Spacecraft and Expendable Launch Vehicles Status Report 17 Apr 2002
MISSION: Aqua EOS-PM (Earth Observing System Aqua Observatory)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: DELTA II 7920-10L
LAUNCH PAD: Space Launch Complex 2, Vandenberg Air Force Base
LAUNCH DATE: May 2, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2:54:58 – 3:04:58 a.m. PDT
This week, launch and spacecraft managers scheduled the launch of Delta/Aqua on the Western Range for Thursday, May 2 at 2:55 a.m. PST.
This morning the Aqua spacecraft was transported from its payload processing facility located on South Vandenberg Air Force Base to Space Launch Complex 2 located on North Vandenberg. It was then hoisted atop the Boeing Delta II launch vehicle and mated mechanically mated. Electrical hookups are now underway and will be followed by a spacecraft state of health check. A launch readiness check is scheduled for later this week. The installation of the nose fairing around the spacecraft is scheduled to begin on Apr. 25 and be completed the following day.
Boeing conducted a launch site readiness review on Monday prior to Aqua’s arrival to assure readiness of the pad and the Delta vehicle to receive the spacecraft. Upcoming activities over the next week include installation of the launch vehicle ordnance and the Flight Program Verification. This is a combined composite electrical test and flight sequence test, the final major test prior to launch. The vehicle’s mechanical and electrical systems will be actuated during the simulated plus count.
MISSION: NOAA-M Polar Orbiter
LAUNCH VEHICLE: USAF Titan II
LAUNCH PAD: Space Launch Complex 4 West, Vandenberg Air Force Base
LAUNCH DATE: June 24, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: 11:22 – 11:32 a.m. PDT
At SLC-4W, the Titan II/G-14 launch vehicle’s initial “power-on” test was conducted on Tuesday, April 9. The booster was erected on the launch pad Monday, Apr. 1.
The NOAA-M apogee kick motor and the spacecraft ground support and test equipment also arrived on Tuesday, Apr. 9.
The NOAA-M spacecraft is at the Lockheed Martin plant in Sunnyvale, Calif. and is planned for shipment to Vandenberg on Apr. 25. It will be processed at NASA spacecraft hangar 1610 located on North Vandenberg Air Force Base.
MISSION: CONTOUR (Comet Nucleus Tour)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Delta II 7425
LAUNCH PAD: 17-A Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: July 1, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: 2:56:14 – 2:56:26 a.m. EDT
The spacecraft is currently at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD and will arrive at KSC on Apr. 25 to begin final checkout and preparations for launch. The spacecraft’s electrical ground support and test equipment will arrive two days prior on Apr. 23.
The launch vehicle second stage arrived at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Monday, Apr. 1 and is undergoing checkout at Delta launch vehicle Hangar AO. The Delta first stage arrived at Cape Canaveral on Apr. 15 and taken initially to Hangar M.
At Space Launch Complex 17, erection of the Delta booster is planned to begin on May 28. A pre-vehicle-on-stand (Pre-VOS) review is scheduled for May 21 at the Boeing facility in Huntington Beach, CA.
