Spacecraft and Expendable Vehicles Status Report 5 Sep 2002
MISSION: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-J (TDRS-J)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Lockheed Martin Atlas IIA (AC-144)
LAUNCH SITE: Pad 36-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: November 20, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: 10:36 p.m. – 11:16 p.m. EST
The Atlas II launch vehicle is at the Lockheed Martin factory in
Denver, Colorado undergoing final assembly, integration and testing. Both
Centaur stage engines have been installed. Associated electrical harnesses
are being installed and the aft area of the stage is undergoing electrical
and mechanical build-up. The arrival of the booster at Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station continues to be anticipated around October 8.
The TDRS-J spacecraft is undergoing testing at the factory and is
planned to arrive at Kennedy Space Center from the Boeing Satellite Systems
plant in El Segundo, California on or about October 17.
MISSION: Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Pegasus XL
LAUNCH LOCATION: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: December 1, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: T-0: 11:00 a.m. EST (tentative)
SORCE is at the Orbital Space Systems Group spacecraft facility in
Dulles, Virginia and has satisfactorily completed space environment tests.
The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at Kennedy Space Center to begin final
processing on October 25.
The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle continues to
undergo 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 October 1 and will be followed by Flight
Simulation No. 2 on October 9.
The Pegasus is scheduled for ferry to Cape Canaveral using the
Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft on October 28. Three Flight Simulation
tests are also planned at KSC prior to launch and are scheduled to occur on
November 1, November 8 and November 18.
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, Virginia. Due to problems found during thermal vacuum
testing of GALEX, shipment to KSC has been postponed and the launch is being
rescheduled. Troubleshooting, data analysis and further testing of the
spacecraft is being 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 prior arrival of the spacecraft at KSC.
