NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 25 July 2006

Mission: STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory)
Launch Pad: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta II
Launch Date: No earlier than Aug. 20, 2006
Launch Time: 3:52 – 4:07 p.m. EDT

At the Astrotech Space Operations Facility, work to prepare STEREO for launch resumed today with the pressurization of the hydrazine tanks on each of the two observatories. This will be followed by preparations to stack the spacecraft. Stacking is currently planned for Friday, July 28. Three days of spin-testing will follow beginning Sunday, July 30. The final major processing activity prior to launch occurs next week with the mating of STEREO to the upper stage booster.

At Pad 17-B, standard liquid oxygen leak checks of the Delta II first stage are under way today. The second stage will undergo a helium leak check on Wednesday.

For previous expendable launch vehicle processing status reports, visit:

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