Fwd: Glitch puts secret NRO satellite launch on hold

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From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: March 26, 2014 2:46:10 PM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: Glitch puts secret NRO satellite launch on hold

 

 

 

Mar. 25, 2014 11:05 PM 

Glitch puts secret NRO satellite launch on hold

    

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The ULA rocket rolled to its pad Monday morning with a National Reconnaissance Office satellite. A range glitch has put liftoff on hold. / MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Written by
James Dean
FLORIDA TODAY

An Atlas V rocket won't lift off from Cape Canaveral with a classified intelligence-gathering satellite before Thursday afternoon.

The Air Force's 45th Space Wing said Tuesday evening that it would take at least another day to repair an outage in unspecified range equipment needed to support the launch, which ruled out an attempt today.

The United Launch Alliance rocket rolled to its pad Monday morning with a National Reconnaissance Office satellite in preparation for a planned launch at 2:48 p.m. Tuesday.

But the range glitch put that on hold.

The Air Force's Eastern Range provides tracking and safety oversight of Cape launches, including destroying rockets if they veer off course.

ULA said the Atlas V and spacecraft were secure at Launch Complex 41 while the range issue was being sorted out.

The problem came up during a busy week for the range, with two launches scheduled.

Late Sunday, SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule carrying NASA cargo to the International Space Station.

It was not immediately clear if the faulty range instrumentation was needed for both launches, or if further delay in the national security launch could affect the timing of the NASA mission.

Contact Dean at 321-242-3668 or jdean@floridatoday.com.

 

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