SPACECRAFT AND EXPENDABLE VEHICLES STATUS REPORT
June 12, 2002
George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center
321/867-2468
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 prelaunch preparations continue to progress on schedule.
At SLC-4W, atop the Titan II, encapsulation of the NOAA-M spacecraft into the payload fairing is currently underway and scheduled to be completed on Thursday, June 13.
On Friday, June 14, the launch vehicle Integrated Systems Test (IST) is scheduled to be performed. Like the Combined Systems Test (CST) conducted May 22, this involves both a simulated minus count and plus count, however, the spacecraft is also part of this exercise, electrically testing the vehicle/spacecraft combination during the countdown and the in-flight events
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, loading of CONTOUR with hydrazine fuel was completed on June 7. The "wet" spin balance test was completed on June 11. A "dry" spin balance without fuel aboard was completed June 1. The spacecraft will be mated to the upper stage booster on Monday, 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. The faring was hoisted into the mobile service tower's clean room on June 5. A Simulated Flight test of the launch vehicle is scheduled for Thursday, June 13. A crew certification exercise for the Boeing console operators who load the liquid oxygen aboard the Delta first stage is scheduled for Friday, June 14. This also checks the liquid oxygen propulsion system.
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, Virginia 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 launch vehicle continues processing at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The second of four flight simulations is being conducted this week and launch preparation work is underway on the vehicle nose fairing.
Arrival of the Pegasus XL at KSC is being anticipated for July 11. Based on the current processing schedule, the spacecraft will be mated to the Pegasus XL vehicle on July 26 in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF).
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