Spacecraft and Expendable Vehicles Status Report 5 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
At SLC-4W, the Titan II/G-14 prelaunch preparations continue to progress smoothly. The spacecraft was transported to the pad late on May 29 and mated to the Titan II launch vehicle in the early morning hours of May 30. The spacecraft was powered on and successfully tested on June 1. The spacecraft is scheduled to have its control fuel loaded aboard this week and will be followed by loading the launch vehicle Attitude Control System (ACS) hydrazine.
The payload fairing will be installed around NOAA-M on Friday, June 7. An Integrated Systems Test (IST) involving both the spacecraft and the launch vehicle is scheduled for June 14. The Combined Systems Test (CST) was successfully completed on May 22. This was a vehicle system test that included a simulated countdown as well as a plus count, electrically testing in-flight events of the Titan II vehicle.
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 – 2:56:26 a.m. EDT
At SAEF-2, the solar arrays were installed and light-tested on May 28-29. of tinal test was then conducted of the CONTOUR science instruments. The spacecraft was then placed on a spin table for an initial spin test before fuel is loaded aboard later this week on Friday, June 7. A second spin test with the spacecraft fully fueled will then be conducted next week. The spacecraft will be mated to the upper stage booster on June 17. CONTOUR is currently scheduled for transportation to the launch pad and mated to the Delta II on June 19.
At Space Launch Complex 17, erection of the Delta first stage booster was performed on May 28. The solid rocket boosters were attached around the base of the first stage on May 29. The launch vehicle second stage was hoisted atop the first stage on May 31.
MISSION: Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Pegasus XL
LAUNCH SITE: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: 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, Va., and undergoing final preparations before shipment to KSC no earlier than June 26. Also in Dulles, the Pegasus Launch Vehicle Mission Readiness Review was successfully completed on May 31.
Meanwhile, in California, the Pegasus continues processing at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The first of four flight simulations is being conducted this week.
Arrival of the Pegasus XL is being anticipated for July 11.
