Dramatic hot fire abort for Delta IV Heavy launch
[Fox 51] United Launch Alliance had hope that the third time would be a charm.
Instead, a hot fire abort at T-minus 3 seconds kept a Delta IV Heavy rocket from launching into orbit from Cape Canaveral early Saturday morning.
It was about as late in the game as it could get without a major loss
When the four-hour window opened at 2:04 a.m. there were already delays as engineers completed a thermal analysis of a rocket compartment that was excessively cold due to cryogenic fuel. A new launch time was set for 3:28 a.m. but the planned liftoff came to an abrupt end as the base of the Delta IV Heavy was engulfed in flames.
Posted by: M. Murcek 2020-08-29 |