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View Full Version : ELV Status Report, 01-12-2004


Jacques van Oene
December 2nd 04, 09:23 AM
George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(321) 867-2468
RELEASE: ELV-120104

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLES STATUS REPORT

MISSION: Deep Impact
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Delta II 7925
LAUNCH PAD: Pad 17-B Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: Jan. 8, 2005
LAUNCH WINDOW: 1:39:50 and 2:19:12 p.m. EST instantaneous

The NASA Launch Services Program conducted the Launch Vehicle Readiness
Review on Nov. 30. At the
conclusion, Jan. 8 was firmly established as the launch date for Deep Impact
and this date has been
set on the Eastern Range.

In processing activities at the Astrotech Space Operations facility located
near Kennedy Space
Center, the Deep Impact solar array panels will undergo an illumination test
as a final check of
performance on Dec. 8. The high-gain antenna used for spacecraft
communications will be installed
on Dec. 9 and the flight battery will be installed on Dec. 10. Deep Impact
will then be ready to
begin preparations for fueling, which is scheduled to start on Dec. 16 and
be completed on Dec. 19.
Mating to the payload attach fitting and upper stage booster occurs Dec.
22 - 23.

The spacecraft is currently scheduled to be transported to Pad 17-B on Dec.
28 and mated to the
Boeing Delta II rocket. The Flight Program Verification, the major
integrated test with the Delta
II, occurs on Dec. 30. The Delta II payload fairing will be installed around
the Deep Impact
spacecraft on Jan. 4.

NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft arrived in Florida on Oct. 23 to begin final
preparations for launch.
The spacecraft was shipped from Ball Aerospace & Technologies in Boulder,
Colo., to Astrotech.

The stacking of the Boeing Delta II launch vehicle on Pad 17-B began on
Nov. 22 with the hoisting
of the first stage into the launcher. Hoisting of the nine strap-on solid
rocket boosters, in sets
of three, began with the first set on Nov. 23 and the second on Nov 29. The
last set is being
installed on the vehicle today. The second stage will be hoisted into
position atop the first stage
on Friday, Dec. 3. The payload fairing will be hoisted and stowed in the
mobile service tower on
Dec. 6.


-end-


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Jacques :-)

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