ANN REALTIME REPORTING 03.19.07 2010 EDT: "We
have scrubbed for the day." With that statement, launch controllers
at Kwajalein Atoll nixed any chance the Falcon 1 rocket would
launch Monday, as crews work to get a handle on a reported
communications glitch.
No word yet when SpaceX will try again. The current launch
window extends through March 23.
Previous Reports
2005 EDT: Gwynne Shotwell, vice president of
business development for SpaceX, states a possible communications
glitch may be behind the abort of Monday's launch of the Falcon 1
rocket.
In a webcast teleconference with reporters, Shotwell said it
appears the glitch developed during a switchover in communications
at the T-minus 1:30 mark. At that point, communications with the
launchpad were changed over from landline, to the range RF... and
it's possible the signal wasn't picked up.
Shotwell added several abort modes are built into the vehicle,
in the wake of last year's failed launch, to insure the vehicle is
as well-prepared for launch as possible.
There remains a chance the vehicle may still be launched
today.
1945: At T-minus 1:03, launch controllers
aborted Monday's planned launch of the SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket. ANN
is still awaiting word on what occurred -- and if this abort means
the launch has been scrubbed for the day.
1855 EDT: Problems with sending telemetry
information from Omalek Island on Kwajelein Atoll to SpaceX
headquarters in El Segundo, CA delayed the countdown somewhat for
today's planned "DemoFlight 2" launch of the Falcon 1 rocket, but
the good news is the problem appears to have been worked out.
The countdown has been held since the telemetry problem
reared its head, but the vehicle is now fueling. Launch is now
scheduled for 1945 EDT.
1810 EDT: We are at
T-minus 29 seconds and under a planned hold for the launch of
the second SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket, expected to occur approximately
50 minutes from now.
According to SpaceX, during this "Demo-2 mission" the
vehicle will carry ~50 kg of experiments and associated hardware
from the launch site at Omelek into a 685 km circular orbit with
9° inclination. The payload consists of the Autonomous Flight
Safety System (AFSS) and the Low Cost Tracking and Data Relay
Satellite System (TDRSS) Transmitter (LCT2), developed by National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the mechanical
adapter hardware required to interface the payload with the launch
vehicle.
The AFSS and LCT2 payloads are not deployed, but there will be a
separation demonstration of an inert payload immediately after
second stage 1st burn main engine shutdown.
The primary DARPA objective for this mission is to gather flight
data on the Falcon 1 launch vehicle and supporting systems. A
secondary objective is to separate a payload into LEO, to place the
second stage into the planned final orbit, and demonstratiing AFSS
using the LCT2 for telemetering data back to Kwajalein and to
Wallops Flight Facility. The AFSS and LCT2 represent early steps in
providing low-cost space-based range services for communications,
tracking, and on-board autonomous flight termination. The AFSS is
operating in a shadow mode for this mission.
1500 EDT: SpaceX founder Elon Musk says
conditions are optimal for launch later today of the company's
Falcon I booster rocket.
"The flight readiness review conducted last night shows all
systems are go for a launch attempt at 4pm California time (11pm
GMT) today (Monday)," Musk wrote, adding "the launch will be
postponed if we have even the tiniest concern."
That concern stems from the outcome of the company's inaugural
Falcon launch attempt almost one year ago. As ANN reported, that Falcon
I was destroyed after a fuel leak led to shutdown of the rocket's
main engine approximately 30 seconds after launch on March 24,
2006.
Undaunted, SpaceX pressed ahead with its program... and was
awarded a commercial orbital transportation services (COTS)
contract by NASA, to develop methods to launch and deliver crew and
cargo to the International Space Station, along with rival
commercial space launch outfit Rocketplane-Kistler.
Now, the time has come to see if SpaceX can make good on its
promise of affordable, reliable launch service. Stay tuned, ANN
will bring you continuous updates throughout the day.