5 family of rockets. Some of the major modifications included:
30-foot extension to mobile service tower
20-foot exhaust duct depth increase
250-ton Fixed Launch Platform installed
Significant ambient and cryogenic fluid ground system modifications
Complete replacement of the Ground Command/Control/Communication system
New and refurbished Launch Control/Mission Support Centers
Oh, cool! Didn’t know about this one.
Let all of your FRiends know quick!
California survived the global warming caused flooding (not to be confused with the global warming caused drought)? Or is this the space craft with two of every animal trying to escape?
I’ve witnessed dozens of Vandenberg launches..some close up and some at a distance of several hundred miles. I’ll be watching.
Hopefully the the potty talk and cute 12 year old quips don’t kick in here....
Usually I would know launches far in advance, but that was in my past life...Tx for the heads up...
Eh...I thought there is a MAJOR RAINSTORM there now...????
In 1977 I saw a rocket lift off from Vandenburg as I traveled south in an airliner. It was twilight, and it was SPECTACULAR.
Vandenburg is on the coast, and the rainstorm has now traveled eastward inland.
I think it already pushed through.
The storm has let up quite a bit. Looking west towards VAFB it is likely the launch will be obscured by clouds but if I am lucky I may see it.
That was the time Mission Control said "What do you mean, Liftoff!"? There's an airliner up there!"
The next major upcoming launch is
19DEC Falcon 9, SpaceX CRS-5
Launch time: 1820 GMT (10:20 a.m. PST/1:20 p.m. EST)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
On track for 714 pm launch.. with the crap weather here in so cal not sure what I can see from orange co
Looks like they’ll go at the beginning of the window. I’ll take the kids outside to see what we can see. There are high clouds, but we should be able to see something with three solids.
Early 1960s American technology upgraded with a Russian engine?
The early evening launches could be stunning.
re-set for **7:19 pm**
New launch time set for 7:19 p.m.!
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