NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 3 February 2006

Mission: Space Technology 5 (ST5)
Launch Vehicle: Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL
Launch Date: Feb. 28, 2006
Launch Window: 8:57 – 10:19 A.M. EST
Targeted Drop Time: 9:04 a.m. EST

The ST5 spacecraft will be mated to the Pegasus XL rocket today in the Orbital Sciences hangar, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Pegasus Flight Simulation No. 4, an integrated test with the ST5 spacecraft, is scheduled for Wednesday. ST5 final functional testing and spacecraft closeouts are scheduled for Feb. 11 and 12. The three-day operation to install the Pegasus vehicle fairing around the ST5 spacecraft is scheduled to begin Feb. 14.

Mission: Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite
Observation and CloudSat
Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta 7420 with Dual Payload Attach Fitting
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 2, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Launch Date: Under Review Launch Window: TBD

The strike against Boeing by the International Association of Machinists was settled this week. A launch timeframe is under review pending resolution of any technical issues. CALIPSO and CloudSat are installed in the Dual Payload Attach Fitting at the Astrotech payload processing facilities on Vandenberg. They will remain there until a new launch date is determined and then be prepared for transportation to NASA’s Space Launch Complex 2. Delta II preparations at the launch pad are on hold until the payloads arrive for installation atop the second stage.