Relativity Space Scrubs Maiden Flight Of Terran 1 Rocket
On 8th March 2023, Relativity Space scrubbed the Good Luck Have Fun (GLHF) launch due to exceeding launch commit criteria levels for the thermal conditions of Stage 2.
2 minute read•Updated 3:05 PM EDT, Sat March 30, 2024
On 8th March 2023, Relativity Space scrubbed the Good Luck Have Fun (GLHF) launch due to exceeding launch commit criteria levels for the thermal conditions of liquid methane (CH4) in Stage 2. The rocket had an issue with propellant conditioning on Stage 2 due to a ground equipment valve malfunctioning, which prevented the propellant from reaching the right temperatures.
The new launch window will be on 11th March between 18:00 - 21:00 UTC (13:00 - 16:00 EST). The new window couldn't be before Friday due to conflicts with OneWeb 17 which is set to launch at 19:30 UTC on the 9th of March.
During the launch campaign on 8th March, the launch time was pushed back for various reasons before the final scrub for the day was called by the Launch Director. One of the issues was related to the LOX temperatures in Stage 2 being which were out of limits.
After the scrub for the day was called, Tim Ellis, CEO of Relativity Space took to Twitter with high praise for the teams behind the launch attempt.
We will work toward our next launch window in the coming days. Due to methane/Liquid Natural Gas propellant conditioning, it will take a few days until our next attempt. We will update once we have an official next date. Onward, and proud of the team today for a professional and… https://t.co/FR4BPVaBD8
— Tim Ellis (@thetimellis) March 8, 2023
Despite Terran 1 not leaving the pad this afternoon, the team gained valuable data and insight into the vehicle to ensure a successful launch.