NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 22 December 2006

Mission: THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions During Substorms)
Launch Pad: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta II
Launch Date: Feb. 15, 2007
Launch Time: 6:07:37 – 6:26:37 p.m. EST

At the Astrotech payload processing facility near Kennedy Space Center, THEMIS state-of-health checks and an electrical system checkout have been finished. Solar array illumination tests are also complete. The spacecraft is now being pressurized in preparation for fueling, which is scheduled for Jan. 3-5. The probes will be installed onto the payload carrier Jan. 9-11. Spin balance testing will follow Jan. 12. Because all work is on schedule and there are no issues or concerns, no THEMIS processing activities are scheduled for the week between the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The Delta II Vehicle on Stand review is scheduled for Jan. 3 followed by installation of the Delta II rocket first stage on Pad 17-B Jan. 6. The nine solid rocket boosters will be placed around the base of the first stage and attached in sets of three between Jan. 8-13. The second stage will be hoisted atop the first stage on Jan. 16. The following day, the payload fairing will be lifted inside the clean room facility located within the mobile service tower.

Previous status reports are available on the Web at:

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