Atlas V ready for Friday flight from Cape Canaveral
United Launch Alliance's Atlas V is set to rocket back into action Friday morning, attempting its first flight in more than three months.
ULA last week said that the rocket had been cleared for a 10:30 a.m. June 24 launch of a Navy communications satellite, at the opening of a 44-minute window.
The rocket will fly in its most powerful configuration, with five solid rocket motors strapped to the first stage, to lift the Navy's fifth Mobile User Objective System satellite, built by Lockheed Martin. The MUOS constellation provides smart phone-like communications for warfighters around the globe.
The last time the Atlas V launched on March 22, its Russian-made RD-180 main engine shut down six seconds too soon. The rocket's upper stage burned for an extra minute to enable an International Space Station supply mission to reach orbit.
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ULA said reduced fuel flow nearly four minutes into the flight caused the engine to burn a propellant mixture too rich in oxygen, reducing its performance. The engine used up its liquid oxygen supply and shut down with "significant fuel remaining."
The company said engine supplier NPO Energomash had made a minor change to a valve assembly, resulting in "minor hardware replacement" on ULA's inventory of RD-180s. Engine firings, testing of parts and detailed inspections confirmed the fix worked.
“We would like to thank our customers and supplier partners for their outstanding collaboration in the detailed review of this anomaly,” said Laura Maginnis, ULA’s vice president of custom services. “'We remain on plan to launch all of our manifested 2016 missions within the year.”
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Fore left mark on 45th Space Wing
The Air Force is mourning the loss of Bob Fore, a longtime civilian leader at the 45th Space Wing praised as an influential figure behind the scenes who was beloved by colleagues at every level.
Fore, 64, of Melbourne, died suddenly at home on June 11.
In 2002, Fore was named the 45th Space Wing’s first executive director, the top civilian position advising Wing commanders on policy, launch and range operations, resources and major launch contracts.
“He was an icon not only here at the 45th Space Wing, but throughout the space launch business,” the Air Force said in a statement. “The men and women of the 45th Space Wing salute Bob for all he’s done. His memory will serve as a motivator for many decades to come.”
When he retired in 2007 to end a 33-year civil service career, an Air Force news story described Fore as “quiet and unassuming." But leaders said Fore made “immeasurable” and lasting contributions that helped improve and modernize launch operations on the Eastern Range.
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“His corporate knowledge, combined with an incredible ability to communicate complex issues, will make it virtually impossible to replace him,” Mark Bontrager, a colonel leading the 45th Mission Support Group at the time, was quoted saying in the Air Force report. “He has truly been a trusted agent to help Wing leadership evaluate options and chart a solid path for the future.”
Fore was respected for his expertise and an ability to relate to all kinds of people, whether they were generals or the lowest-ranking employees.
After retiring as executive director, Fore continued to support the Range as a contractor with SAIC, Boeing and InDyne. Most recently he was InDyne’s director of operations for a contract responsible for maintaining Wing facilities.
A Mississippi native, Fore earned an electrical engineering degree before starting his first job as an Air Force civil servant. He moved to Patrick Air Force Base in 1989.
A family obituary described Fore as quiet — when he wasn’t riding his Harley — and a family man who enjoyed watching science fiction movies with two daughters, Sarah and Jennifer, who survive him along with his wife of 26 years, Myra. Family and friends gathered Saturday, June 18, for a memorial service at Faith Viera Lutheran Church in Viera.
Father's Day launch, and landing?
Blue Origin is targeting a 10:15 a.m. EDT Sunday, June 19, launch of an unmanned New Shepard vehicle on a suborbital test flight from the company's private range in West Texas.
For the first time, the Seattle-based company long branded as secretive will show a live Webcast of the test flight, scheduled to start at 9:45 a.m. at www.blueorigin.com.
"Watching a rocket launch (and rocket landing!) might add a little extra fun w/ kids on Father's Day," Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, a father of four, said on Twitter.
Bezos, the billionaire founder and CEO of Amazon.com, has said the test will be more challenging for the New Shepard booster and crew capsule, including simulating a failure by one of the capsule's three main parachutes.
The booster will be attempting to launch and land for a fourth consecutive mission, further demonstrating the ability to reuse rockets.
"And of course — development test flight — anything can happen," Bezos said.
The suborbital flights, which could begin carrying paying customers in 2018, are precursors to launches of a larger orbital rocket that will be built in Brevard County and launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, possibly before the end of the decade.
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Contact Dean at 321-242-3668 orjdean@floridatoday.com.And follow on Twitter at@flatoday_jdeanand on Facebook atfacebook.com/jamesdeanspace.