NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report

Mission: Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO)
Launch Pad: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta II
Launch Date: No earlier than Oct. 25, 2006
Launch Time: TBD

At Pad 17-B, the Delta II second stage was destacked on Sept. 6 for further testing to determine the thickness of the tank in identified areas. The initial test procedures are complete and the results are being assessed. These results will be used with continuing analytical evaluation to determine the flight worthiness of the second stage. This should be concluded in about a week. In the meantime, workers will reinstall the engine on the second stage.

STEREO remains at the Astrotech Space Operations Facility. The transportation canister was removed on Sept. 1 so technicians could recondition the spacecraft flight batteries and monitor critical functions during the hiatus. The twin observatories remain stacked on top of the third stage. The transportation canister will be reinstalled immediately prior to the payload being moved to the launch pad for mating to the Delta II.

For previous expendable launch vehicle processing status reports, visit:

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