NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 22 January 2010
Spacecraft: Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V-401
Launch Pad: Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Date: Feb. 9, 2010
Launch Window: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. EST
At Launch Complex 41, integrated testing of the Atlas and Centaur stages of the Atlas V is continuing. On the morning of Jan. 20, the launch vehicle was transported from the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad in preparation for the wet countdown dress rehearsal. The test began during the afternoon and came to a successful conclusion at 6:50 p.m. This was a full launch vehicle countdown test exercise with the entire launch team participating. The rocket was fully fueled with liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, and RP-1. The payload does not participate in this test.
At the Astrotech payload processing facility, spacecraft fueling operations are finished. Oxidizer was loaded into the spacecraft on Jan. 5, and fuel was loaded aboard Jan. 8. The Atlas V fairing was installed around the SDO spacecraft on Jan. 21. It is currently scheduled to be transported to Launch Complex 41 for hoisting atop the Atlas V on Jan. 26.
Spacecraft: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-P)
Launch Vehicle: Delta IV
Launch Pad: Complex 37, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Launch Date: March 1, 2010
Launch Window: 6:19 – 7:19 p.m. EST
GOES-P processing is going well. Spacecraft electrical performance testing is complete. Cleaning and inspection of the instruments are finished. GOES-P was moved to the fueling stand on Jan. 18.
The satellite currently is planned to be fueled next week with the propellant necessary for orbit maneuvers and the attitude control system. Once this is completed, the spacecraft will be encapsulated in the Delta IV payload fairing in preparation for transport to the launch pad.
On Jan. 12, the Delta IV rocket was transported to the launch pad. It was installed into the launcher on Jan. 13. The first of two solid rocket boosters was attached on Jan. 14, and the second booster the following day on Jan. 15. The wet countdown dress rehearsal with the rocket fully fueled is currently scheduled to be conducted on Feb. 8.
GOES-P, to be launched for NASA and NOAA, is a United Launch Alliance commercial launch for Boeing Launch Services under a Federal Aviation Administration license.
Previous status reports are available at: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/index.html
