Nasa's Orion launch: first test flight postponed for 24 hours – as it happened
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Version 0 of 1. 2.40pm GMT14:40 Well, that’s that. A combination of encroaching boats, wind gusts and dodgy valves has scuppered today’s first flight. Many thanks for reading – see you again tomorrow? 2.37pm GMT14:37 The #Orion launch is scrubbed for today. Next launch opportunity in 24 hours. Lots of people are now saying “disable” over the radio. Show’s over for today, as confirmed by tweet. 2.35pm GMT14:35 Mission cancelled for today “Recommend we scrub for today,” says the launch director over the radio. Back again tomorrow. 2.33pm GMT14:33 #Orion team will try for one more launch attempt today. New launch time is 9:44am ET. Here’s the confirmatory tweet. No exclamation marks this time. About ten minutes to go. 2.29pm GMT14:29 New launch time set We have a fifth scheduled launch time – 9.44am Eastern time (2.44pm BST), right at the end of the launch window. It’s about 14 minutes from now. 2.28pm GMT14:28 2.27pm GMT14:27 Latest from the radio: if they try launching again technicians will turn off the automatic wind speed monitors which caused a couple of delays and monitor the wind manually. In layperson’s language, in sounds like they’re going to try and bodge it. 2.24pm GMT14:24 The Nasa radio is saying the valves are still not working properly. The next step involves filling the tanks in an attempt to “jostle” the valves into action. With about 20 minutes of the launch window left I’m guessing it won’t happen today. 2.22pm GMT14:22 As we await news – any news – it’s good to see our readers are keeping themselves amused. 2.19pm GMT14:19 If Orion does launch today - and with less than half an hour left of today’s window it’s looking less likely – there will be some unusual cargo. As part of a tie-in with the TV programme Sesame Street, to get children interested in the mission, items “belonging” to characters will be aboard, including one of Cookie Monster’s cookies, and Ernie’s rubber duck. Despite the photo above Elmo will not be aboard, nor any other character, presumably over fears of traumatising the globe’s children if the mission went wrong. 2.09pm GMT14:09 It’s not just us waiting. But those press photographers are outside, in about 21C of sun. 2.07pm GMT14:07 I’m back from a quick break, and Nasa TV is still talking about valves. There’s only about 40 minutes left in today’s launch window, but officials still say they’re hopeful it could happen. We’ll see. 1.42pm GMT13:42 The launch window expires at 9.44pm ET (2.44pm GMT). Fill-&-drain valves on 3 core boosters will be cycled open & closed to see if that solves the problem. Watch http://t.co/yr4qxsIufl #Orion 1.34pm GMT13:34 The Nasa radio feed says engineers plan to “cycle” the valves a series of times to test them before deciding whether to proceed with what would be a fifth different launch time of the morning. 1.31pm GMT13:31 The official Orion blog explains what happened: A fill and drain valve on the rocket did not function correctly. Standing by as rocket and spacecraft are safed. 1.29pm GMT13:29 It seems there were two valves on the boosters which indicators showed did not close properly. I’m no space pundit, but I’d say it’s not looking very hopeful for a launch today, even with an hour and a quarter of today’s launch window left. Updated at 1.29pm GMT 1.24pm GMT13:24 Launch held again Yes. They’re shouting “hold” again over the radio. Doesn’t seem to be the wind this time, but a technical issue. It seems to be that a fuel valve did not close as planned. Updated at 1.24pm GMT 1.22pm GMT13:22 View from the launch site - we’re almost in the last three minutes. 1.22pm GMT13:22 A new poll has been taken. #Orion is GO for launch. L-6 minutes. pic.twitter.com/ndGgr8BdUf Five minutes to go. The Orion Twitter feed has escalated from exclamation marks to capital letters. 1.20pm GMT13:20 Orion is back on internal power yet again. I’m getting familiar with the process – we’re back with all the people saying, “Go!” over the radio. Ends with: This is the launch director – you have permission to launch. Updated at 1.20pm GMT 1.18pm GMT13:18 We're "go!" #Orion's new launch time is 8:26am ET / 13:26 UTC. Watch: http://http://t.co/yr4qxsIufl #OrionLaunch pic.twitter.com/b1zcnWrRYY Official confirmation once again. 1.16pm GMT13:16 New launch time set We have yet another new launch time: 8.26am Eastern time (1.26pm BST). So, in about ten minutes from now. 1.14pm GMT13:14 As well as the weather it seems that there are also some issues with the core engine temperature exceeding limits, though it seems these are now being tackled. We might still see a launch today. 1.12pm GMT13:12 As we wait (and wait and wait), here’s the latest view from Cape Canaveral. 1.09pm GMT13:09 Nasa’s fast-updated Orion blog has this on the weather conditions: The weather system over the launch site that is producing the wind gusts that have scrubbed the first two tries this morning is forecast to break in the next 45 minutes to an hour, reports Kathy Winters, weather officer with the 45th Weather Squadron. Our launch window this morning extends to 9:44 a.m. EST. 12.57pm GMT12:57 We have another hold due to wind violation. We're waiting to find out when we can resume the #Orion countdown. Nasa TV says weather experts at the site say it could take up to an hour for the windy conditions to pass. We still have till 9.44am Florida time (1.44pm BST) for the launch to take place today. Updated at 12.59pm GMT 12.57pm GMT12:57 Yes, it seems automatic detectors again sensed winds above the limit. The wind speeds have been higher than expected this morning, we are told. You can see from the photo above that weather conditions are quite overcast. 12.52pm GMT12:52 Yet another hold We’re stopped again. Not quite sure what yet. Could be another wind violation. 12.52pm GMT12:52 T-4 minutes. The #Orion countdown is back on! The exclamation marks are back. 12.51pm GMT12:51 Now four minutes to go – into what’s known as the “terminal count”. 12.51pm GMT12:51 We’re into the five minute countdown. Barring wind gusts, or more errant boats, it looks like we’re go. 12.48pm GMT12:48 New #Orion launch time has been set for 7:55am ET. Countdown will resume at 7:51am. Here’s the confirmation. Orion, meanwhile, is back on internal power. 12.46pm GMT12:46 New launch time Nasa has said the new launch time is 7.55am Eastern time, or about nine minutes from now. 12.45pm GMT12:45 Nasa, meanwhile, have released this very pretty video of the launch preparations. 12.43pm GMT12:43 In the meantime, Nasa are treating us to lovely views of the launch site. They’ve also confirmed that the gust which set off the alert exceeded the limit of 21 knots (about 24mph). 12.41pm GMT12:41 It seems the tension of the long wait is getting to some of our readers, too. 12.36pm GMT12:36 #Orion is currently in an extended hold waiting for winds to subside. 2 hours and 7 minutes left in today's launch window. The official Orion word on where we are now. 12.35pm GMT12:35 The latest image from Nasa TV. Not much going on for now, though we’re promised a weather briefing soon. 12.33pm GMT12:33 Well, exciting as space travel undoubtedly is, it does involve a lot of waiting around at the start. There is talk of an extended delay as they assess the ground winds. In the meantime the Orion craft has been placed back on external power. If the launch is delayed beyond today the owners of that boat are not going to be popular. Updated at 12.37pm GMT 12.25pm GMT12:25 No news yet on a possible launch time. Here’s a view of the launch site, where it’s now very much daytime. There’s still more than two hours left in today’s launch window. On the Nasa TV feed we are told, however, that “everything remains go” technically. Updated at 12.28pm GMT 12.17pm GMT12:17 12.16pm GMT12:16 The countdown is on hold due to ground wind exceeding the set limits. Confirmation again from the official Twitter feed. 12.14pm GMT12:14 Launch held again We have another hold – seems the ground winds are too strong. But this is “not a show-stopper” says the reassuring voice on Nasa TV. Not sure how long the delay might be. Updated at 12.15pm GMT 12.13pm GMT12:13 T minus 5 minutes and counting down for #Orion & Delta IV Heavy rocket liftoff at 7:17am ET! Five minutes to go. The Orion team are excited – they’ve started using exclamation marks in their tweets. 12.12pm GMT12:12 A view inside the Orion control room, where everyone in turn has been saying “go!” in response to a series of pre-launch checks. Updated at 12.30pm GMT 12.10pm GMT12:10 Orion has now transferred to its own internal power system, a key stage before lift off. Just under seven minutes to go. A mile or so away the crew of a small boat are getting a very stern talking to. 12.08pm GMT12:08 New launch time is set at 7:17am ET Confirmation of the new launch time. 12.07pm GMT12:07 New launch time Nasa says the new launch time will be 7.17am Florida time, or 12 minutes later than planned – about ten minutes from now. Updated at 12.31pm GMT 12.06pm GMT12:06 The official clock has counted down to ten seconds and then zero … but has now restarted. Updated at 12.31pm GMT 12.04pm GMT12:04 Teams are extending #Orion's launch countdown hold due to a range & technical issue being worked. Launch time delayed. Here’s the official Nasa confirmation of the delay. 12.02pm GMT12:02 It does seem we will have a delay, but no one yet knows how long, Nasa says, as the boat is escorted away. But there are no technical issues, and the official “launch window” lasts until 9.44am Eastern time, more than two hours after the scheduled 7.05am departure, meaning Orion should still take off this morning. 11.58am GMT11:58 There’s a lot of acronym-filled jargon being spoken over radios on the Nasa TV feed, and I’m not quite clear whether the launch is, indeed, being held up. Nor, it seems, does the Nasa TV voiceover man, who’s gone suddenly quiet. 11.55am GMT11:55 Orion launch delayed #Orion is currently "no-go" due to a range issue. There's a boat in the launch area. Teams are working to remove the boat from the area. Inevitably, the mission has its own Twitter feed. Here’s its latest update, a re-tweet from the Nasa feed about the rogue boat in the launch area. Updated at 12.08pm GMT 11.53am GMT11:53 11.51am GMT11:51 The live Nasa coverage of the launch build-up says a boat has been spotted inside an exclusion area around Cape Canaveral, which officials are trying to contact and escort away. They say it’s possible this could slightly delay the launch time, though it’s not yet clear. We’re now inside the final 15 minutes before the scheduled launch time. Updated at 11.51am GMT 11.43am GMT11:43 As we await the launch, here’s another Nasa video, this one about the long lead-up to today’s test flight. 11.42am GMT11:42 Nasa TV has some lovely shots of the craft in the very early dawn light. Updated at 11.42am GMT 11.31am GMT11:31 Want to know what the latest situation is with just over half an hour to launch time? Of course you do. Luckily, Nasa has its own rolling series of blog updates here. This is what it had to say just now: We are moving through this morning’s countdown and everything remains on track for a liftoff at 7:05 a.m. EST, including the weather. We’ll have the final launch forecast shortly, followed by a 15-minute built-in hold at T-4 minutes that will set the stage for the terminal countdown phase. Launch polls will be conducted during this hold to clear the way for liftoff. Orion will switch over to its own battery power then the final “go/no-go” call will be made. After that, the Delta IV’s three core stage engines will ignite and rev up to 2 million pounds of thrust. The Delta IV Heavy and Orion will clear the tower in just a few seconds to begin a carefully choreographed climb skyward. The core stages on either side of the rocket will burn their propellants and fall away at T+3minutes, 56 seconds. The central core stage will continue for another 94 seconds as the rocket and spacecraft climb higher and pick up more speed. The first stage will fall away and the second stage will take over to put Orion into an initial orbit of 115 miles by 552 miles. 11.22am GMT11:22 Updated at 11.24am GMT 11.18am GMT11:18 Refresh the page to watch the launch live above. 11.07am GMT11:07 There’s still an hour to go until the launch, but you can watch Nasa’s own increasingly – and understandably – excitable live TV coverage here in the meantime. On the main Nasa website they even have a countdown clock to the launch. 11.01am GMT11:01 Welcome to our live coverage of the first test flight of Nasa’s Orion spacecraft. Here’s a quick primer on Orion and its test flight: Updated at 12.36pm GMT 11.01am GMT11:01 Here’s our very pretty graphic showing the various elements of the Orion craft, and how it fits into the launcher. |