Atlas 5 Lifts-off following delay due to Winds

A beautiful night launch illuminated America's Space Coast this morning following a 65 minute delay due to high upper level winds over the area.

Launch of the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 occurred at 1:55:01 am EST, this morning from launch complex 41 here at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Through Sunday night, the launch team marched toward a 12:50 am lift-off. However, high winds between 22,000 to 25,000 feet created concern as weather officials released several weather balloons checking for any changes in the winds.

The white and bronze Atlas rocket steered out over the dark waters of the Atlantic Ocean and into a star filled sky.

Powered by three solid rocket boosters and a kerosene RD-180 core engine, the Atlas steered southeast as it gained altitude. Ninety-two seconds into the flight, the SRB's ended their job with burnout. Forty seconds later, the three boosters separated from the core stage.

The primary payload of this 19th flight of an Atlas 5 is the Space Systems/Loral-built Intelsat 14 communications spacecraft which will provide television and high speed data for the America's, Europe and Africa.

Following several burns and a coast phase, the Atlas' upper stage released Intelsat 14 while over the southeastern Indian Ocean at 3:53 am EST.

Intelsat 14 will replace the aging Intelsat 1R, according to ULA. The 12,300 pound satellite will operate from a position over the equator at 45 degrees West.

This morning's launch marked the 601st Atlas flight since the late 1950's with half of those occurring here at Cape Canaveral.

NASA, ULA to Launch Delta II on Friday

NASA and the United Launch Alliance will wait an additional 24 hours to try to launch a Delta II rocket from here at Cape Canaveral due to a small fuel leak detected following this morning weather scrub.

Launch managers have elected to stand down until Friday morning to resume the countdown of a Delta II-7920 at 8 AM EDT - the opening of a one hour launch window.

ULA told this reporter late this evening, "Following Wednesday morning's weather launch scrub, teams detected a small leak in a flange in the fuel transfer system under the launch pad. Both the Delta II and the STSS spacecraft have no technical issues."

Friday's launch date is not firm, but a target date based on how quickly technicians can fix the leak on Thursday.

Japan Successfully Launches Ozone Satellite

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency today successfully launched an H-IIA rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center - located on an island off of southern Japan.

The H-IIA carried a climate payload which Japan will use for measuring the earth's ozone layer. Known as the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT), the payload lifted-off at 12:54 pm local Japan time today (8:54 pm EST on Thursday evening) aboard the 174-foot tall H-IIA F15. This was the rocket's the 15th flight.

Sixteen minutes and one second later, the payload separated from the rocket's upper stage while over 8 degrees N, 132 degrees E. The upper stage then continued on and deployed seven separate smaller satellites as it flew a trajectory south and west over western Australia and south over the coast of Antarctica.

Inclement weather forced a two-hour launch delay. The rocket flew through clouds as it leapt from it's seaside launch pad.

 The H-IIA is a forerunner to the upcoming H-IIB rocket which will support important Japanese missions, including cargo transport to the international space station and to the Moon. A test flight of the new H-IIB is slated for this year.

Tonight's Delta IV-H Launch Image

United Launch Alliance has just released this image from tonight's launch. Liftoff occurred following a 2 hour, 14 minute delay from Cape Canaveral Air Station. Read our story below.

What a great image as you see the Delta's three liquid fueled boosters burning just two seconds following launch.

Delta IV-H Launches from the Cape Tonight

A United Space Alliance Delta IV-Heavy turned the night sky over Cape Canaveral into brief day light tonight as it pushed a military satellite into earth orbit.

The bright orange glaze over Cape Canaveral began as the Delta IV-H left her launch pad at 9:47 pm EST. Three liquid fueled boosters gave the 1.6 million pound gross vehicle the necessary lift.

Tonight's sucessful launch marked the 337th Delta rocket launch; and only the second operational Delta IV-H launch. The last occurred in November 2007.

The payload - a military satellite known as Orion - will work on station in geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above the equator. It will become operational following a few weeks of on-orbit check outs. This orbital altitude will allow for the satellite to stay at one fixed point as it orbits as the earth spins.

Orion was built by the National Reconnaissance Office and this flight was designated NROL-26.

Beginning now, the rest of the launch phase is in a military news blackout. We will never know if the Orion payload reached its intended orbit, however the main launch phase was nominal.

Delta IV-H Remains poised for Launch Tonight

Cape Canaveral Air Station, FL: Clocks are at T-0:35 minutes and counting as we await the launch of the United Space Alliance Delta IV-Heavy unmanned rocket here at Complex 37.

Launch remains set for 7:33 pm EST tonight.

The vehicle is fueled and the Cape is not working any issues currently.

Delta IV-H nears Tuesday Cape Launch

The launch of a Delta IV-H unmanned rocket from Cape Canaveral is firmly set for this Tuesday night on a classified department of defense flight.

Known as the Orion National Reconnaissance Office satellite 26, the payload is slated to lift-off between 7:01 pm and 11:59 pm EST, on January 13th. The DoD is keeping the exact launch time secret until early Tuesday morning for security reasons. However, a liftoff late in the 7 pm hour is most likely. 

Weather wise, winds near the 22 mph limit could delay the launch time. Rain or cloud levels are not expected to be an issue.

The first launch off the earth in 2009, the Delta IV-Heavy launcher will rise from Cape Canaveral Air Station Complex 37-B on a high inclination orbit. The 232-foot tall Delta will place Orion in geostationary orbit. This satellite will replace an older, not as tech savvy satellite currently on station.

We are working to provide live launch video of the mission. Stay tune.

Delta IV Military Launch Delayed

UPDATE: The multi-delayed launch of a Delta IV from Cape Canaveral has again been delayed from next week's scheduled flight to possibly late-January, according to the National Reconnaissance Office today.

Spacecraft readiness and not the launcher is the root cause for the launch slip, stated the NRO this morning. This means that the next Cape launch will either be this Delta IV launch or space shuttle Discovery's flight now targeted for February 12th.

Delta IV Nears December Launch from CCAS

The next launch from Cape Canaveral should be that of a Delta IV rocket from launch complex 37 here at Cape Canaveral Air Station sometime in mid-December.

The exact launch date has not been released, however a "second week in December" launch date is most likely from an informed source.

The Delta IV will lift a huge satellite for the United States' National Reconnaissance Office. Keep it here for a formal launch date announcement soon.

If launch does occur in a few weeks, this will be the last Cape launch until February when shuttle Discovery launches to the space station.

Live at Cape Canaveral: Delta IV & Atlas V Nears

SLN: Up to the Minute, I'm Charles Atkeison.... Engineers at Cape Canaveral Air Station are gearing up for two ELV unmanned rocket launches between mid-November and December as they ready the Cape for the pre-Holiday season closeure.

A Delta IV and an Atlas V rockets are hoping to leave the Cape with their satellite payloads prior to the multiweek closeure of the Eastern Test Range prior to the Christmas Holidays. During the shutdown period, computers are upgraded and personel take holiday leave.

First up is a Delta IV-H carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office - NROL-26. Lift-off is slated for the evening of November 16th.

Second, an Atlas V's is scheduled for launch on December 13th, carrying a military spacecraft for the DOD.

note: Endeavour has the range from Nov. 14th. If there is a day or two launch delay, the Delta IV will also be delayed for 24 to 48 hrs.