NASA Creates Glory Satellite Mishap Investigation Board

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

March 4, 2011

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

Steve Cole
Headquarters, Washington 
202-358-0918 
stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov 

RELEASE: 11-065

NASA CREATES GLORY SATELLITE MISHAP INVESTIGATION BOARD

WASHINGTON -- NASA's Glory mission ended Friday after the spacecraft 
failed to reach orbit following its launch from Vandenberg Air Force 
Base in California.

NASA has begun the process of creating a Mishap Investigation Board to 
evaluate the cause of the failure. Telemetry indicated the fairing, a 
protective shell atop the satellite's Taurus XL rocket, did not 
separate as expected.

The launch proceeded as planned from its liftoff at 5:09 a.m. EST 
through the ignition of the Taurus XL's second stage. However, the 
fairing failure occurred during the second stage engine burn. It is 
likely the spacecraft fell into the South Pacific, although the exact 
location is not yet known.

NASA's previous launch attempt of an Earth science spacecraft, the 
Orbiting Carbon Observatory onboard a Taurus XL on Feb. 24, 2009, 
also failed to reach orbit when the fairing did not separate.

NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory Mishap Investigation Board reviewed 
launch data and the fairing separation system design, and developed a 
corrective action plan. The plan was implemented by Taurus XL 
manufacturer Orbital Sciences Corporation. In October 2010, NASA's 
Flight Planning Board confirmed the successful closure of the 
corrective actions.

The Glory Earth-observing satellite was intended to improve our 
understanding of how the sun and tiny atmospheric particles called 
aerosols affect Earth's climate. 

	
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