Spacecraft and Expendable Vehicles Status Report 14 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: Nov. 20, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: 9-10 p.m. EST (tentative)
NASA and Lockheed Martin have agreed on a new launch date of Nov. 20. The tentative launch time is 9 p.m. EST. The Atlas II launch vehicle is at the Lockheed Martin factory in Denver, Co., undergoing final assembly. Preparations are underway for the installation of the Centaur upper stage engines. The arrival date of the booster at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is planned for Oct. 8.
The TDRS-J spacecraft is currently planned to arrive at Kennedy Space Center from the Boeing Satellite Systems plant in El Segundo, Calif., on or about Oct. 17.
MISSION: Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Pegasus XL
LAUNCH LOCATION: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: Dec. 1, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: TBD
SORCE is at the Orbital Space Systems Group spacecraft facility in Dulles, Va., undergoing environmental testing. The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at Kennedy Space Center to begin final processing on Oct. 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 Oct. 1 and will be followed by Flight Simulation No. 2 on Oct. 9.
The Pegasus is scheduled for ferry to Cape Canaveral using the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft on Oct. 28.
Three Flight Simulation tests are also planned at KSC prior to launch and are scheduled to occur on Nov. 1, Nov. 8 and Nov. 18.
There are no significant issues or concerns at this time.
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, Va. Due to spacecraft problems found during thermal vacuum testing of the spacecraft, shipment to KSC has been postponed while troubleshooting and further testing and data analysis is performed.
In California at Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Pegasus XL launch vehicle is ready for ferry to KSC on the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft but is predicated on the arrival of the spacecraft at KSC.
