NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 28 March 2008

Mission: GLAST (Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope)
Location: Astrotech payload processing facility
Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920-H
Launch Pad: 17-B
Launch Date: May 16, 2008
Launch Window: 11:45 a.m. – 1:40 p.m. EDT

The spacecraft comprehensive performance tests continue. Next week, the illumination test of the twin solar arrays is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, and they will then be stowed for flight on Thursday. Each array generates 750 watts of power for a total of 1,500 watts, the GLAST spacecraft’s maximum power requirement.

At Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, due to high wind, hoisting the Delta II first stage into the launcher was postponed from Monday until Wednesday, March 26. Work to attach the nine strap-on solid rocket boosters in sets of three is under way and will continue until the middle of next week. Stacking of the second stage is currently planned for April 5.

Previous status reports are available on the Web at:

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