| NASA’s
Aura spacecraft, the latest in the Earth Observing System
(EOS) series, is at the Astrotech payload processing facility
located on North VAFB, Calif.
A launch site readiness review was conducted on June 1.
A subsequent decision was made to delay transportation
and mate of the spacecraft to the Delta II launch vehicle
until an issue with the Delta II second stage helium pressurization
system is assessed by the launch team.
Fueling of the spacecraft was completed May 14. On May
26, the spacecraft was mated to the payload attach fitting,
the interface with the Delta II. The spacecraft canning
was completed June 1 in preparation for transportation
to Space Launch Complex (SLC) 2.
The build-up of the Boeing Delta II launch vehicle on
SLC 2, located on North VAFB, was completed. The first
stage was stacked April 29 and the second stage May 1.
Work to install the nine solid rocket boosters was completed
May 5.
Aura’s four state-of-the-art instruments will study
the dynamics of chemistry occurring in the atmosphere.
The spacecraft will provide data to help scientists better
understand the Earth’s ozone, air quality and climate
change.
The
EOS Aura satellite, instruments and science investigations
are managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
in Greenbelt, Md. Government oversight of launch preparations
and the countdown management on launch day is the responsibility
of the NASA Launch Services Program based at John F. Kennedy
Space Center (KSC). The launch service is provided to
NASA by Boeing Launch Services.
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