NASA's Kepler Telescope to Launch Aboard Delta II Rocket

wrote:
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-032

NASA'S KEPLER TELESCOPE TO LAUNCH ABOARD DELTA II ROCKET

Engineers are reviewing all common hardware between the Delta II
rocket carrying the Kepler telescope and the Taurus XL launch
vehicle. On Tuesday, a Taurus carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon
Observatory failed to reach orbit. Managers want to confirm there
will not be similar issues with Kepler's Delta II.

_Is_ there common hardware between a Delta II and a Taurus XL?

rick jones
--
portable adj, code that compiles under more than one compiler
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...

On Feb 27, 3:22*pm, Rick Jones wrote:
wrote:
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-032
NASA'S KEPLER TELESCOPE TO LAUNCH ABOARD DELTA II ROCKET
Engineers are reviewing all common hardware between the Delta II
rocket carrying the Kepler telescope and the Taurus XL launch
vehicle. On Tuesday, a Taurus carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon
Observatory failed to reach orbit. Managers want to confirm there
will not be similar issues with Kepler's Delta II.

_Is_ there common hardware between a Delta II and a Taurus XL?

rick jones
--
portable adj, code that compiles under more than one compiler
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...

To the best of my knowledge, no, there's no common hardware between
the two launchers.

The Taurus XL uses a modified Peacekeeper first stage for its first
stage, stages 2 and 3 are Orion-50s, and stage-4 is an Orion-38. While
the Delta-II. Which strictly speaking is a long tank, thrust
augmented, Thor-Delta-II; uses a highly modified Thor first stage, 3-9
strapon GEM SRBs attached to it, a Delta second stage and for
interplanetary missions, the Star-48B solid rocket motor.

wrote:
On Feb 27, 3:22?pm, Rick Jones wrote:
wrote:
_Is_ there common hardware between a Delta II and a Taurus XL?

To the best of my knowledge, no, there's no common hardware between
the two launchers.

The Taurus XL uses a modified Peacekeeper first stage for its first
stage, stages 2 and 3 are Orion-50s, and stage-4 is an
Orion-38. While the Delta-II. Which strictly speaking is a long
tank, thrust augmented, Thor-Delta-II; uses a highly modified Thor
first stage, 3-9 strapon GEM SRBs attached to it, a Delta second
stage and for interplanetary missions, the Star-48B solid rocket
motor.

That covers the things that shove and/or go boom in a big way. How
about farther down at the more mundane component level - explosive
bolts for the fairings, perhaps pushers?

Otherwise, it seems rather odd to have added a day to a Delta II
schedule if there really isn't anything common between it and the
Taurus XL.

rick jones
--
a wide gulf separates "what if" from "if only"
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...

On Feb 26, 6:22*pm, Rick Jones wrote:
wrote:
MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-032
NASA'S KEPLER TELESCOPE TO LAUNCH ABOARD DELTA II ROCKET
Engineers are reviewing all common hardware between the Delta II
rocket carrying the Kepler telescope and the Taurus XL launch
vehicle. On Tuesday, a Taurus carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon
Observatory failed to reach orbit. Managers want to confirm there
will not be similar issues with Kepler's Delta II.

_Is_ there common hardware between a Delta II and a Taurus XL?

rick jones
--
portable adj, code that compiles under more than one compiler
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...

Who's double checking their clamshell safety/release latches and/or
exploding bolts?

I'd like to see their as-built circuitry, including for that previous
one that oddly didn't function and by rights should have gotten dozens
of their staff terminated.

~ BG