Jasig CAS auth in angular webapp

gistfile1.js

$scope.login = function () {
  $http({ // getting TGT (Ticket Granting Ticket)
      method: 'POST',
      url: 'http://localhost/cas/v1/tickets',
      headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'},
      data: $.param({username: $scope.loginform.username, password: $scope.loginform.password})
  }).success(function(data, status, headers) {
      // CAS returns location where we can request service ticket
      var location = headers('Location');
      $http({ //requesting service ticket, rest/app/heartbeat is part of our app
          method: 'POST',
          url: location, 
          headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'},
          data: $.param({service : 'http://localhost/myapp/rest/app/heartbeat'})
      }).success(function(data) {
          // on success our server session wil be authenticated (over JSESSIONID cookie if java backend used)
          $http({
              method: 'GET',
              url: env.apiEndpoint + '/rest/app/heartbeat',
              params: {'ticket': data}
          }).success(function(data) {
              authService.loginConfirmed();
          }).error($scope.setErrorMessage)
      }).error($scope.setErrorMessage);
  }).error($scope.setErrorMessage);
};

I think it would be easier to switch to promise API of $http and get rid of nesting of success inside another success inside yet another success callback hell. Something like:

$http(..)
  .then(function(...) { 
    ...; 
    return $http(..); 
  })
  .then(function(...) { 
    ...;
    return $http(..); 
  })
  .catch(errorCallback);

Does this ever work?
I try it and I get always a response with status = -1 and the location is not available.