The rocket's engines are being put through a series of movements, called "slews," to verify they're able to steer properly. Slew checks begin with the second stage and finish with the first stage.
Engine Slews Underway
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The rocket's engines are being put through a series of movements, called "slews," to verify they're able to steer properly. Slew checks begin with the second stage and finish with the first stage.
There is one hour to go until the three-minute launch window opens at 9:20 a.m. EST. The countdown is proceeding smoothly toward liftoff of the Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive observatory.
Command receiver/decoder checks with the Western Range are coming up next. This is a routine test verifying the communication links between the vehicle and the Range Safety Office, which would need the capability to send destruct commands to the rocket's flight termination system in the unlikely event the vehicle strayed off course.
The Delta II rocket is fully fueled at this point following completion of LOX loading.
The liquid oxygen being pumped into the rocket's first stage is cryogenic, meaning it's chilled to extremely cold temperatures. As the propellant warms, small amounts of it boil away and vent from the side of the rocket. This puff of gaseous oxygen is visible in the image above, captured from NASA TV. Valves will periodically …
Why aren't winds considered part of the weather forecast? According to NASA TV Commentator George Diller, winds actually are a flight dynamics concern. Upper level wind criteria are determined by United Launch Alliance engineers. The winds a vehicle encounters during flight through the area of maximum aerodynamic pressure, or max Q, can have an impact …
Vandenberg Air Force Base 30th Operations Support Squadron Launch Weather Officer Lt. Johnny Martin provided a weather update to NASA Launch Manager Tim Dunn and the NASA and United Launch Alliance SMAP launch team a few minutes ago. There is a 100 percent chance of favorable launch weather with no range safety launch commit criteria …
Loading of cryogenic liquid oxygen into the Delta II rocket's first stage is beginning now.
Launch Conductor Mark Levesque and Launch Director Don Malin, both of United Launch Alliance, also have given the go-ahead to start the flow of liquid oxygen into the Delta II's first stage.
NASA Launch Manager Tim Dunn has polled his team and given the "go" to begin loading of cryogenic liquid oxygen into the Delta II rocket's first stage. That process, also called tanking, is expected to begin shortly. The Delta II 7320 rocket set to launch SMAP this morning stands 127 feet tall and weighs approximately …