NASA News National Aeronautics and Space Administration John F. Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899 AC 321-867-2468 ____________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________ For Release: June 23, 2003 George Diller Kennedy Space Center, Fla. (321) 867-2468 KSC Release No. 49 - 03 Launch Advisory: LAUNCH OF DELTA II WITH "OPPORTUNITY" TARGETED FOR JUNE 28 Based on completing the work as currently scheduled, launch managers continue to plan toward Saturday, June 28 as the launch date for MER-B with the "Opportunity" Mars Exploration Rover. The launch time is 11:56:16 p.m. EDT with a second time available at 12:37:59 a.m. EDT on June 29. NASA and Boeing engineers met today to assess the progress of the cork insulation rework on the Delta first stage for MER-B. The effort is proceeding on schedule to remove and replace the lower band of cork. Inspections on the upper band are under way, and it has not been decided what work, if any, will be required. Pending a successful schedule assessment by NASA and Boeing managers on Tuesday afternoon, a revised Note to Editors will then be issued with updated plans for news media activities and the launch coverage on NASA Television. The prelaunch press conference will not be held on Tuesday, June 24. It is being rescheduled so that it may continue to be held on L-1 day, Friday, June 27 at 1 p.m. # # # ------------------------------------------------------------- For automatic email subscriptions to this KSC originated press releases, send an Internet electronic mail message to mailto:ksc-news_release-subscribe@kscnews.ksc.nasa.gov. With no subject or message. The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail of each subscription. To remove your name from the list at any time, send an email addressed to mailto:ksc-news_release-unsubscribe@kscnews.ksc.nasa.gov . With no subject or message. or you can (un)subscribe on the World Wide Web at: http://kscnews.ksc.nasa.gov/ Status reports and other NASA publications are available on the World Wide Web at: http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/kscpao.htm .
