NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 26 May 2006

Mission: Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO)
Launch Pad: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta II
Launch Date: July 22, 2006
Launch Times: 3:11 – 3:13 p.m. and 4:19 – 4:34 p.m. EDT

Technicians are testing individual STEREO systems on both the “A” and “B” spacecraft. Workers cleaned the black light on spacecraft “A,” completed vertical alignments, and installed the solar array ordnance. They also attached the high gain antenna to the spacecraft’s rotation fixture, and closed out blankets. Technicians installed the batteries on the “A” and “B” spacecraft last week. In addition to testing, upcoming work for spacecraft “B” includes solar array installation and integration of the high-gain communications antenna in mid-June.

The build-up of the Delta II rocket at Pad 17-B is scheduled to begin on June 1 with the first stage. Pad workers will start to erect the nine solid rocket boosters on June 2. The second stage will be hoisted into position and mated to the first stage on June 20. The crew will raise the 10-foot fairing into the pad clean room on June 21.

STEREO will build a three-dimensional, global picture of the sun and study the star’s influence on Earth. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/stereo

For previous status reports, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2006