COSMO-SkyMed 4 (Delta 2 Launched on Nov. 5th, 2010)

[Zipi]

Launch window: 7:20 pm local time (10:20 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-2W, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

The United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket will launch the fourth Italian COSMO-SkyMed radar Earth-imaging satellite. The X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar payload on the spacecraft will be used for civil and military applications. The rocket will fly in the 7420-10 vehicle configuration. ULA will conduct this commercial launch for Boeing.

Live Stream: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Webcast.shtml
ULA's Launch Info: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Launch.shtml#/12/ (not yet available)
COSMO-SkyMed Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COSMO-SkyMed
Gunter's Space Page COSMO-SkyMed Page: http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/cosmo-skymed-1.htm
Astronautix COSMO-SkyMed Page: http://www.astronautix.com/craft/coskymed.htm
Thales GROUP COSMO-SkyMed Page: http://www.thalesgroup.com/News_and_eve ... smoSkymed/

Delta II Launch Vehicle

ULA's Delta II Page: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Pro ... taII.shtml
Delta II Product Card: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/prod ... t_card.pdf
Delta II Product Guide: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/prod ... de2007.pdf
Boeing Delta II Page: http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/spa ... delta2.htm
Delta II Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_II
Vandenberg AFB Delta II Page: http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/library/fa ... sp?id=5206

Delta II Flight Configuration Key: 7X2Y-ZZ
7=7000 series (nowadays always 7), last 6000 series flown in 1992
X=Number of GEMs (Graphite Epoxy Motor), either 3, 4 or 9.
2=Type of Second Stage (nowadays always 2=Aerojet AJ10). Only Deltas prior 6000 used TR-201 engine.
Y=Type of Third Stage, either 0 (=no third stage), 5 (=Star 48B) or 6 (=Star 37FM).
ZZ=Type of payload fairing, aluminum fairing 9,5ft in diameter, 10ft fairing made of composite or lengthened 10ft fairing.
There is also 792xH series Delta II rocket where H means heavy version. Three of its nine GEMs are bigger GEM-46 instead regular GEM-40.

Performance of Different Delta II Models:
732X-10: 2550kg LEO, 880kg GTO
742X-10: 2920kg LEO, 1010kg GTO
792X-10: 4590kg LEO, 1710kg GTO
792XH-10: 5520kg LEO, 2040kg GTO
Geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO): 35786 x 185 km (19323 x 100 nmi) at 28.7°
Low-Earth orbit (LEO): 407 km (220 nmi) circular at 28.7°

Delta II First Stage

One RS-27A engine burning RP-1/LOX

RS-27A Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RS-27A
P&W Rocketdyne Rs-27A Page: http://www.pw.utc.com/vgn-ext-templatin ... 62529fRCRD
P&W Rocketdyne RS-27A Fact Sheet: http://www.pw.utc.com/StaticFiles/Pratt ... RS-27A.pdf
Purdue University's RS-27A Page: https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Rese ... ids/rs27a/
NASA's RS-68 Test Program: http://sscfreedom.ssc.nasa.gov/etd/ETDP ... S_RS68.asp



Delta II Boosters

Delta II 7420 has four GEM-40 (Graphite Epoxy Motor) booster rockets which use solid fuel.

GEM Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphite-Epoxy_Motor
GEM-40 in ATK Product Catalog: http://www.atk.com/capabilities_space/d ... df#page=29

Delta II Second Stage

One Aerojet AJ10 engine burning N[sub]2[/sub]O[sub]4[/sub]/Aerozine 50

AJ-10 Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AJ-10
Purdue University's AJ-10 Page: http://cobweb.ecn.purdue.edu/~propulsi/ ... -118k.html
Aerojet Spacelift Propulsion Page: http://www.aerojet.com/capabilities/spacelift.php
Astronautix AJ-10 Page: http://www.astronautix.com/engines/aj10118k.htm





Vandenberg Air Force Base

Vandenberg AFB Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandenberg_Air_Force_Base
SLC-2 Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandenberg ... _Complex_2
Astronautix SLC-2W Page: http://www.astronautix.com/sites/vanslc2w.htm
Vandenberg AFB Official SLC-2 Photos: http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/photos/med ... 5&btnG.y=3
Vandenberg AFB Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.72972 ... 120.576944
SLC-2 Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.7545, ... ,-120.6198

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Oct. 29 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

Bump. Launch in two days.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Oct. 29 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

Launch rescheduled for Oct. 31 at 7:20 pm PDT :

www.ulalaunch.com : Delta II Set to Launch COSMO-SkyMed 4

UPDATE - Oct. 28, 8 a.m. PDT: The launch of Delta II COSMO-SkyMed 4 (Constellation of Small Satellites for Mediterranean basin Observation) mission has been rescheduled for Sunday, Oct. 31 with a launch time of 7:20 p.m. PDT. Previously, the launch was scheduled for Friday, Oct. 29. During final preparations Wednesday to ready the Delta II rocket for flight, a sample from the propellant to be loaded into the Deta II to power it during flight failed to meet established standards. To allow engineers the additional time required to correct this issue, the scheduled Friday launch attempt was delayed 48 hours.

...

 

[crazyeddie]

Re: Oct. 29 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

How rude of them not to schedule it earlier so we can get that spectacular "twilight effect" from the first stage.

Still, any evening rocket launch from Vandenburg is something to look forward to!

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Oct. 29 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

Scrubbed, because 'an engine section heater did not operate properly', rescheduled for Monday, Nov. 1 with a launch time of 7:20 p.m. PDT

http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Launch.shtml#/12/


www.spaceflightnow.com : Mission Status Center

By Justin Ray

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2010
7:30 p.m. PDT (10:30 p.m. EDT)
Flight of the Delta 2 rocket has been rescheduled for Monday evening, rocket-maker United Launch Alliance says, after tonight's scrub was called for a heater problem.

"During the terminal launch countdown Sunday, an engine section heater did not operate properly. The heater is designed to keep the Delta 2's engine components warm during the fueling of the rocket prior to flight," ULA's press statement reads.

"To allow engineers the time required to correct this issue, the scheduled Sunday launch attempt was delayed 24 hours. Updates to the COSMO-SkyMed 4 mission status will be issued as new information becomes available."

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: Nov. 1 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

Postponed again due to a nitrogen pressure problem.

From spaceflightnow:

7:27 p.m. PDT (10:27 p.m. EDT)
So there will be no launch tonight. It's possible liftoff could be reset for 7:20 p.m. PDT tomorrow night, if this problem can be resolved quickly.
The rocket's launch opportunity is a scant moment in time, meaning liftoff had to happen at exactly 7:20:06 p.m. PDT (10:20:06 p.m. EDT) tonight or else wait until another day.

Such a restrictive window is dictated by the satellite mounted atop the 12-story booster. Launching at that specific time ensures optimum insertion of the payload into the desired orbit from the Vandenberg Air Force Base launch pad.

7:24 p.m. PDT (10:24 p.m. EDT)
The launch countdown was stopped just before T-minus 2 minutes when a nitrogen purge problem was reported. An engineer announced there wasn't sufficient flow in the system. The clock was halted and the launch team went into the standard safing procedures.

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d350/status.html

 

[nailpounder]

Re: Nov. 1 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

Launch was scrubbed again at T minus 60 seconds for some sort of alarms. They didn't exactly specify what the problem was. I could not get an audio feed tonight of the launch engineers, so I can't even guess. Second night in a row I've had the camera and tri-pod set up, not to mention 15 people all over Ventura County staring up at nothing.......Al

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Nov. 1 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

http://www.spaceflightnow.com : Mission Status Center

By Justin Ray

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2010
8:15 p.m. PDT (11:15 p.m. EDT)

A second stage battery low voltage reading is what stopped the countdown about 50 seconds before liftoff tonight, rocket-maker United Launch Alliance says.

Given the three consecutive days of trying to launch, officials will give the team a chance to catch its breath tomorrow and set the next attempt for Thursday evening at 7:20 p.m. PDT (10:20 p.m. EDT).

"During the terminal launch countdown on Tuesday, at approximately one minute before launch, mission managers noted a low second stage battery voltage reading. This battery is used to power the electrical systems on the Delta 2 second stage during flight," ULA's press statement reads.

"To allow for crew rest after three straight days of launch attempts and engineers the time required to correct this issue, the next launch attempt is scheduled for Nov. 4."

...

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Nov. 1 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

http://www.spaceflightnow.com : Mission Status Center

By Justin Ray

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2010
DELAY. The Delta 2 rocket will skip making a launch attempt Thursday and target Friday night at 7:20 p.m. PDT (10:20 p.m. EDT) for optimum placement of the payload into the proper orbit.

"During a review and analysis by Thales Alenia Space of the current position of the three COSMO-SkyMed satellites currently on orbit, it was determined that in order for COSMO-SkyMed 4 to be correctly inserted into the constellation, a launch could not take place on Nov. 4 due technical reasons," ULA's press statement says.

Weather forecasters are calling for a 90 percent chance of acceptable conditions Friday night. Thick clouds pose only a slight chance of violating the launch rules.

"A frontal system pushes into northern California bringing an increase in upper level clouds, marine layer clouds and stronger winds," forecasters say. "At the surface, winds remain from the west-northwest at 5-10 knots for (mobile gantry rollback) and will turn northwest and increase to 10-15 knots, gusting to 20 knots for T-0. Upper-level winds will be from the south-southwest, with max winds of 90 knots at 38,000 feet."

 

[neuvik]

Re: Nov. 1 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

About to end the 10minute hold, everything looking good! wish I was in Socal.

T-minus 3 minuets

 

[neuvik]

Re: Nov. 1 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

7:24 p.m. PDT (10:24 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 4 minutes, 10 seconds. Delta is 50.6 miles up, 131.5 miles downrange traveling at 8,735 mph.

Well shes going good!

 

[neuvik]

Re: Nov. 1 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

7:31 p.m. PDT (10:31 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 11 minutes, 26 seconds. SECO 1 has been confirmed. The second stage's Aerojet-made engine completed its initial burn for the launch. Delta and COSMO have reached orbit.

 

[neuvik]

Re: Nov. 1 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

7:40 p.m. PDT (10:40 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 20 minutes. Live telemetry continues to be received via NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. Today's launch is the second Delta 2 flight to use TDRS during the long mission instead of ordering support from mobile telemetry assets and faraway ground sites after the rocket passes out of view from Vandenberg.

"It's so nice not to worry about the ground stations and the airplanes and the boats. We did implement on WISE, which was launched in December of last year. We did that with NASA. We had perfect telemetry off that mission," says Kris Walsh, ULA's commercial program manager.

"Not only do you not have to worry about the ground stations, the requirement is to have telemetry during powered flight, but with TDRS we get a lot more telemetry because we get it for most of the unpowered flight also. So it's a lot more data for the engineers to review and understand their systems better. All around, it's a great change for Delta 2."


That'll be all I post heh, Awesome job to COSMO-SkyMed 4 team, now work hard ya lil robot!

 

[nailpounder]

Re: Nov. 1 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

Wow !!! What an incredible sight!! Saw all four boosters and main engine at liftoff!
I want to thank you guys for these things that I would have never known about!!
It was just Effen incredible. I had the audio at full blast while I was watching the
liftoff outside on the patio!!............................................................Al


edit: Got my roomate at T minus 4 minutes and MADE him watch the live feed from Vandenberg. At liftoff I ran outside to the backyard, suprising how fast 'Cosmo' was visible above backyard neighbor's home!! Incredible!!
I've seen maybe five from Vandenberg, but never watched from liftoff. Always seen the trails, usually at sunrise.
That was just beatiful! I thought all was lost since clouds moved in at 30 min. before launch. Lucky for me, it went clear at launch. I'm about 80 miles from launch site......How bad is that!! Wish I lived in Florida!! All four solids were visible
as well as main for maybe 4 minutes. It's suprising how horizontal the craft seems to be going, not vertical at all...Al

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Nov. 1 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

Very nice updates neuvik, thanks

http://www.spaceflightnow.com : 350 launches and counting for family of Delta rockets

BY JUSTIN RAY

Posted: November 5, 2010

There was a sentimental blastoff from California on Friday night as the venerable Delta 2 made its one-and-only flight of the year, chalking up a major milestone for the rocket family's lasting legacy while also finishing deployment of Italy's radar satellite quartet that image the world for peace and security.

Credit: Thom Baur/Boeing

Launching at 7:20 p.m. from Vandenberg Air Force Base, the space booster that has defined dependability for two decades successfully shot the COSMO-SkyMed 4 craft into orbit.

It's the last commercial mission currently booked for the Delta 2 rocket, which faces an uncertain future in the years ahead. Three launches carrying satellites for NASA will occur in 2011, but whether the program continues beyond next year depends whether five additional vehicles in the inventory can be sold.

"We are actively trying to market those. We have a lot of customer interest in the Delta 2," says Hieu Lam, Friday's mission director and Boeing Launch Services' Delta commercial program manager.

"We have five left and we're working really hard to sell the last five. We'll know within the next year or two how successful we'll be in selling the last five."

Over its 148 flights since debuting in 1989, the Delta 2 has carried a wide mix of payloads and achieved a remarkable 98.6 percent success record. The past has included 57 military missions, 46 commercial satellite flights and 45 launches with NASA spacecraft.

...

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Nov. 1 - Delta 2 - COSMO-SkyMed 4

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVghB37TVP0[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP-G_gUdOgM[/youtube]