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| Note |
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This expendable launch vehicle and
payload processing status will be issued weekly. It will provide
the status of upcoming NASA missions scheduled for launch aboard
expendable launch vehicles. For additional information on
NASA ELV launches, visit: http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/elvnew/elv.htm.
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| |
| Mission |
Earth
Observing System Aqua Observatory |
| Launch
Vehicle |
Delta
II 7920-10L |
| Launch
Pad |
Space
Launch Complex 2, Vandenberg Air Force Base |
| Launch
Date |
May
2, 2002 (under review) |
| Launch
Time |
2:54:58
- 3:04:58
a.m. PDT |
| |
|
Status
|
On
April 18, the Aqua spacecraft was mated atop the Boeing Delta
II launch vehicle at NASA's Space Launch Complex 2 located
on North Vandenberg Base. The Aqua spacecraft batteries were
charged and a state of health check performed on Apr. 20.
The Flight Program Verification was performed on Monday, Apr.
22. This is a combined composite electrical test and flight
sequence test, the final major test prior to launch. The vehicle's
mechanical and electrical systems were actuated during the
simulated plus count.
During the test, an unexpected spacecraft/vehicle interface
electrical problem was found creating an undesired secondary
grounding path precluding this portion of the test from being
performed. The undesired circuit this created was disabled
upon reconfiguring the interface.
In addition, a second issue arose. Three of the four spacecraft
battery temperature sensors were reading incorrectly. It has
been determined that a pair of ground support equipment cables
was not connected in a proper manner. All the suspect cables
were re-connected this morning and continuity checks are now
underway. The Flight Program Verification will be re-performed
tomorrow, Thursday, Apr. 25. Some impact to the launch date
is anticipated and the remaining schedule of activities to
prepare for launch is currently under review. |
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| |
| Mission |
NOAA-M Polar
Orbiter |
| Launch Vehicle |
USAF Titan
II |
| Launch Pad |
Space Launch
Complex 4 West, Vandenberg Air Force Base |
| Launch Date |
June 24, 2002
NET |
| Launch Window |
11:22
- 11:32
a.m. PDT |
| |
|
Status
|
At
SLC-4W, the Titan II/G-14 launch vehicle's initial "power-on"
test was conducted on Tuesday, April 9 and routine vehicle
checkout and prelaunch preparations continue on schedule.
The booster was erected on the launch pad Apr. 1.
The NOAA-M spacecraft is at the Lockheed Martin plant
in Sunnyvale, Calif. and is planned for shipment to
Vandenberg on Thursday, Apr. 25. It will be prepared
for launch at a NASA spacecraft processing facility
on North Vandenberg Air Force Base. The spacecraft's
apogee kick motor processing activities were successfully
performed Apr. 16 - 18. The payload fairing is scheduled
to arrive on May 9. |
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|
|
CONTOUR
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| Mission |
Comet Nucleus Tour |
| Launch Vehicle |
Delta II 7425 |
| Launch Pad |
Space Launch Complex
17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station |
| Launch Date |
July 1, 2002 |
| Launch Window |
2:56:14
- 2:56:26
a.m. EDT |
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|
Status
|
The
Contour spacecraft has been shipped from NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt, MD and will arrive at KSC tonight to begin
final checkout and preparations for launch. The spacecraft's electrical
ground support and test equipment began arriving at KSC yesterday.
The Contour Mission Readiness Review will be held at the Applied
Physics Laboratory in Baltimore on May 15.
The Boeing Delta II launch vehicle second stage arrived at Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station on Monday, Apr. 1 and is undergoing
checkout at Delta launch vehicle Hangar AO. The Delta first stage
arrived at Cape Canaveral on Apr. 15 and is at Hangar M.
At Space Launch Complex 17, erection of the Delta booster is planned
to begin on May 28. A pre-vehicle-on-stand (Pre-VOS) review continues
to be scheduled for May 21 at the Boeing facility in Huntington
Beach, CA. |
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The Kennedy Space Center
(KSC) Newsroom offers an electronic subscription service for status
reports, news releases and other notices issued from KSC. There
are two possible ways to subscribe. You may send a blank
e-mail message to ksc-news_release-subscribe@kscnews.ksc.nasa.gov
or follow the instructions on the Web site at http://kscnews.ksc.nasa.gov.
The system will confirm the request via e-mail.
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