Aug. 27, 2010 George H. Diller Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 george.h.diller@nasa.gov STATUS REPORT: ELV-082710 EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT Spacecraft: Glory Launch Vehicle: Taurus XL 3110 Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Launch Date: Nov. 22, 2010 Launch Time: 2:09 a.m. PST Altitude/Inclination: 440 miles/98.2 degrees The Taurus rocket is in Orbital Sciences Hangar 1555 located on north Vandenberg Air Force Base where integration and testing of the vehicle's flight hardware components continue. The Vehicle Verification Test, a test milestone in Taurus processing, was conducted on Aug. 25 and was fully successful. Testing is under way on the first half of the payload fairing that arrived at Vandenberg on Aug. 17. Stage 2 telemetry testing continues and is expected to conclude today. Testing of the Taurus flight computer has been completed. Stages 1, 2 and 3 are currently scheduled to be mated together during the second week of September. On Stage 0, mechanical work and thermal blanket installation are continuing. The Glory spacecraft currently is scheduled to arrive at Vandenberg on or about Oct. 13 to begin processing for launch. Data from the Glory mission will allow scientists to better understand the Earth's energy budget. An accurate description of the Earth's energy budget is important in order to anticipate future changes to our climate. Shifts in the global climate and the associated weather patterns impact human life by altering landscapes and changing the availability of natural resources. The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor instrument will measure aerosols (human-caused and naturally occurring) to determine their relative influence on the global climate. The Total Irradiance Monitor instrument will monitor the Sun to understand short-term solar mechanisms causing energy budget changes and will contribute to the vital long-term solar record. Previous status reports are available at: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/index.html -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
