Spacecraft and Expendable Vehicles Status Report 13 Feb 2002

MISSION: TDRS-I (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-I)

LAUNCH VEHICLE: Lockheed Martin ATLAS IIA (AC-143)

LAUNCH PAD: 36-A Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

LAUNCH DATE: March 8, 2002

LAUNCH WINDOW: 5:39 – 6:19 p.m. EST

SPACECRAFT LOCATION: SAEF-2

At SAEF-2, prelaunch processing of TDRS-I continues to occur on schedule. Loading of the spacecraft with oxidizer is tentatively scheduled for Friday, Feb. 15. Fuel loading is tentatively Sunday, Feb. 16.

In other spacecraft activities, spacecraft electrical testing continues, propulsion system leak checks have been completed, and the TDRS-I compatibility tests with the White Sands ground terminal have been successfully performed.

At Pad A on Space Launch Complex 36, vehicle processing is mostly complete and the vehicle is awaiting the arrival of the TDRS-I spacecraft from SAEF-2 on Feb. 25.

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: April 18, 2002

LAUNCH WINDOW: 1:54:50 – 2:04:50 a.m. PST

Aqua spacecraft testing is continuing at the TRW plant in Redondo Beach, Calif. The Aqua spacecraft pre-ship review was successfully completed on Feb. 5-6 and the spacecraft is scheduled be shipped to Vandenberg Air Force Base on Feb. 25. The Aqua spacecraft ground support equipment is scheduled to arrive at Vandenberg on Friday, Feb. 15.

The erection of the Boeing Delta II launch vehicle on the pad at Space Launch Complex 2 is planned to begin on Feb. 25. The Boeing and NASA review to assess readiness of the vehicle and the launch pad for that activity is scheduled for Feb. 19 in Huntington Beach, Calif.

MISSION: NOAA-M Polar Orbiter

LAUNCH VEHICLE: USAF Titan II

LAUNCH PAD: Space Launch Complex 2 West

LAUNCH DATE: June 25, 2002 NET

LAUNCH WINDOW: 11:22 – 11:32 a.m. PST

The NOAA-M spacecraft is at the Lockheed Martin plant in Sunnyvale, Calif. A shipping date for the satellite and the erection of the Titan II launch vehicle on SLC-2W at Vandenberg Air Force Base will be determined after the launch of the U.S. Air Force DMSP weather satellite that is pending.

The spacecraft will be processed at NASA spacecraft hangar 1610 on North Vandenberg Air Force Base.