08.21.06 George H. Diller Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 STATUS REPORT: ELV-082106 EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT Mission: STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) Launch Pad: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta II Launch Date: No earlier than Sept. 18, 2006 Launch Time: TBD STEREO's launch has been postponed to no earlier than Sept. 18, the opening of the mission's next launch window. The additional time is necessary for further evaluation of the Delta II second stage to verify it is structurally sound for flight. This concern arose after further engineering analysis revealed that a similar tank produced for another mission was marginally thin in an area of the oxidizer tank. Engineers are assessing several options for the STEREO launch vehicle at Pad 17-B to determine the thickness of the tank in this same area. STEREO was not transported from Astrotech to the launch pad over the weekend as planned. It will remain at the payload processing facility until the necessary course of action for the Delta II can be more clearly defined. For previous expendable launch vehicle processing status reports, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2006 -end- To subscribe to the list, send a message to: ksc-subscribe@newsletters.nasa.gov To remove your address from the list, send a message to: ksc-unsubscribe@newsletters.nasa.gov
