NASA Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A) Launch Status Report 4 Jun 2003

MISSION: Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A)

• LAUNCH VEHICLES: Delta II
• LAUNCH PAD: 17-A
• LAUNCH DATE: June 8, 2003
• LAUNCH TIMES: 2:05:55 p.m. / 2:44:07 p.m. EDT

The Flight Readiness Review for MER-A was held today in the
Mission Briefing Room at KSC. At its conclusion, NASA managers affirmed
Sunday, June 8 as the launch date for MER-A. The next major activity is the
fueling of the Delta second stage on Thursday, June 5 with its complement of
storable hypergolic propellants. The payload fairing was installed around
the spacecraft last weekend on Saturday, May 31.

MER-A was hoisted atop the Delta II rocket at Pad 17-A on May 27.
A state of health check was successfully completed on May 28. The Flight
Program Verification, an integrated vehicle/spacecraft test and the final
major test before the launch, was completed on May 29.

The Delta first stage for MER-A was erected on Pad 17-A on April
23. The second stage erection was completed on April 28, and the fairing
was installed in the white room on April 30. The solid rocket booster
erection began on May 13 with the first set of three motors being attached
to the first stage. The second set of three was erected on May 14, and the
final set was hoisted into position on May 15. The Simulated Flight Test,
an electrical test of the vehicle’s systems used during powered flight, was
successfully completed on May 21.