Spacecraft and Expendable Vehicles Status Report 27 Jun 2002

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

The launch of the NOAA-M Polar Orbiter from NASA’s Space Launch Complex 4
West occurred successfully on Tuesday, June 24. Liftoff of the USAF Titan
II occurred at 11:23:03.538 a.m. (PDT). Spacecraft separation occurred at
11:29:35 a.m. (PDT), inserting the spacecraft into a near-polar
Sun-synchronous orbit 450 nautical miles above the Earth.

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 – 2:56:20 a.m. EDT

The Flight Program Verification, a simulated flight test of the launch
vehicle and the integrated spacecraft, was completed June 21. This combined
composite electrical test and flight sequence test was the final major test
prior to launch. The vehicle’s mechanical and electrical systems are to be
actuated during the simulated plus count.

The NASA Flight Readiness Review (FRR) was held on June 26. The purpose of
this review was to obtain concurrence to load the second stage of the launch
vehicle with propellants on June 27. The NASA FRR cleared all open issues
with the following exception. The payload fairing installation operation
began on June 25 and was halted when an interference was encountered between
the acoustic support structure of the fairing and the de-spin weight
attached to the third stage. The root cause of the anomaly was determined
to be a design flaw. The resolution of this problem is to install a shorter
replacement strut on the acoustic shelf in order to gain the proper
clearance. This issue has not had an impact on the July 1 launch date.

The NASA Launch Readiness Review is scheduled for June 29. The purpose of
this review is to obtain concurrence to enter into the countdown on Sunday,
June 30.

MISSION: Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)

LAUNCH VEHICLE: Pegasus XL

LAUNCH SITE: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

LAUNCH DATE: NET Aug. 14, 2002

LAUNCH WINDOW: 07:50 – 09:50 a.m. EDT

The GALEX spacecraft is at the Orbital Space Systems Group facility in
Dulles, Virginia and undergoing final preparations before shipment to KSC.
The arrival date at KSC is under review.

Meanwhile, in California, the Pegasus launch vehicle continues processing at
Vandenberg Air Force Base. The second of four flight simulations was
successfully completed on June 17. Standard prelaunch preparations are
continuing on the vehicle nose fairing.

Arrival of the Pegasus XL at KSC is being planned to occur approximately two
weeks after arrival of the GALEX spacecraft.