NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 7 July 2006

Mission: STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory)
Launch Pad: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta II
Launch Date: NET Aug. 1, 2006
Launch Time: 2:42 – 2:44 p.m. or 3:50 – 4:05 p.m. EDT

The launch of STEREO aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket has been rescheduled to Aug. 1, pending Eastern Range availability and confirmation. Due to a faulty crane at Pad 17-B, vehicle stacking of the solid rocket boosters was not able to resume until yesterday and will continue on Saturday and Sunday. Hoisting of the Delta second stage atop the first stage is scheduled for Tuesday, July 11. On Wednesday, the payload fairing will be lifted into the pad clean room.

At the Astrotech Space Operations Facility, technicians completed final thermal blanket installation on Observatory “A” yesterday. This was followed by final black-light cleaning of the observatory. Today, it is being transported to the adjacent hazardous processing facility in preparation for fueling. Instrument testing on Observatory “B” has been completed. Final thermal blanket installation and black-light cleaning will take place this weekend. On Monday, Observatory B will also be moved to the hazardous processing facility, joining Observatory A.

Fueling of the two observatories, hoisting Observatory A and mating it with Observatory B, spin-testing of the integrated STEREO spacecraft, and mating to the upper stage booster will take place at the hazardous processing facility.

For previous expendable launch vehicle processing status reports, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2006