19990507: GOES L launch delay

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 19990507: GOES L launch delay
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Fri, 07 May 1999 07:27:05 -0600

     



     
     
     NOUS40KWBC 061541
     FOS/NOAAPORT NOTICE NO. 1474     MAY 6... 1999
     
     ATTENTION    FAMILY OF SERVICES SUBSCRIBERS
                  NOAAPORT USERS
     
     SUBJECT      GOES-L LAUNCH DELAYED
     
     NOTE
     THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE NESDIS
     OFFICE OF SATELLITE OPERATIONS CONCERNING THE DELAY OF
     THE GOES-L LAUNCH.  THIS DELAY IS TENTATIVELY FROM
     5/15/99 TO 5/23/99... BUT THE NEW DATE IS NOT OFFICIAL
     AT THIS TIME.
     
     AT 4 PM MAY 5 THE LAUNCH OF NOAA GOES-L WAS OFFICIALLY
     DELAYED AT LEAST 1 WEEK. AN APPROXIMATE 1- WEEK DELAY
     IN THE GOES-L LAUNCH WILL ALLOW COMPLETION OF THE
     INITIAL NASA REVIEW OF THE TITAN FAILURE AND ALLOWS
     RESULTS OF LOCKHEED MARTIN AND BOEING INTERNAL
     REVIEWS TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE DECISION TO LAUNCH
     GOES-L. NOTIFICATION OF ALL INVITED GUESTS WILL GO
     OUT TOMMORROW.
     
     AT THE MOMENT... GOES-L LAUNCH IS TENTATIVELY SET FOR
     MAY 23... 1999.  NASA IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH LAUNCH
     SITE RANGE FACILITIES AND NASA S DSN TRACKING NETWORK
     TO FINALIZE THE NEXT LAUNCH OPPORTUNITY FOR GOES-L. WE
     WILL KEEP YOU ADVISED AS INFORMATION ABOUT A FIRM
     LAUNCH DATE BECOMES AVAILABLE.
     
      BACKGROUND
     
     THE LAST THREE LAUNCH ATTEMPTS FROM CAPE CANAVERAL HAVE
     BEEN FAILURES
     
     A TITAN LAUNCH OF A DSP SATELLITE IN APRIL... A TITAN
     LAUNCH OF A MILSTAR SATELLITE ON APRIL 30... AND THE
     DELTA III LAUNCH OF A ORION SATELLITE ON MAY 4... 1999.
     AN ADDITIONAL FAILURE OCCURRED ON A LOCKHEED MARTIN
     ATHENA FROM VANDENBURG ON APRIL 27. THE TITAN... ATLAS
     AND ATHENA ARE ALL BUILT BY LOCKHEED MARTIN. THE NASA
     REVIEW WILL VERIFY THAT NO FAILURE MECHANISM IS RELATED
     TO OUR ATLAS. WITH THE DELTA 3 FAILURE... THE AIR FORCE
     HAD STATED ALL OF THEIR NEAR-TERM LAUNCHES WILL STAND
     DOWN. IN ADDITION... LOCKHEED MARTIN AND BOEING /DELTA/
     HAVE CONVENED INTERNAL SENIOR LEVEL REVIEWS OF HARDWARE
     AND PROCESSES.
     
     KATHY KELLY
     MANAGER
     SATELLITE OPERATIONS CONTROL CENTER
     NOAA/NESDIS
     301-457-5130
     KKELLY/AT SYMBOL/NESDIS.NOAA.GOV
     END
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