NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 14 Juen 2007

Mission: Dawn
Location: Astrotech Space Operations Facility
Launch Pad: 17-B
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7925-H
Launch Date: July 7, 2007
Launch Time: 4:09:31 – 4:36:22 p.m. EDT

NASA is investigating a minor mishap affecting the Dawn spacecraft. On June 11, during a procedure to prepare the spacecraft for spin-balance testing, the back of a solar array panel was slightly damaged by a technician’s tool. No solar cells were broken. The necessary minor repairs will be made this weekend. There is no impact to the launch date of July 7.

Loading of xenon for the ion propulsion system was completed last week. Hydrazine, used for spacecraft control and maneuvering, was loaded aboard June 10. The spacecraft was then weighed and placed on a spin table for a series of spin tests that are currently under way. Dawn will be mated to its associated upper-stage booster on June 21 and transported to Pad 17-B for mating to the Delta II on June 26.

At Pad 17-B, the operations to attach the Delta II solid rocket boosters to the first stage are complete. The second stage is planned to be hoisted atop the first stage on Friday.

Mission: Phoenix
Location: Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility
Launch Pad: 17-A
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7925
Launch Date: Aug. 3, 2007
Launch Time: 5:35:18 a.m. EDT

The cruise system verification test is complete.

The planned testing of the landing radar is complete for now and will be resumed later.

Next week, technicians will install the parachute and associated mortar and ordnance. The solar array also will be deployed on the cruise stage for a planned test.

The first stage of the Delta II will be hoisted into the launcher at Pad 17-A on June 18.

Previous status reports are available on the Web at:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2007