NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 1 Aug 2008

Mission: IBEX (Interstellar Boundary Explorer)
Launch Vehicle: Pegasus XL (Orbital Sciences)
Launch Pad: Reagan Test Site, Kwajalein Pacific Atoll
Launch Date: Oct. 5, 2008
Launch Window: 12:41:54 p.m. EDT (4:41:54 a.m. local time)

The IBEX spacecraft arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Monday, July 28. It was taken to the Astrotech Space Operations facility for processing. The following day the spacecraft was removed from its shipping container and placed on a test stand in the clean room high bay. IBEX was powered on July 31 to begin the state-of-health checks of the spacecraft’s operating systems. Next week, testing of the spacecraft science instruments is scheduled.

At the Orbital Sciences launch vehicle hangar, prelaunch processing of the Pegasus XL rocket is under way. Work to attach the second and third stages is scheduled to begin Aug. 6. Integration of the first and second stages is planned to start Aug. 8. Fairing preparations also are scheduled to begin next week.

The L-1011 carrying the Pegasus XL rocket with IBEX is currently planned to depart from Vandenberg on Sept. 26. After a stop in Hawaii, the flight will continue and arrive at the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll in the south Pacific on Sept. 28.

Previous status reports are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2008