Delta II Launch - Vandenberg Air Force Base

[Lucas]

"Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., (Feb. 4, 2009) - The next launch attempt for the NOAA-N Prime weather satellite for NASA and NOAA aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket is rescheduled for tonight. The problem with the launch pad gaseous nitrogen pressurization system which caused the first launch attempt to scrub was identified as a failed relay card. The relay card at the launch pad has been removed and replaced and the new card has been tested. The launch window for tonight is 2:22-2:32 a.m. PST. The weather forecast has improved somewhat with a 60 percent chance of not meeting the launch weather criteria, primarily due to thick clouds."

Mission Booklet: https://unitedlaunchalliance.com/launch/NOAA-N/NOAA-N_MOB_010709_Layout 1.pdf

Webcast: https://unitedlaunchalliance.com/index_webcast.html

The weather was perfect last night all down the coast. Launching conditions were great and so were viewing conditions. Hopefully if it is able to launch tonight we will be able to see it!

 

[Lucas]

Thursday mornings launch has been scrubbed.

 

[n5wd]

Thursday mornings launch has been scrubbed.

When I was with a missle wing in the USAF, we came out to Vandenburg for a missle competition, and then stayed while one of our crews got to pariticpate in a Minuteman II night launch... four or five scrubs that week, mostly due to cloud cover and fog. (But on the bright side, we didn't have to go back to frigid Grand Forks, North Dakota for a few extra days!)

But when it does clear up, oh... what a sight to see!

 

[DaveCombs]

Rescheduled for "tonight" (meaning tomorrow morning ~2am PST, 5am EST). I wanna see this one.

 

[Lucas]

I wish it wasn't raining here in San Diego! ahhhh

 

[daveyfire]

They got lucky and nailed the flight window -- but it was cloudy here, so no joy on our end. We returned to the lab to watch the webcast but all the instant replay shows is the first few hundred feet before it hits the cloud deck.

Was it clearer down south?

 

[Lucas]

Pretty disappointing from a viewing standpoint. It was basically the same down here, low overcast and rainy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGF_JZV-HTU

The first six or so minutes are an overview of the satellite-pretty interesting-then the very brief webcast of the launch.