Spacecraft and Expendable Launch Vehicles Status Report 8 Aug 2002
MISSION: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-J (TDRS-J)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Lockheed Martin Atlas IIA (AC-144)
LAUNCH SITE: Pad 36-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: November 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: TBD
The Atlas II launch vehicle is at the Lockheed Martin factory in
Denver, Colorado undergoing final assembly. NASA and Lockheed Martin have
agreed on a three-week postponement of the launch to accommodate final
AC-144 launch vehicle assembly work. It is anticipated that by next week a
specific launch date can be determined, however, at this time launch is
expected to occur approximately the third week in November.
The TDRS-J spacecraft is currently planned to arrive at Kennedy
Space Center from the Boeing Satellite Systems plant in El Segundo,
California no earlier than October 17.
MISSION: Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Pegasus XL
LAUNCH SITE: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: Under Review
LAUNCH WINDOW: TBD
The GALEX spacecraft is at the Orbital Space Systems Group
facility in Dulles, Virginia. The planned hardware and software changes to
the spacecraft’s logic unit were implemented. The necessary testing and
data analysis have been underway.
Meanwhile, in California at Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Pegasus
XL launch vehicle has completed processing and is ready for ferry to KSC on
the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft. This is currently planned for Sept.
13 but is predicated on the date of arrival of the spacecraft at KSC.
MISSION: Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Pegasus XL
LAUNCH LOCATION: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: December 1, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: TBD
SORCE is at the Orbital Space Systems Group spacecraft facility in
Dulles, Virginia undergoing environmental testing. The spacecraft is
scheduled to arrive at Kennedy Space Center to begin final processing on
October 25.
The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle is undergoing
buildup and testing at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Two Flight Simulation
tests are scheduled while the vehicle is in California. Flight Simulation
No. 1 is scheduled for October 1 and will be followed by Flight Simulation
No. 2 on October 9.
The Pegasus is scheduled for ferry to Cape Canaveral using the
Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft on October 28.
Three Flight Simulation tests are also planned at KSC prior to
launch and are scheduled to occur on November 1, November 8 and November 18.
There are no significant issues or concerns at this time.
