Glory Ready for Early Friday Launch - 0209 PST/0509 EST
Glory Ready for Early Friday Launch
Data from the Glory mission will allow scientists to better understand how the sun and tiny atmospheric particles called aerosols affect Earth’s climate.
Both the Glory spacecraft and Taurus XL rocket are ready for launch tomorrow morning at 2:09:43 a.m. PST/5:09:43 a.m. EST. The weather forecast is 100 percent “go” with the possibility of some fog and a low ceiling not expected to be an issue. The call to stations for the launch team is 10:20 p.m. PST/1:20 a.m. EST.
The Taurus XL rocket stands on Space Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg AFB, CA. Image credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB
The liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California is targeted for the middle of a 48-second launch window. Spacecraft separation will occur 13 minutes after launch.
Coverage of the countdown on the Glory launch blog and on NASA TV will begin on launch day at 3:30 a.m. EST.
Glory was previous scheduled for launch on February 3rd.
In other NASA news NASA has released video obtained from the booster cameras onboard STS-133:
Video is approximately 30 minutes long and spans from launch to splash down of the rocket boosters into the Atlantic.
Video recorded by cameras mounted on Discovery’s twin solid rocket boosters provide unique views of the February 24 launch.
Update 1:
NASA’S Glory Satellite Fails To Reach Orbit
At a news conference following the unsuccessful attempt to place the Glory spacecraft in orbit, a team from NASA and Orbital Sciences Corporation, maker of the Taurus XL rocket, discussed the failure of the rocket’s fairing to separate. The fairing, which covers and protects the spacecraft during launch and ascent, underwent a redesign of its separation system after a similar failure two years ago. The new system has been successfully used on another Orbital launch vehicle several times.
Update 2:
Rocket fails to reach orbit; likely crashes into ocean
(CNN) — A satellite and the unmanned rocket that carried it apparently crashed into the Pacific Ocean shortly after lifting off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Friday morning, NASA said.
A protective shell atop the Taurus XL rocket did not separate as planned, slowing the rocket and preventing it from going into orbit, NASA officials said, citing initial information. The rocket carried a satellite, known as Glory, that was to have collected information to help scientists better understand the Earth’s climate.
The satellite and rocket apparently fell into the southern Pacific, they said.
“This is a pretty tough night for all of us,” said NASA official Ron Grabe.