Category: Cygnus

Welcome to today’s coverage of the countdown and launch of the Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft on a resupply mission to the International Space Station! Our weather today is forecast to be 70 percent ‘go’ as we near liftoff at 4:44 p.m., the start of a 30-minute window today for the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.

Launch Weather Office Clay Flinn briefed the Orbital ATK CRS-4 launch team in advance of fueling the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Conditions at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41 have improved, as has the forecast. There now is a 70 percent chance of favorable weather for the launch of the Atlas V and Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft to the international Space Station at 4:44:57 p.m. EST.

There is a lower chance of showers or cumulus clouds and ground winds are predicted to be lower and within launch rule limits. Winds at the launch site have dropped dramatically in recent hours, but are predicted to increase slightly through the launch window.

The forecast calls for scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 30,000 feet, seven miles visibility, an isolated coastal shower, winds from the North (020) 16 knots, gusting to 20 and a temperature of 73 or 74.

There currently are no launch commit criteria violations and there is only a 30 percent chance that any will occur during the terminal countdown.

Countdown coverage here on the NASA Blog and on NASA TV will begin at 3:45 p.m. NASA TV can be streamed here or at www.nasa.gov/nasatv

Launch of the Orbital ATK CRS-4 mission to the International Space Station is scheduled for 4:44 p.m. EST. The updated forecast from the Air Force’s 45th Weather Squadron still predicts a 40 percent chance of favorable weather for liftoff of the Atlas V rocket and Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Launch managers deferred a Saturday launch opportunity due to high wind conditions at the launch site. A launch opportunity on Monday would offer a 70 percent chance of favorable weather. The detailed weather forecast is below, after the launch countdown highlights. Continuous coverage and of the countdown, launch and ascent of Cygnus will begin at 3:45 p.m. here on the NASA Blog and on NASA Television which also can be seen online at https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv.

A launch today would result in a rendezvous at the station and grapple and berthing of Cygnus on Wednesday, Dec. 9.

The launch of Orbital ATK’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station has moved to Sunday at 4:44 p.m. EST, the start of a 30-minute launch window for the uncrewed spacecraft to begin it mission. Countdown and launch coverage will begin here on the NASA Blog and on NASA TV at 3:45 p.m.

Saturday’s attempt was called off because of high winds that were expected to violate launch criteria throughout the 30-minute launch window. The weather forecast for Sunday improved to a 40 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time.

The launch team is resetting for a liftoff tomorrow – Saturday, Dec. 5 – at 5:10 p.m. EST. Our coverage here and on NASA TV will begin at 4 p.m. The weather forecast currently calls for a 30 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time. The Atlas V rocket and Cygnus spacecraft will remain at the launch pad as the pair is configured for liftoff tomorrow to begin the cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.

Because of wind gusts that exceeded the weather criteria for launching, Orbital ATK and United Launch Alliance have postponed the planned launch of the Atlas V rocket carrying the Cygnus spacecraft. It is Orbital ATK’s fourth commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Mission managers will be evaluating when to make the next launch attempt.

The latest ground-wind violation held the countdown outside the launch window. “The winds were just a couple of knots too high, so we just didn’t feel comfortable launching tonight,” reports Vernon Thorp of United Launch Alliance.

A wind violation prompted the hold in the countdown.

The launch team called a hold. Standing by for assessment.

T-4 minutes and counting . . .