Mission: IBEX (Interstellar Boundary Explorer)
Launch Vehicle: Pegasus XL (Orbital Sciences)
Launch Facility: Reagan Test Site, Kwajalein Pacific Atoll
Launch Date: Oct. 5, 2008
Launch Window: 12:42 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. EDT
(04:42 a.m. – 04:45 a.m. local Kwajalein time)
At Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., the IBEX spacecraft was fueled with hydrazine control propellant on Aug. 12. This was followed by spacecraft spin balancing on Aug. 14. Friday, IBEX is scheduled to be attached to the upper stage booster. Technicians will then perform a final spin-balance test of the entire flight stack on Aug. 16. After de-integration, the upper stage will be transported to the Pegasus launch vehicle hangar on Aug. 19. The IBEX spacecraft will be moved there on Aug. 20.
At the Orbital Sciences launch vehicle hangar, prelaunch processing of the Pegasus XL rocket continues to occur on schedule. Mating of the first and second stages was completed yesterday. Attachment of the second and third stages was done on Aug. 12.
The L-1011 aircraft carrying the Pegasus XL rocket with IBEX currently is planned to depart from Vandenberg on Sept. 25. After a stop in Hawaii, the flight will continue and arrive at the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll in the south Pacific on Sept. 26.
For information about IBEX and its mission, visit:
Previous status reports are available at:
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2008
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George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
george.h.diller@nasa.gov