April 22, 2011 George H. Diller Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 george.h.diller@nasa.gov STATUS REPORT: ELV-042211 EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT Spacecraft: Aquarius Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7320 Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 2 Launch Date: June 9, 2011 Launch Window: 7:20:13 - 7:25:13 a.m. PDT Altitude/Inclination: 408.2 statute miles/98 degrees At Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft has completed end-to-end communications system testing. The objective of the test was to verify that the Mission Operations Center, located in Cordoba, Argentina, could conduct control and monitoring of the spacecraft, including the capability to command the Aquarius primary science instrument. The Limited Performance Tests including the SAC-D service platform, the Aquarius science instrument, and the SAC-D instruments were all successfully completed last week. At NASA's Space Launch Complex 2, customary prelaunch testing of the Delta II first and second stage propulsion systems continues and is going well. The Aquarius/SAC-D mission is a collaboration between NASA and Argentina's space agency with participation by Brazil, Canada, France and Italy. NASA's Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida is managing the launch. United Launch Alliance of Denver, Colo., is NASA's launch service provider of the Delta II 7320. Spacecraft: Juno Launch Vehicle: Atlas V 551 Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Launch Pad: Complex 41 Launch Date: Aug. 5, 2011 Launch Time: 11:40 a.m. EDT Testing of the science instruments is under way. Antenna installations, including the high gain antenna, began April 20. Communications system end-to-end testing with the Deep Space Network and its associated tracking stations is scheduled to begin late next week. The Atlas and Centaur stages of the Atlas V rocket are scheduled to arrive at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station the second week of May. The solar-powered Juno spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. Spacecraft: GRAIL (Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory) Launch Vehicle: Delta II Heavy Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Launch Pad: 17-B Launch Date: Sept. 8, 2011 Launch Time: 8:35:52 a.m. EDT and 9:14:35 a.m. EDT The Delta II first stage was hoisted into the launcher at Pad 17-B on April 7. Tentatively planned for next week, the nine solid rocket boosters will be lifted and attached to the first stage in sets of three. The second stage is currently scheduled to be hoisted atop the first stage on May 10. 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
