Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report

[KSC News Center <ksc@mediaservices.nasa.gov>]

Dec. 17, 2010

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
george.h.diller@nasa.gov

STATUS REPORT: ELV-121710

EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT

Spacecraft: Glory
Launch Vehicle: Taurus XL 3110
Launch Site:  Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Launch Date:  Feb. 23, 2011
Launch Time: 2:09:43 a.m. PST
Altitude/Inclination: 440 miles/98.2 degrees 

The Taurus rocket is in Orbital Sciences Hangar 1555 on north 
Vandenberg Air Force Base where integration and testing of the 
vehicle's flight hardware components is in work. Installation and 
testing of the vehicle's C-band transponder systems continue. The 
Ground Operations Review was held at Vandenberg on Dec. 9. This 
meeting evaluated the readiness of the spacecraft processing 
facilities to receive the Glory spacecraft next month and to begin 
the prelaunch processing activities.

After the holidays, Pad 576-E on North Vandenberg will be opened to 
prepare it for the arrival of Stage 0 that will be transported from 
Orbital Sciences Hangar 1555. It is currently planned to be hoisted 
into place at the pad on Jan. 18.

Data from the Glory mission will allow scientists to better understand 
the Earth's energy budget. An accurate description of the Earth's 
energy budget is important in order to anticipate future changes to 
our climate. Shifts in the global climate and the associated weather 
patterns impact human life by altering landscapes and changing the 
availability of natural resources.

The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor instrument will measure aerosols 
(human-caused and naturally occurring) to determine their relative 
influence on the global climate.

The Total Irradiance Monitor instrument will monitor the Sun to 
understand short-term solar mechanisms causing energy budget changes 
and will contribute to the vital long-term solar record.

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