ULA start of NRO satellite on maintain after Delta 4 Heavy sizzling fireplace abort

The launch of NROL-44 was aborted 3 seconds before the Delta 4 Weighty was to lift off from Place Start Advanced-37 at Cape Canaveral

WASHINGTON — A United Start Alliance Delta 4 Significant rocket carrying a Countrywide Reconnaissance Business office classified spy satellite stays on the floor following a mission abort Aug. 29 through the ignition sequence right before the planned 3:28 a.m. Japanese liftoff.

The launch of NROL-44 was aborted a few seconds in advance of the rocket was to lift off from Room Start Intricate-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The automated abort was brought on by a warm fireplace just after the Delta 4 Heavy’s three engines appeared to ignite but then shut off. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said on Twitter that the induce “appears to have been in the ground procedure.” He said the abort procedure “functioned as supposed to guard the vehicle and payload.”

ULA stated in a assertion it is “reviewing all info and will figure out the path forward.” One more start endeavor will not happen for at minimum seven times.

This was the 3rd launch try in as several days immediately after two scrubs — one particular on Aug. 26 because of to client ask for and 1 on Aug. 27 ensuing from a complex trouble with the ground pneumatics management system.

The Aug. 29 launch initially had been scheduled at 2:04 a.m. but was delayed by a thermal anomaly due to a reduced than expected temperature in one of the rocket’s compartments.