ULA finds cause for dramatic Delta IV heavy launch scrub; New date targets

United L.A. Alliance teams have determined the reason behind the dramatic second-degree abortion of the Delta IV heavy rocket late last month, which will set the stage for another attempt before next week, reports News6 partner Florida Today.

UP CEO Tori Bruno said on Twitter on Wednesday that the computer-controlled scrub had collapsed just before the lift on August 29 due to a torn diaphragm in one of the three pressure regulators at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Launch Complex 37. The engines briefly caught fire, but remained firmly on the rocket pad.

“Torn diaphragm (in the regulator), which can occur over time,” Said Bruno. “The other two regulators are being investigated. We will replace or re-build as needed, re-test and then return to the launch. ”

He said the teams are currently targeting for the next impressive effort before Friday, September 18th. The exact time has not been released yet.

If it has a timeline, it would actually mark Delta IV Heavy’s third attempt to launch a satellite to collect classified intelligence for the national Rick Onna Nissins for Fees, known as NROL-44. The first launch on 27 Aug Gust was canceled due to an issue of pneumatics in ground support equipment.

Elsewhere on the eastern range, SpaceX Delta IV makes a temporary target about 12 hours before Heavy – so next Thursday afternoon – from Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39 for its next mission. The Falcon 9 flight will orbit the 13th batch of the company’s approximately 60 Starlink Internet satellites and see the first phase land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.