Posted on 12/21/2004 1:46:02 PM PST by NonValueAdded
The Heavy: Triple-sized Delta 4 rocket to debut
BY JUSTIN RAY
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: December 7, 2004
After years of development and 366 days standing on the launch pad, Boeing's behemoth Delta 4-Heavy rocket flies its maiden mission Friday to showcase its proficiency and character in hauling hefty cargos to space.
Although the demonstration flight lacks a real satellite payload -- fitted instead with an instrumented dummy craft -- the rocket's launch carries enormous importance for upcoming U.S. national security spacecraft looking for rides to orbit after retirement of the costly Titan 4 vehicle.
What's more, a successful debut is crucial to establishing a solid first impression of the heavy-lifter that may one day launch astronauts in NASA's proposed Crew Exploration Vehicle.
The 23-story rocket is scheduled for liftoff at 2:31 p.m. EST (1931 GMT) from pad 37B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The day's available launch window extends two hours and 56 minutes to 5:27 p.m. EST (2227 GMT).
(Excerpt) Read more at spaceflightnow.com ...
Mission status here: http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d310/status.html
Looks like something went wrong... second stage failure?
??? ---
looks like all is well.
use the status link above - things sound AOK
Successful launch, here is the latest status blurb:
T+plus 8 minutes, 45 seconds. The Air Force tracking station on Antigua island has acquired the rocket's signal. The site will be receiving the live telemetry stream coming from the Delta 4-Heavy rocket as it soars download and relaying that data to the engineers at Cape Canaveral.
I would have posted one but I'd rather go outside and watch it go. Night launches are the best. I was real bummed out that the rumble from this one didn't come our way (about 30 miles south).
Sorry about that. I watched it disappear over my horizon (a nearby building) and never saw the second stage fire.
It's weird not seeing orange plumes...
scared me for a sec... :-)
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