spacetoday.net: Landsat 9 launch delayed by LOX shortage

Posted: Sat, Sep 4, 2021, 12:59 PM ET (1659 GMT)
NASA doesn't expect additional delays to the launch of the Landsat 9 spacecraft caused by a lack of liquid nitrogen at its launch site. NASA announced late last week the launch of the Earth science satellite on an Atlas 5 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California would be delayed a week, to Sept. 23, because of a shortfall of liquid nitrogen used for launch vehicle processing. At a briefing Tuesday, a NASA manager said trucks that normally transport liquid nitrogen to Vandenberg had been pressed into use transporting liquid oxygen to hospitals because of the pandemic. The liquid nitrogen supplier for Vandenberg has secured new trucks and is replenishing the base's liquid nitrogen stockpile, and should not cause further delays.