Wallops Launch Delayed By A Boat
Launch of Third Orbital Sciences Mission to Space Station Rescheduled; NASA TV Coverage Reset
“The third Orbital Sciences cargo mission to the International Space Station under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services contract is scheduled to launch at 6:22 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Oct. 28, from Pad 0A of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.”
Keith’s note: Tonight’s ORB-3 launch from Wallops was delayed by a boat in restricted waters offshore. I tried to find a copy of these restrictions. Not being a mariner, this is the best that I could do at the Coast Guard website but I can’t seem to find anything in it. Dan Leone found this at the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency but I am not sure if there is anything in there either. I know there are maritime channels that are supposed to be monitored. Again, I am not a mariner and profess my ignorance. But if it is this hard to find these launch restrictions, is it any surprise that someone might not know that a launch is imminent? Is just assuming that people will know ahead of time the most efficient way to prevent a lunch delay on a multi-million dollar mission? Just wondering.
I asked NASA PAO for a copy of these restrictions. WFF PAO sent me this Notice to Mariners: Wallops Rocket Launch issued by NASA WFF on 16 October 2014. I have asked NASA how this is relayed to people who might be sailing offshore.
33 CFR 334.130 – Atlantic Ocean off Wallops Island and Chincoteague Inlet, Va.; danger zone.
“(1) Persons and vessels shall only be prohibited from entering the area when launch operations are being conducted.
What is Interesting is how the NASASocial #spacetweeps more concerned about villifying the boat and its owner and not seeing a launch (without any facts as to why the boat was there or whether NASA alerted everyone adequately) than the fact that NASA tried to launch until last second when safety regulations prevailed. The system may be inefficent – but it worked. If only these space tweeps could integrate a real world quotient into how they cover and report NASA activities.
Check the Worldwide Navigational Warnings Service (WWNWS), google earth KMZ file of notices: http://msi.nga.mil/NGAPorta…
Currently shows a giant red area in the Atlantic near Wallops for “rockets”
How many sailors look at the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency website before going out for a trip?
I would say more than one might assume, Keith; people who venture offshore are hip to the weather and to various hazards. As a (alas) former boater I can tell you that the boating community is small and everyone on the docks talk. Admittedly, though, depending on the ‘grape vine’- which is what this really is– could be obviously improved.
There will be more to this story.
Aside from the chance that anyone could be hurt is about what- 1 in a bazillion?
Even if the chance was one in bazilion bazilions, I’m sure there is a lawyer out there that would try to sue everyone in sight.
There should be a Notice to Mariners released in the local area. Most recreationers don’t pay attention to them.
It is not posted where NOTMAR things are supposed to be posted.
“But look, you found the notice didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard’.”
Douglas Adams – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
My questions are…where was the Coast Guard and why was a private boat allowed into the restricted area in the first place?
Shields were down. Or the boat had a cloaking device.
Apparently a malfunctioning cloaking device, or the launch would not have been delayed.
That’s clearly also a central issue here. Boaters have a level of responsibility to know what’s going on, especially near a well-known launch facility like Wallops. However, I should think that NASA, the Coast Guard, Wallops, and Orbital all also have a stake in launching on time and not wasting time and money over an errant sailboat. That’s just a silly waste of resources,
I guess they do not have the performance to launch on the ISS orbit before or after. I think I checked one time and it was 1200 miles apart. I have never heard any one ask. They are launching down orbit. They could launch up orbit 12 hours later. Too much populated area, I think.
Please tell me that this boat was intercepted, confiscated, fined, etc…
violators of the restricted zone can be fined up to $500 or get a maximum 6 month’s imprisonment.
http://www.nao.usace.army.m…
I can’t speak for Wallops but the restriction is based on Range Safety criteria, usually impact probability from malfunctioning vehicles, nominal stage drop zones, or risk exposure. It can be under the flight path or in stage drop zones. At the Eastern Range the restricted zones NOTAMS are posted at the marinas and also periodically over Marine Band Channel 16 on day of launch. The Coast Guard actively supports operations to clear offshore hazardous zones at the Eastern Range but their authority to do so is limited beyond the 3NM territorial limit. My experience over 25 years is that the mariners are very cooperative unless the fishing is good.
I wonder if it was a gawker or a commercial boat. Either way they should be fined for screwing up the launch.
P.S. I’m pretty sure that Coast Guard tried to warn them by radio, at least they do down here at KSC.
Violators of the restricted zone can be fined up to $500 or get a maximum 6 month’s imprisonment.
http://www.nao.usace.army.m…
A single boat and risk averse NASA would not pull the trigger!? This is not like when the Okinawa fishermen organized a “boat in” because their prime fishing grounds were down range of the H2 launches. They had many boats and I believe, Keith can correct me, that they ended up getting paid for those days that they were not allowed to fish due to a launch. This was one boat. Seriously NASA, grow a pair.
Range Rules are Range Rules, not Range Suggestions.
Having the restricted zones clear is one of the go – no go parameters for launch. A vessel in the restricted zone means “no go” – period.
This is no different from not having anyone downrange at a firing range. If there’s someone down range, the Range Master tells everyone to keep their weapons on the table, no exceptions.
This isn’t being risk-averse. It’s being Safety Smart. Being in the restricted zone is stupid, and hazardous. There are probably also local laws enforcing the restricted zone. I wouldn’t be surprised if the captain of the infringing vessel was cited and fined.
Doug:
I appreciate your point, but the comparison of having anyone downrange at a firing range is a poor analogy for this situation for any number of reasons. They do have estimates, given the specific rocket, where in the down range area, and the nature of the failure, what the risk is and it is likely to be vanishingly small in reality unless it is a target rich environment. One boat, a small one at that, somewhere in the down range sector, is not likely to be at risk statistically.
let’s put a sick child in an operating room. it’s just one small person! not likely to be a risk statistically.
To further your point……XKCD avatars are always good and increase credibility points.
Thank you, Psi!
There have been Russian and Chinese launch failures–some tragic– that have exemplified why such range safety procedures are necessary.
Help me recall. How many lone boats were involved in those tragic failures?
Help me out here. I can’t recall how many lone boats were damaged by those Russian and Chinese launch failures.
and this is why there are restricted zones:
http://www.msn.com/en-us/ne…
Boaters aren’t going to look for temporary restrictions. This was a big problem at KSC until Florida Today started publishing the boating restricted areas on the front page the day before every launch. This might be a job for Wallops PAO. Get the local papers and TV stations to do stories on it before every launch.
All boats offshore by law must have a VHF and be monitoring Ch 16. The CG provides a notification of any clears, special operations, or hazards on a periodic basis on Ch 16 with coordinates of the subject clear or problem. The captain of the vessel should know where they are from a GPS aspect; at least one would think he is knowledgeable being offshore. After they escort the vessel out of the hazard no doubt they will do a full inspection, questioning and citation.
looks like violators of the restricted zone can be fined up to $500 or get a maximum 6 month’s imprisonment.
http://www.nao.usace.army.m…