Atlas 5 Launch Scrubbed Due to Booster Valve Issue
United Launch Alliance (ULA) postponed the planned launch of the Atlas 5 rocket carrying Viasat's communications satellite. The delay occurred Wednesday night because of a valve problem that could not be resolved within the launch window.
Details of the Issue
ULA identified “an issue encountered while cycling the booster liquid oxygen tank valve during final checkouts” as the cause for the scrub. This problem forced the team to cancel the launch attempt and reschedule for the next day.
Launch Schedule and Mission Profile
- Liftoff is planned for 10:16 p.m. EST (0316 UTC), with a 44-minute launch window.
- The rocket will depart from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- It will travel due east along Florida’s Space Coast.
- The payload, a 6-metric-ton satellite, is destined for geosynchronous transfer orbit.
- Satellite deployment is expected approximately 3.5 hours after liftoff.
Weather Conditions
The 45th Weather Squadron forecasted a 95% chance of favorable weather for the launch window. The meteorologists noted a minor risk of interference from cumulus clouds.
“High pressure will bring fair weather to the Space Coast on both the primary and backup days,” launch weather officers wrote. “For the primary window, a ridge axis over Central Florida will develop light, onshore winds and partly cloudy skies.”
Rocket Configuration
ULA is using the Atlas 5 rocket in its 551 configuration for this mission.
Author's summary: A valve issue forced the Atlas 5 rocket launch with Viasat's satellite to be delayed by a day, with favorable weather conditions expected for the rescheduled attempt.