Delta 2 - STSS Satellites

[Zipi]

Experimental Missile Defense Satellites

Live launch news: http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sf ... tdown.html

Current launch time today: 8:59 a.m EDT
Weather: 70% possibility for the launch

Live video currently ongoing at NasaTV: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

 

[Zipi]

1245 GMT (8:45 a.m. EDT)
SCRUB. Inclement weather moving ashore from the Atlantic Ocean has forced today's launch of the Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral to be postponed. The next launch opportunity will be tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. EDT.

 

[vulture4]

Final Delta II launch from the east coast, just one more from Vandenberg. For years each new rocket has been sold as being cheaper than the Delta, but the Delta II does something none of them have done so far. It makes money. Although the rocket is capable of launching the new generation of GPS satellites, the company felt that it needed more launches for the larger Delta IV and Atlas V to improve its profitability. Hope this doesn't mean the end of a career for any of the very experienced launch team, some of whom are second or even third generation with this vehicle, which has evolved step by step from the Thor of the 1950s.

 

[shuttle_guy]

Final Delta II launch from the east coast, just one more from Vandenberg. For years each new rocket has been sold as being cheaper than the Delta, but the Delta II does something none of them have done so far. It makes money. Although the rocket is capable of launching the new generation of GPS satellites, the company felt that it needed more launches for the larger Delta IV and Atlas V to improve its profitability. Hope this doesn't mean the end of a career for any of the very experienced launch team, some of whom are second or even third generation with this vehicle, which has evolved step by step from the Thor of the 1950s.

That is not correct. The launches you mentioned are the last Air Force Delta II launches. NASA has missions set for launch into 2011/2012. Also there are 5 Delta IIs built which could be used by NASA or others.

 

[Zipi]

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2009
DELAY. Launch of the Delta 2 rocket carrying a pair of experimental missile-tracking satellites has been postponed an additional 24 hours due to a small fuel leak at the pad.
Liftoff from Cape Canaveral's pad 17B is retargeted for Friday morning at 8 a.m. EDT.

"Following Wednesday morning's weather launch scrub, teams detected a small leak in a flange in the fuel transfer system under the launch pad," a NASA spokesman says.

"Teams plan to assess the fuel leak and determine what steps to take to support the next launch attempt."

NASA says the Delta 2 rocket and the STSS Demo spacecraft remain in good condition with no technical issues.

 

[Zipi]

Under 8 minutes to launch and everything is green!

 

[Zipi]

Here is the launch video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebAYRBwubk8[/youtube]

 

[Zipi]

Delta 2 rocket stage from this launch has dropped to Mongolia:

http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/02/27 ... n-Mongolia

Mongolian News Article: http://en.news.mn/news/4464

 

[EarthlingX]

Saw this, was wondering where it came from