16th and final Delta IV Heavy launch on the 28th

[tim cubbedge]

Scrub until further notice due to ground support nitrogen pump failure, according to the ULA mission blog.

According to Spaceflightnow, next launch date is April 1 at 1:37 PM.
https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

 

[ljwilley]

In that case, I unfortunately won’t be able to watch it because spring break is over and I will be at school. I will watch it on YouTube when I get home later that day.

 

[ljwilley]

Rescheduled to April 9

 

[bad_idea]

Rescheduled to April 9

Good for me. I was concerned that a Monday launch that ended up delayed a few hours could conflict with my trying to catch whatever of the eclipse ends up visible through the clouds here.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Good for me. I was concerned that a Monday launch that ended up delayed a few hours could conflict with my trying to catch whatever of the eclipse ends up visible through the clouds here.

Forecast is for rain at your house, Monday. You can come up here and watch the side of the eclipse...

 

[bad_idea]

Launch seemed to go well. Was always a treat watching Heavy rise up out of those hydrogen fireballs. I'll miss it.

 

[NTP2]

I think that the end of the delta lineage will be remembered as the start of a new age…


Ps but what do I know

 

[ReynoldsSlumber]

It was my favorite operational rocket aesthetically, such a brute. Also appreciated the upper stage engine bell's deployable extension, a very cool trick for fitting a vacuum nozzle inside a shorter interstage section.

Lamenting the passing of the torch (ahem) from hydrogen-fueled boosters to the reign of methane: the space launch industry could've been a driver of green hydrogen production, as a non CO2-emitting fuel. Also lamenting that Vulcan (as well as Ariane 6) doesn't have reusability. C'mon, people, what year is it? Wish they'd hurry up with that recoverable booster engine section concept for Vulcan.

 

[kuririn]

 

[mjennings]

So mad I missed it. Never got close to a D4 when I was at the Cape, but did do some payload alignment work for some D2s. That was fun those pads were a maze and tight access.

 

[jadebox]

The view from our front yard was meh. Before the launch it looked like we would be treated to mostly clear skies. But what looked like whispy clouds turned out to be show-stoppers. We only saw a bit of the exhaust trail between layers of clouds.

I think they should launch another one and pay more attention to the weather before pressing the button!

 

[techrat]

I think they should launch another one and pay more attention to the weather before pressing the button!

Absolutely! NASA, SpaceX, and ULA need to understand that there are those of us that stand outside our houses to watch, they need to be considerate of us!
I mean, you can dump a satellite into orbit *anytime*..... but there are less windows of opportunity to skywatch!

 

[NTP2]

Absolutely! NASA, SpaceX, and ULA need to understand that there are those of us that stand outside our houses to watch, they need to be considerate of us!
I mean, you can dump a satellite into orbit *anytime*..... but there are less windows of opportunity to skywatch!

I guess you could get a private plane and some binoculars…

 

[Rob Campbell]

Delta was a great launch vehicle. Sad to see it go.

 

[kuririn]

Delta was a great launch vehicle. Sad to see it go.

But I'm glad to see that their airline is doing fine.

 

[ljwilley]

It was a great flight!
Launch video, if anyone wants it! Very good capture of ignition.

 

[ReynoldsSlumber]

It was a great flight!
Launch video, if anyone wants it! Very good capture of ignition.

The upper stage nozzle extension deployment is at 38:40, the last bit of live onboard video.

 

[jsdemar]

Phone pic taken of my computer monitor during liftoff.