NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 12 June 2009

Mission: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter/Lunar Crater Observation and
Sensing Satellite (LRO/LCROSS)
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V
Launch Pad: Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: June 17, 2009
Launch Time: 3:51 p.m. EDT

The Flight Readiness Review for LRO/LCROSS was held on June 10, and at its conclusion, there were no issues or concerns which would preclude a launch next week on June 17.

On June 11, a mission dress rehearsal was conducted. This was a high-fidelity exercise for the launch team and affirmed their readiness for the countdown.

The Atlas V and LRO/LCROSS have been undergoing prelaunch preparations in the Vertical Integration Facility adjacent to the launch pad. The spacecraft closeouts for flight were completed on June 10.

In preparation for launch, the Atlas V launch vehicle with LRO/LCROSS atop is scheduled to be rolled out to the pad on June 16 at 10 a.m. The countdown on launch day, June 17, will start at 8:41 a.m. for a liftoff targeted to occur at 3:51 p.m.

Mission: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-O)
Launch Vehicle: Delta IV
Launch Pad: Launch Complex 37, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Date: June 26, 2009
Launch Window: 6:14 – 7:14 p.m. EDT

At the Astrotech Space Operations Facility on June 7, GOES-O enclosed in the payload fairing was rolled out of its payload processing facility high bay and moved to Launch Complex 37. It arrived at the launch pad on June 8 and was hoisted for mating atop the Delta IV rocket during the overnight hours of June 9. The Interface Verification Test to verify the electrical and mechanical connections between GOES-O and the Delta IV was conducted on June 10. The Flight Program Verification, an integrated countdown and powered flight electrical test involving both the Delta IV and GOES-O, was successfully conducted on June 11.

Also on June 10, the launch vehicle’s linear shape charge, part of the flight termination system, successfully completed its testing.

NASA has contracted with Boeing to build and launch the GOES-O spacecraft. The NASA Launch Services Program at Kennedy is supporting the launch in an advisory role. NASA spacecraft project management for GOES-O is the responsibility of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. After launch, once Boeing and NASA have completed on-orbit checkout and the spacecraft is operational, it will be turned over to NOAA.

Previous status reports are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/index.html