NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report 4 April 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 GLAST spacecraft’s solar array illumination test is occurring today. This weekend, the work to install the Ku-band communications transmitter will begin. A functional test will follow on Tuesday. Closeouts of the spacecraft’s thermal blankets also will begin next week. Installation of the Ku-band communications antenna is planned for mid-April.

At Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, work to attach the nine strap-on solid rocket boosters to the Delta II first stage was completed this week. Stacking of the second stage atop the first stage is planned for Saturday.

Previous status reports are available on the Web at:

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