Dave Steitz
Headquarters, Washington, DC October 30, 1996
(Phone: 757/824-1776)
Keith Koehler
Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA
(Phone: 757/824-1579)
RELEASE: 96-222
SAC-B/HETE LAUNCH HALTED
Launch of the SAC-B and HETE satellites aboard an
Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) Pegasus XL launch vehicle
was halted today during the terminal countdown. Officials
said the locking pin on the rudder of the Pegasus vehicle did
not disengage. After repeated commands to disengage the pin,
the allowable time window for launch after activating the fin
battery lapsed. This condition requires an automatic return
to the Wallops Flight Facility.
During the flight of the OSC L-1011 carrier aircraft,
there were no indications of anomalies with either the SAC-B
or HETE spacecraft. The replacement of the single-use
thermal battery requires a minimum of two days. However, the
new launch date will not be set until analysis of the problem
can be completed.
- end -
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