Topic: [Discuss] Orbital ATK Cygnus-Atlas V OA-4 flight
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-03-2015 02:55 PM
Please use this topic to discuss Orbital ATK's OA-4 Cygnus resupply flight to the International Space Station. The S.S. Deke Slayton II is launching on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-03-2015 02:56 PM
NASA update as of 3:30 p.m. EST:
Weather forecasters downgraded the prediction for today’s launch opportunity to 30 percent chance of acceptable conditions. The countdown continues to move toward a liftoff at 5:55 p.m. EST at the beginning of a 30-minute window.
Since then, the weather has slightly improved to 40 percent favorable conditions.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-03-2015 05:17 PM
United Launch Alliance update
The launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the OA-4 mission was scrubbed today due to violating multiple weather-related launch rules.
The launch is rescheduled for Friday, Dec. 4 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The launch time is 5:33 p.m. EST at the opening of a 30-minute window. The forecast for Dec. 4 shows a 30 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch tomorrow.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-04-2015 02:21 PM
Liftoff remains on schedule for 5:33 p.m. EST with a forecast that presently calls for a 40 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time. The launch window extends 30 minutes.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-04-2015 05:16 PM
United Launch Alliance update:
The launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the OA-4 mission was scrubbed today due to a ground winds violation for liftoff.
The launch is rescheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The launch time is 5:10 p.m. EST at the opening of a 30-minute window. The forecast for Dec. 5 shows a 30 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch tomorrow.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-05-2015 01:51 PM
United Launch Alliance update
The launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the OA-4 mission was scrubbed today due to forecasted high winds.
The launch is rescheduled for Sunday, Dec. 6 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The preliminary launch time is 4:44 p.m. EST at the opening of a 30-minute window.
The forecast for Dec. 6 shows a 40 percent chance of favorable weather conditions.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-06-2015 02:01 PM
NASA update:
Launch Weather Office Clay Flinn briefed the Orbital ATK CRS-4 launch team in advance of fueling the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Conditions at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41 have improved, as has the forecast. There now is a 70 percent chance of favorable weather for the launch of the Atlas V and Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station at 4:44:57 p.m. EST.
Winds at the launch site have dropped dramatically in recent hours, but are predicted to increase slightly through the launch window.
The forecast calls for scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 30,000 feet, seven miles visibility, an isolated coastal shower, winds from the North (020) 16 knots, gusting to 20 and a temperature of 73 or 74.
There currently are no launch commit criteria violations.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-06-2015 04:18 PM
The S.S. Deke Slayton II is now on its way to the International Space Station.
Scott Kelly witnessed the Cygnus' launch from its destination:
Caught something good on the horizon. #Cygnus at #sunset on its way to @space_station!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-08-2015 03:03 PM
Orbital ATK video
On-board view of the Cygnus cargo resupply spacecraft unfurling one of its two UltraFlex solar arrays. The video is shown at three frames per second. The actual deployment took a little more than 20 minutes.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-09-2015 05:54 AM
NASA update
Using the International Space Station's robotic arm, Canadarm2, NASA Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren successfully captured Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo vehicle at 5:19 a.m. CST.
The space station crew and the robotics officer in mission control in Houston will position Cygnus for installation to the orbiting laboratory's Earth-facing port of the Unity module.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-09-2015 09:01 AM
NASA update
The Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo ship was bolted into place on the International Space Station's Earth-facing port of the Unity module at 8:26 a.m. CST. Cygnus is the first cargo ship to be berthed to the nadir port on Node 1.