Spacecraft and Expendable Vehicles Status Report 27 Mar 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: April 18, 2002 (Under Review)

LAUNCH WINDOW: 2:54:58 – 3:04:58 a.m. PDT

The Aqua spacecraft is at the Spaceport Systems International
(SSI) payload processing facility located on South Vandenberg Air Force
Base. The Aqua project continues to evaluate a battery cell concern that has
postponed planned fueling of the spacecraft. The amount of launch schedule
delay is under review.

At Space Launch Complex 2, the operation to hoist the payload
fairing into the gantry was completed on Monday, Mar. 20. On Mar. 22
interface checks were performed through the fairing between SLC-2 and
spacecraft ground support equipment.

The launch vehicle’s cryogenic systems and the launch team
underwent a successful “crew certification” on Mar. 19. Liquid oxygen was
loaded into the first stage and a simulated countdown was performed to
exercise the blockhouse and launch pad crews. Additionally, a Simulated
Flight Test was performed on Mar. 21. The launch vehicle systems were
checked out by performing a flight simulation to verify the flight program
software and to validate the booster sequence of events during ascent. On
Mar. 25, the first stage was fueled with RP-1, a highly refined kerosene
fuel, and leak checks of the booster were successfully performed.

The testing of the Aqua spacecraft batteries continues. The
decision on whether to proceed with fueling the spacecraft will be made on
Monday, April 1 following a meeting to evaluate the test results. Once this
determination has been made, a definitive launch date can be established.

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 Titan II/G-14 booster for NOAA-M will be transported to SLC-4
West on Saturday, Mar. 30 and erected on the launch pad Monday, Apr. 1.
Routine corrosion control and maintenance was completed at the launch pad
this week as planned.

The NOAA-M spacecraft is at the Lockheed Martin plant in Sunnyvale,
Calif. and is tentatively planned for shipment to Vandenberg on Apr. 25.
The spacecraft will be processed at NASA spacecraft hangar 1610 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: 2:57:12 – 2:57:24 a.m. EDT

The spacecraft’s solid propellant motor will arrive at KSC on
Tuesday, Apr. 2 and be processed prior to the arrival of CONTOUR. 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.

At Space Launch Complex 17, erection of the Delta booster is
planned to begin on May 29.