06.02.06

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
(202) 358-3749

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(321) 867-2468

STATUS REPORT: ELV-060206

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Mission: Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) 
Launch Pad: 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. 
Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta II 
Launch Date: July 22, 2006 
Launch Times: 3:11 - 3:13 p.m. and 4:19 - 4:34 p.m. EDT 

Technicians are testing individual STEREO systems on both the "A" and 
"B" observatories (spacecraft). Solar arrays for both observatories 
are being cleaned, inspected and repaired prior to integration. 
Workers cleaned and black-light inspected observatory "A". The Solar 
Energetic Particle (SEP) instrument suite and the Plasma Supra 
Thermal Ion Composition (PLASTIC) instrument were reintegrated with 
the observatories. Technicians also performed functional tests on 
both instruments. Both high gain antennas have been integrated to the 
spacecraft and are under test. Upcoming work planned for both 
observatories includes solar array installation, g-negated 
deployments and comprehensive performance testing.

Today, workers begin the build-up of the Delta II rocket at Pad 17-B, 
beginning with the first stage. Pad workers will begin to erect the 
nine solid rocket boosters on June 5 with a scheduled completion date 
of June 9. The second stage is scheduled to be hoisted into position 
and mated to the first stage on June 20. The crew will raise the 
10-foot fairing into the pad clean room on June 21. 

STEREO will build a three-dimensional, global picture of the sun and 
study the star's influence on Earth. For more information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/stereo

For previous status reports, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2006

	
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