Elite Dangerous, like all games, has a range of error codes that can pop up when players are trying to actually play the game. The Orange Sidewinder error is quite common, unfortunately. Elite Dangerous will tend to have spikes of activity around this error code when the developers are attempting to implement new content, and it will be especially prevalent around major DLC releases and updates.
The error itself is pretty generic, seeming to be indicative of a general connection issue to the server. Basically, you cannot connect to the game server to load your profile, and it has even been known to happen mid flight. The usual traditional potential fixes can worth with this error.
Players will want to take the following steps and see if it resolves the issue:
- Restart your PC or console
- Restart your router
If the problem persists, players should contact Frontier Support Services and log the issue. Sadly, at that point, all you can do is wait for the developers to resolve the issue and try logging on every hour or so to see if it is fixed. It may also be worth following the official Elite Dangerous Twitter account to keep an eye out for any updates.
