Updates Orbital Sciences' Cygnus CRS Flight 1 through Flight 8 updates.

[Donamy]

looks like they will be stationary.

 

[Urwumpe]

The report of the IRT on the Orb-3 failure is since a few days ago available to the public:

http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/orb3_irt_execsumm_0.pdf

The exact cause is not known, but the failure was traced to a hydraulic balance assembly in the turbopump, that failed to provide radial positioning of the rotor, making parts in the component rub, overheat and ignite in the presence of LO2.

The description of the part suggests it is some kind of a sophisticated fluid bearing, using the flow of LO2 for keeping the turbopump rotor in position during operation, without letting the rotor actually touch the stator walls.

 

[boogabooga]

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/n...aunch-pad-to-flight-ready-status-once-more-13

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

I am busy with my first full time work, but a report on the Cygnus-Phoenix-Deke complex will be available from me half a day before launch.

 

[Ripley]

I am busy with my first full time work...

Well, congratulations for that!

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

What you all want to know about the CRS-4 Cygnus "SS Deke Slayton II"

The ship

The things on board

The road to orbit

The weather

Weather Forecast for Titusville, Florida on December 3, 2015 (6 p.m.)

Generally cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 21C. Winds N at 15 to 30 km/h.

Time|Temps|Dew Point|Relative Humidity|Precip|Snow|Cloud cover|Pressure|Wind|Weather
6 PM|19°C|15°C|74%|14%|0%|95%|1019 hPa|19 km/h N|

Overcast

 

[boogabooga]

Weather looks bad.

Edit:
<10% chance for launch today.

~30% for tomorrow.

 

[Astro SG Wise]

Nice to finally see those MegaFlex solar panels in action. Wonder what NASA would've done with the Orion CEV and that design.

 

[DaveS]

Nice to finally see those MegaFlex solar panels in action. Wonder what NASA would've done with the Orion CEV and that design.

They're called UltraFlex, not MegaFlex. And they have flown before, on Mars Phoenix Lander and Space Technology-8: https://www.orbitalatk.com/space-sy...ar-arrays/docs/FS007_15_OA_3862 UltraFlex.pdf

 

[Astro SG Wise]

Forgive me. I forgot about the Mars lander.

 

[boogabooga]

Scrubbed as expected.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

They're called UltraFlex, not MegaFlex. And they have flown before, on Mars Phoenix Lander and Space Technology-8: https://www.orbitalatk.com/space-sy...ar-arrays/docs/FS007_15_OA_3862 UltraFlex.pdf

Actually, he's not wrong. There is a MegaFlex version.. 9.6 meters in diameter when extended. :blink:

 

[Astro SG Wise]

I knew I read it somewhere. There must be a few different versions.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

For today:

Weather Forecast for Titusville, Florida on December 4, 2015 (6 p.m.)

Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 24C. Winds NE at 15 to 30 km/h.

Time|Temps|Dew Point|Relative Humidity|Precip|Snow|Cloud cover|Pressure|Wind|Weather
6 PM|21°C|17°C|82%|5%|0%|82%|1023 hPa|21 km/h NE|

Overcast

 

[Astro SG Wise]

Scrubbed for high ground winds.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

And after 3 days of weather delays we are back to under 30 minutes to liftoff.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

I'm extremely grateful to see Cygnus flying free in space again after such a long time. Time to spread your wings lad!

 

[DaveS]

Orbital-ATK has released a video showing one of the Cygnus-4 UltraFlex solar arrays deploying and rotating into position:

 

[Capt_hensley]

anyone have a manifest for the cargo?

 

[N_Molson]

Put an Atlas V in the loop and things tend to end well. :thumbup: