| The Aura spacecraft, the latest in the Earth Observing System (EOS) series, arrived at Space Launch Complex 2 located on North Vandenberg Air Force Base before dawn on Tuesday, June 22. It was transported from the Astrotech payload processing facility located a few miles south of the pad. Aura was then hoisted atop the Boeing Delta II launch vehicle. The mechanical and electrical connections are complete and an Aura stand-alone, state-of-health check has been performed.
The last remaining major test, the Flight Program Verification, was successfully completed yesterday. This was an integrated test involving the Delta II and the Aura spacecraft. Work to install the fairing around the spacecraft is scheduled to begin on July 1 and end the following day. The Flight Readiness Review is scheduled for July 6 and will give the approval for loading of the Delta second stage with its hypergolic propellants July 7.
Retraction of the mobile service tower, the gantry surrounding the Delta II, is scheduled to occur at 5:30 p.m. PDT on July 9. Loading of RP-1, a highly refined kerosene fuel, aboard the first stage is scheduled to begin at 12:21 a.m. PDT July 10. Loading of the cryogenic liquid oxygen in the first stage will begin approximately an hour later.
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 Kennedy Space Center. The launch service is provided to NASA by Boeing Launch Services.
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