NASA News National Aeronautics and Space Administration John F. Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899 AC 321-867-2468 _________________________________________________________________________________________________ For Release: Aug. 23, 2003 George H. Diller Kennedy Space Center 321-867-2468 KSC Release No.: 75-03 SIRTF LAUNCH ABOARD DELTA ROCKET ON SCHEDULE FOR AUG. 25 A final decision was made early this evening by NASA and Boeing management to continue with the countdown and launch preparations for the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). While the electrical components in question on the Delta launch vehicle are inaccessible for inspection, engineering analysis by two separate teams reached a conclusion that there is full confidence in the process used to screen for their quality and reliability. Therefore, a clear decision to proceed, based on low risk, was reached without reservation by senior managers. The tracking and instrumentation ship is expected to arrive on station in the lower central Indian Ocean between 6 and 7 p.m. on Sunday evening in sufficient time to support the launch early Monday. The forecast for launch remains unchanged, with only a 20% chance of not meeting the weather criteria. The liftoff is scheduled to occur at 1:35:39 a.m. EDT. NASA Television coverage of the launch will begin at 11:30 p.m. EDT. Note to Editors: Media establishing remote cameras at Pad 17-B will depart from the Pass and Identification Building on Gate 1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 9:30 a.m. Those media going to the tower rollback photo opportunity will depart by bus from Gate 1 for the pad at 4:30 p.m. For launch, media should report to the Gate 1 Pass and Identification Building at 11:30 p.m. for accreditation and security checks. Please note this is one-half hour earlier than originally scheduled. # # # ------------------------------------------------------------- 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 .
