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NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report: E06-001

The headshot image of Tricia Talbert

Tricia Talbert

Jan 06, 2006
RELEASE

MISSION: New Horizons
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Lockheed Martin Atlas V 551 (AV-010)
LAUNCH PAD: Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
LAUNCH DATE: NET Jan. 17, 2006
LAUNCH WINDOW: Jan. 17 to Feb. 14, 2006.

  • The borescope inspection of the Atlas V RP-1 propellant tank was successfully completed this week, and no defects were observed. The results of the inspection serve to increase confidence in launch success, but further testing and modeling of the vehicle continues in order to provide confidence in proceeding to launch.
  • Launch vehicle ordnance installation was completed today. Third stage closeouts are scheduled for Monday. The safe and arm devices will be installed on the solid rocket boosters Tuesday.
  • New Horizons spacecraft closeouts and final documentation are planned for Jan. 11 to 13. The final power-on integrated test is set for Jan. 12. The fairing doors will be installed for flight Jan. 14.

Mission: Space Technology 5 (ST5)
Launch Vehicle: Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL
Launch Date: Feb. 28, 2006
Launch Window: 8:57:21 a.m. – 10:19:21 a.m. EST (5:57:21 a.m. – 7:19:21 a.m. PST)

  • The wings and aft skirt of the Pegasus launch vehicle are installed.
  • Launch vehicle flight software is installed.
  • Flight Simulation No. 1 is under way today. Flight Simulation No. 2 is scheduled for Jan. 25 to 26.
  • Spacecraft software loading with associated testing took place Wednesday.
  • A spacecraft functional test was successfully conducted Thursday.
  • A 12-hour ST5 spacecraft operations test is under way today.

Mission: Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation and CloudSat (CALIPSO/CloudSat)
Launch Vehicle: Boeing Delta 7420 with Dual Payload Attach Fitting
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 2, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Launch Date: No Earlier Than February 2006
Launch Window: TBD

  • CALIPSO and CloudSat are installed in the Dual Payload Attach Fitting at the Astrotech payload processing facilities on north Vandenberg. They will remain there until a launch date is determined and then be prepared for transportation to NASA’s Space Launch Complex 2.
  • Further Delta II preparations at the launch pad are on hold until the CALIPSO/CloudSat payloads arrive for installation atop the second stage.

Previous status reports are available on the Web at:

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2005

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J.D. Harrington
Headquarters, Washington
(202) 358-5241

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